Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-03-06

lust ns Hnlnic un'Nl WV "'''N
nulor that of murio, sodU or muriate OF
s,da. while EPSON salts will have an ell
feet auto rs salulary when sold by tha
name, rs when mysleriously labeled sui
phus sodn or sulphate of soda. A physl
clan calls at your house, feels your pulse
and, with an mir ofproiunGity, write
thus:
Nit. chlor. Iyarors aa. 10 grs.
Jalupm Puly.
Patient sends to :he drug store, when
he finds init. chlor. hydrarg,' to be an
Authorization of mite chordum OF hydrar
girl, in other words, mild chloride OF mer'
curry simply calomel Jalopm pulv' Is
of course powdered jalap, and the entire
rigmarole is simply expressed; Ten grains
each of calomcl and jalap.
II the physicians were TO abandon this
mysterious method of dispensing medi
eines, and if apothecOries called things 10y
their proper names, the community would
soon become familiar with the character
of medicines. Paregoric need not be cal
led "tinc. camph. ct opii," any more than
-four need be labeled "pulvis liordei,' and
we doubt not that the public would quite
as willingly pay the present prices charged
for medicines when called by their right
names as when covered with cabalistic in
scriptions,
We believe the dog Latin part of the
druggists business to be an intense hum
bug, and of about the same use as the bo=
tanical names conferred upon plants by
quack nurserymen. When we remember
that goodly portion Of an apprentices
time is spent simply in acquiring knows
edge of these mongrel Latin names for
medicines, aside from the science of
chemistry, to which alone most of them
belong, we think it will be everywh ere
conceded that the system of using them
should be abolished.
The fact is, that medical men are them>
selves often lamentaby deficient in their
knowledge Of pharmacy, through this very
cause.-the difficulty of acquiring a know
ledge of technicalities and many pa-
tient has been sent to his long home in
consequence OF misunderstanding on the
part OF medical men as 10 the character OF
the medicines they were prescribing i
Make the acquaintance of first class
prescription clerk, and get him to show
you the book in which he preserves the
prescriptions lie has compounded, and
you will be surprised TO find how little is
generally known oftherapeutics by many
practising physicians. Nauseous oils are
mingled with imperfect solvents, which
allow large globules 10 adhere to the
mouth, vitiating the appetite ard tone Of
the stomach for many hours. lnsolublo
powders are often directed TO be dissolved
in water, and the recoiling patient finds
himself compelled to reject from his
stomach the pasty compound. Had the
matter beeen left TO the direction of the
prescription clerk, he would At least have
rendered the dose innauseous. For the
oil he would have substituted the extract
or issipated juice of the same plant, while
in pleasant emulsion would have CON
veyed The full effects of the disgusting and
i'll prescribed mess Yet the clerk re-
mains mute, and dare not even make
suggestion to the customer, no matter
how fagrant the ignorance Of the physi.
clan in this respect.
But this is not all: for medical men.
ike writers for newspapers, are often
found whose manuscripts are unintelligible,
and many such are often sent back to
their authors to be re written. That so
.ow accidents occur from this cause, is
something that in our opinion app:oXi-
mates to the marvellous, and is in itself
the highest possible commentary upon
the general competency and efficiency of
our friends, the druggists. For that
criminal temerity which entrusts the
preparation of medicines 10 hands insult
iiciently experienced, we have nothing
but condemnation, but we cannot do 9th.
erwise than lelieve that We few physi.
clans possess the same knowledge Of he
character and variety of forms in which
the various drugs exist, as youth of in
tclligence who has enjoyed one busy
Years experience behind well patroLiz-
cd and well managed prescription coun.
ter.
To conclude, we would ask, why can
not our medical friends resolve to write
their prescriptions in plain English p
And Why, also, cannot our druggists call
"salts" salts, and "turpentine" turpen.
tine Are these terms more dangerous
than muriate of sodium, or oleum tere>
binthine Let the trial be made by
both physician and druggist and see if
the results prove otherwise thar satisfac.
tory.