MITES. See Acari.
MITH′RIDATE. Syn. Damocrate’s Confection; Mithridatium, Confectio Damocratis, L. “This composition originally consisted of but few ingredients; viz. 20 leaves of rue, 2 walnuts, 2 figs, and a little salt. Of this we are informed that Mithridates took a dose every morning, to guard himself against the effects of poison. It was afterwards altered, and the number of the ingredients increased to sixty-one. In this more complex form it contained opium, and was, in effect, an aromatic opiate, of which the confection of
opium of the present day may be considered as a simplification. The ‘mithridate’ is still prepared in some shops, and is occasionally, though very rarely, prescribed.” (Med. Lex.) “The formulæ for CONFECTION or ELECTUARY OF CATECHU may be considered as the representatives, in our modern Pharmacopœias, of the once celebrated recipes for Confectio Damocratis and Theriaca Andromachi.” (Redwood.) Mithridate was formerly conceived to be good for nearly every disease, and an antidote for every known poison.
MIXTURE. Syn. Mistura, L. A compound liquid medicine, taken in divided doses. Mixtures are usually extemporaneous preparations, and in prescribing them care should be taken not to bring together substances that decompose each other, nor to order heavy powders, that speedily separate from the body of the liquid by subsidence. Emulsions, JULEPS, and MUCILAGES, are included in the ‘MISTURÆ’ of the London Pharmacopœia.
Mixtures are usually dispensed in flat octagonal 6-or 8-oz. bottles, with long necks; or in regular ‘octagons’ with short necks, having the doses marked on the glass, to which the strength of the medicine is made to correspond.
Our remarks respecting ‘DRAUGHTS’ equally apply here. By putting the active ingredients of six draughts into a 6-oz. mixture bottle, and filling it up with distilled water, a mixture will be made of corresponding properties, of which the dose will be 2 table-spoonfuls. When the formula for the draughts includes a decoction or infusion as the vehicle, instead of water, four of them only must be taken, which will then fill the 6-oz. bottle, and the proper dose will be 3 table-spoonfuls, or a small wine-glassful.
The following formulæ embraces the whole of the ‘MISTURÆ’ of the British Pharmacopœia, as well as a few others in general use. These will serve as examples for the like preparations of medicinals which are not included in the list. (See also Draught, Emulsion, Julep, Water, &c.)
Mixture, Absor′bent. See Mixture, Antacid.
Mixture, Aca′cia. See Mixture, Gum.
Mixture, Ace′tate of Ammo′′nia. Syn. Mindererus’s mixture; Mistura ammoniæ acetatis, L. Prep. From solution of acetate of ammonia, 11⁄2 fl. oz.; nitre, 40 gr.; camphor mixture, 6 fl. oz.; rose syrup, 1⁄2 fl. oz.—Dose, 1 to 3 table-spoonfuls, every third or fourth hour, as a diaphoretic in inflammatory fevers, &c.