Galls

The powder of galls, like tannin, cakes easily in melted cocoa-butter, especially if the latter exceeds 1300 F. in temperature. Dispensers should learn to melt the fat so that it is not much above 100° when all is melted, which is easily done by shredding the butter fine or using the powdered article. In the following case it is impossible to use water with the extract, as it helps to cake the powdered galls:

Ut fiant suppositona sex.

The best plan with this is to beat all the ingredients together in a warm mortar until a uniform mass is produced, and mould in the cold way; or warm gently to no° F., stirring all the time, and pour into the moulds.

Glycerin

For rectal purposes the British Pharmacopoeia glycerin suppository-mass is best, but for pessaries either of the following is better:

Dissolve the soap in the glycerin by the aid of heat and pour into moulds. (Glycerin by weight.)

Dissolve the carbonate in the glycerin on a water-bath, add the acid, stir until effervescence ceases, and pour into moulds.

The second is the United States Pharmacopoeia formula. Both are substantially the same in result, and the finished suppositories or pessaries have to be wrapped in tinfoil. For rectal use objection is taken to the stearate form on the ground that, owing to their high percentage of glycerin, they produce tenesmus. Agar-agar (Japanese isinglass) has been recommended in place of gelatin. A good mass is made by soaking 1 part of agar-agar in 5 parts of water, adding 25 parts of glycerin, and dissolving.

Hamamelis Suppositories

These may be made with the liquid extract of the leaves-5 minims in each suppository, evaporated to one-half its bulk, with a cocoa-butter basis. The following is a rare prescription which illustrates the power of fats to take up liquids by gentle coaxing:

Misce. Fiant suppositoria xij.

Cocoa-butter was intended as the basis. The way to compound is : Melt on the water-bath 100 grains of cocoa-butter and 5 grains of white wax. Put the solid active ingredients on a slab and rub well down with hazeline, then pour some of the melted basis on it and mix, more hazeline and basis, mix, and so on until the whole is thoroughly compounded. Transfer to the dish, stir, and in about a minute the mass is ready to pour. The official powdered extract of belladonna gives the best results. Ichthyol. - The gelatin basis is stated to be made insoluble by ichthyol, but it is largely used, and with the best therapeutic results, mostly as pessaries, e.g.-

Ft. pess.

They are also made 10 per cent., 15 per cent., and so on. They should be made as required, as they become tough when kept.