Pills of Col′chicum. See Pills, Gout.
Pills of Col′ocynth. Syn. Pilulæ è duobus, P. ex colocynthide simpliciores, L. Prep. (Ph. L. 1746.) Colocynth and scammony, of
each 2 oz.; oil of cloves, 2 dr.; syrup of buckthorn, q. s. An active hydragogue cathartic.—Dose, 2 to 12 gr.
Pills of Colocynth (Compound). Syn. Pill of cochia; Pilulæ cocciæ, Pilulæ cochiæ, Pilula colocynthidis composita (B. P.), P. colocynthidis compositæ (Ph. L. & D.), P. colocynthidis (Ph. E.), L. Prep. 1. (Ph. L.) Extract of colocynth (simple), 1 dr.; powdered extract of aloes, 6 dr.; powdered scammony, 2 dr.; powdered cardamoms, 1⁄2 dr.; soft soap (Ph. L.), 11⁄2 dr.; mix, and beat them altogether, so that a mass may be formed. This is intended as a substitute for the compound extract of colocynth of the Ph. L. 1836.
2. (Ph. E.) Socotrine or East Indian aloes and scammony, of each 8 parts; sulphate of potassa, 1 part; beat them together; add of colocynth, in fine powder, 4 parts; next add of oil of cloves, 1 part; and, with the aid of a little rectified spirit, beat the whole to a mass and divide this into 5-gr. pills.
3. (Ph. D.) Colocynth pulp, scammony, and Castile soap, of each (in powder) 1 oz.; hepatic aloes, 2 oz.; treacle, 10 dr.; oil of cloves, 1 fl. dr.; mix, and beat them into a mass of uniform consistence.
4. (Ph. L. 1746.) Socotrine aloes and scammony, of each 2 oz.; pulp of colocynth, 1 oz.; oil of cloves, 2 dr.; syrup of buckthorn, q. s. to form a pill-mass. This is the original formulæ published by Galen for ‘pilulæ cochiæ minores,’ and, under various slight modifications, it has continued in use ever since.
5. Aloes, 11⁄2 lb.; colocynth, 3⁄4 lb.; jalap, 6 oz. (all in powder); oil of cloves, 11⁄2 oz.; syrup or treacle, q. s. to mix. Prod. About 43⁄4 lbs. This forms the common ‘pil. cochiæ’ of the druggists. A few, more conscientious than the rest, add to the above, scammony, 6 oz. It is greatly inferior to the Ph. pill.
6. (B. P.) Colocynth, in powder, 1; Barbadoes aloes, in powder, 2; scammony, in powder, 2; sulphate of potash, in powder, 1⁄4; oil of cloves, 1⁄4; distilled water, a sufficiency (about 1⁄4); mix. Dr Gregory’s favourite pill.—Dose, 5 to 10 gr.
Obs. Compound colocynth pill is a cheap and excellent cathartic, more powerful than the other officinal aloetic pills, and well adapted to cases of habitual costiveness. It has long been extensively used by the poorer classes, and in domestic medicine generally.—Dose, 5 to 15 gr.