Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-08
MEDICINE FOR THE KING.
Royal Tonics and Their Careful Prep
aration.
From Tlt-RIts

From Tit-Bits.
Considering how vigilantly the kings life
IL guarded in other directions 1t is only
natural that even greater precautions
should be taken with regard to his medi-
cines, and It is practically an impossibility
for them to be tempered with or any mis-
take made In their preparation.
Although all the royal palaces are fitted
with laboratories well stocked with drugs,
II Is only in the case Of urgent necessity.
that the medicine for royal patients issues
from there, the resident apothscary being
generally called upon to dispense for the
various members of the household only
The kings medicines originate with the pre-
scription drawn up by the surgeon apothe-
cary, Sir Francis Laking, in consultation
with the other physicians In attendance
After II has been written out in Latin and
signed II is placed in a wallet which ia
then locked and sealed. There are two keys
TO this wallet; one retained by the physi-
cian and the other by the dispensing chem
list, to whom the prescription Is thus sent in
the charge Of a special messenger.
1t will be seen that SO far It is impossible
FOR the prescription TO be changed or tam
pered with, and the chemist on receiving
the wallet takes 1t into the small laboratory
specially set apart for the preparation of
royal medicines before breaking the seal
This Is then done IN the presence of an
assistant. All the royal dispensers are re-
CURED to have special laboratory wherein
the drugs-of the highest quality only-are
Kept apart from others and under lock and
key while IN the same room is a hreproof
safe containing book OF vellum into which
the prescription is carefully copied and
checked before the medicine is made IN
Equal secrecy is maintained In the dis
pensing, which Is carried out behind locked
doors, and every portion of the drugs used
is three times weighed and analyzed before
being compounded. A final examination is
then made, and the bottle or box having
been sealed down, is placed In the wallet
with the prescription and locked and sealed
after which the messenger takes IL back to
the physician.
But even now the medicine Is not ready
for the royal patient. II has again TO he
examined and checked by the physician
IN the precincts OF the royal laboratory
This done, he seals down the cork and puts
the bottle in box, which Is kent lock-
and only opened when dose has TO be ad-
ministered. So cautious Is he that although
the box Is kept IN the patients Chamber
the cork OF the bottle 10 sealed aRain when
ever IL has TO be opened, and only when
doses have to be frequently given does the
bottle remain on the table. The kings medi-
cine Ia always measured out by the physt-
clan himself, TO guard against an overdose
and Is then frequently administered either
by the queen or the Princess Victoria King
Edward admits that he II a troublesome ma :
tent and very often when he has firmly
declined to take his medicine from the
hands OF his doctors, or even from the
queens. the princess. who, like her mother
u an untiring nurse, has proved SUCCESSFUL
In overcoming his opposition.