The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-29
HUMoR AT THE DRUGGISTS.
Some of the Errors to Which Igno-
rance Gives Rise.

From funny to serious and from
merely troublesome to dangerous are
the mistakes made in asking for drugs.
Indefiniteness of statement, careless
ness in giving the order, total igno-
rance of what is wanted, inaccuracy
of medical terms, sending of children,
sending of written orders with all de-
grees of misspelling, misconception of
terms, Oftentimes reluctance to admit
what the purchase is for, are of such
common occurrence that nine out of
every ten orders, according to prom
inent pharmacist, have to be supple
mented or corrected, or revised, or
guessed at.
In a collection of written orders,
chiefly marked by illiteracy, some
thing evidently intended for an effort
at prescription form and abbreviation
was often followed. For instance,
liquid ammonia was written Liquid
ammonia. Mercurial salve was given
as Merry Corali Sal. Certain drugs
stumbling blocks. Corrosive sublim-
ate was rendered in many ways, among
them kerosine sublime and corrosive
supplement. EPSON salts was Ibsom
salt and Espen's saItz.
E1quent of ttothace, if not correct,
was ''P--'s thoot wacks," while equal
ly suggestive of the meaning Intended
We're HelliIup Clone" absolute cot
TOM "a bellows to inject bedbug pow
der" Brudder Schmidt's drops" and
please send some drops to take" Less
easy to interpret was fall azorth,'' the
meaning to which the druggist finally
found by repeating it fast, Which gives
the key. An attempt was made at
ipecae and boracic acid, which read:
"Apeleaet and borecat assert"
OF the mistakes generally, made in
| asking for drugs, the confusion of
powdered licorice' with f1compound
iicorice powder" is of frequent occur
renee. Two mixtures with different
uses, naptholine and chloro napththo-
leum, are almost invariably requested
as something resembling naphtha."
The vaguest idea of a solution also
prevails and requests for clear boracic
acid, when investigated, are often made
with view; to use as an eye wash.
Indehniteness often times has no more
serious consequences than having to
refill the order by the clerk who neg
Ilects the precautionary questions. Lin
seed and faxseed meal as distinguish
ed from 1inseed and ffaxseed, are rare
ly specified until the package has been
taken home, while the commonest of
all purchasers is the young woman
who asks, when paying for her glycer-
IN, of course, you put rose water into
it, don't you?"
Empty capsules are oftenest requested
as two grain quinine capsules The
vague request for chocolate tablets, of
which there are over 500 kinds, sornesof
them poisonous, is also frequent order
that can be filled only at the discretion
of the druggist.
The mistakes most guarded against
are those growing out of the customer
attempting to give the medical form.
''Bichloride of mercury is q frequent
mistake made by those intending to ask
for calomel or Chloride of mercury" a
mistake not without dangers, as the
largest dose ever given of the former
is one-half grain. Another powerful
medicine was sold recently as a hair
wash by a customer asking for "bicar-
Donate" instead of Carbonate of
potash" Chlorate of potash, one of the
commonest of purchases, is seldom
asked for correctly. though the mistake
is less likely to do harm, as the bichlor-
ides and chlorides generally substituted
are chemicals rather than drugs.-Chi-
cago Tribune.