| ℞ | Nitrate of silver | 6 | gr. |
| Distilled water | 6 | minims. | |
| Dissolve, and add— | |||
| Glycerin mass | 12 | gr. | |
| Flour | 24 | gr. |
Mix to form a mass which may be divided into 2 gr. pills, each containing 1⁄4 gr. of nitrate of silver. The mass rolls out well. Keep them from exposure to the air and light.
For Perchloride of Mercury Pills:—
| ℞ | Perchloride of mercury | 6 | gr. |
| Distilled water | 48 | minims. |
Heat in a test-tube till dissolved, and add to it—
| Glycerin mass | 48 | gr. |
| Flour | 96 | ” |
Mix well, and divide into 96 2-gr. pills, each of which will contain a sixteenth of a grain of perchloride of mercury.
Substances like nitrate of silver and perchloride of mercury may form different combinations with the albuminoid principles contained in the flour, but in such state they will probably be quite as readily assimilated, and have a similar medicinal action, as physiologists affirm that most metallic substances enter into the blood as albuminates. I have had some fear lest the gluten contained in the flour might favour some decomposition similar to fermentation, but such, from nearly two years’ use of them, I have never yet seen take place; the glycerin seems to check anything of the kind.
The crude gluten obtained in the moist condition from flour I find is nearly entirely soluble in glycerin, the solution does not appear to undergo any change when kept.
A mixture of glycerin and tragacanth is often used, and produces very similar results to those I have obtained from the glycerin mass. I have not had much experience with such a mixture, but I find it makes a more elastic paste, which is often a disadvantage, as it causes the pills to have a certain amount of springiness, and renders them difficult to form perfectly globular.