Sir William Whitla says, 'Where a prescription is repeatedly compounded the patient often asks for the dose to be increased, or some other change to be made. The dispenser should not accede to such a request, no matter how simple it may appear, without a consultation with the prescriber; nor is it advisable for him to inform the patient (even when pressed) of the ingredients in any prescription. He can refer them to the physician, or do as the writer has done long ago, when it was impossible to avoid such a revelation- read it in full Latin to the patient.' This ruling is somewhat stringent. One occasionally meets with customers- they are generally regular customers- who may safely get a hint as to what a medicine is composed of.