Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)

by Unknown

SYMBOLS USED IN MEDICINE AND PHARMACY.

The above symbols are employed almost always in medical prescriptions. A prescription consists of the following parts: (1) The Superscription; (2) The Inscription; (3) The Subscription; (4) The Signature. The Superscription, which consists of the letter

The body or prescription contains the following: the Basis, or principal active ingredient; the Adjuvant, or Auxiliary, to assist its action; the Corrective, to correct or diminish some undesirable quality; the Vehicle, or Excipient, to give a suitable form for administration.