The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-14
APOTHECARY AND DOCTOR.
Some Of the Secrets Told from Behind
the Desk of the Pharmacist.
Correcting the Dlunders Of the Physician
Sample Mistakes in the Use and Misuse
Of Prescription Latin and Drugs.

Eternal vigilance should be the motto of
the apothecary," remarked member of that
honored guild to the reporter HE not only
has to keep guard against his own blunders, but
those Of the physician, and he is frequently
harassed by the suspicion and ignorance Of both
the physician and the patient l only wonder
more mistakes are not made in this city, where
the selling of liquor by the drink takes up SO
much of the time Of the druggist and where, too
frequently, the sale of drugs and the prepare
ton of prescriptions is the smallest part of the
business The papers did not get wind OF an
ugly mistake that took place the other day.
druggist in preparing prescription, instead of
putting IN mercury with chalk, a frequent and
mild remedy, got hold of the wrong bottle and
dispensed ammoniated mercury known as
white precipitate, violent poison. Only
one of the powders had been ad-
ministered, when the druggist, who had dis
covered his mistake appeared. The patient
had fortunately stomach full of milk and milk
being an antidote, no serious result followed but
the chance was a very narrow one, and death
will never come as near to that family again
without carrying off victim.
MANY physicians know very little about
chemistry, and when the druggist who prepares
consequences are likely to ensue. The other
day gotta prescription calling for blue mass
and quinine, with sufficient aromatic sulphuric
acid to be added to MAKE the pills. Now the
physician who wrote that prescription did not
know that the addition of that acid to the mer-
curry in.the blue mass would change the quality
Of that mercury and give preparation
that would produce salvation if not
do something worse, by forming
poison as bad as corrosive sublimate
No great while ago was handed prescription
in which Quevennes iron, quinine, arsenic and
strychnine were to be made in pills. Now that
was prescription requiring care, but the physi-
clan who wrote it directed that sufficient extract
of beladonna be added to make the mass. Elk
tract of belladonna is too potent poison to be
prescribed in that way with the quantity to be
left entirely to the discretion of the druggist,
and where, too frequently, the druggist knows
more ab out dispensing whisky than compound
ing prescriptions.
IA mistake was made a little while ago at
drug store in the north part of the city
that had humorous side to it.
The physician had prescribed extract of
beef for his patient, who was also, by the way, a
physician The boy who put up the medicine
was little mixed in his drug Latin and gave in
spissated ox-gall instead, remedy which is
usually administered AS an enema.
Zone thing that makes the handling Of con-
centrated medicines so risky now in the hands
of the uneducated and inexperienced is the con-
fusion that is likely to arise from the similarity
in nomenclature between alkaloids and resinoids
owing to eclectic manufacturers giving the ter
minatlon of inc to resinoids which should be at
tached only to the alkoloids or active principles
of certain powerful remedial agents For
instance, hyoscyamine the alkaloid and active
principle OF hyoscyamus or henbane, is from 100
to l60 times stronger than the resnoid pow
dered extract. Then there is digitalin. an
alkaloid and dgitaline resinoid. The dose of
the frst-named is ordinarily one ifteth of
grain, while of the latter, the eclectic prepare
ton, from one-tenth to onehalf grain can be
given.
Some physicians have no gratitude. The
other day a customer came in here with pre-
scrption calling for 'tartrate of potassa, and
anthony, six drachms-take at one dose The
druggist hesitated, and the customer saw the
look of doubt upon his face The hesitation was
fatal. The patient snatched the paper from my
hand and FASTENED to his doctor to find out what
was the matter"
"What was the matterY" inquired the reporter
''The doctor, in his haste had made terrible
mistake. He had prescribed six drachms of tartar
emetic to be taken at a dose, instead of tartrate
OF soda and potash, a harmless and popular
aperient, better known as Rochelle salts. ], too
FASTENED to the doctors Office to explain, for
had had no intention of letting the cat out of the
bag to the customer The patient had got there
before me, and the doctor assuring him the pre-
scription all right, had sent him to
another drug store. The doctor didn't look
very amiably upon me as l entered. / had been
too offcious, and had hurt his professional dig
nifty; his infallibility had been questioned. But
when told him the mistake he had made, oh!
then there was hurrying to and fro, and wild
pursuit to catch the patient before he should
q a q 40 ox,o6 ov.1
was close shave. AS for druggist No. Not
No 2, who would probably have put up the
poison unquestioningly), ne has lost favor with
the physician whom he saved from the dire con-
grapple with his prescriptions any more, if the
doctor can help it."