Medicine Chest

[hta1970]

Thought I would explain the two prescriptions since not everyone knows period prescription writing or latin.

Rx
Blue Mass (dram)ss
Op Pulv grs v
M. D Pil No 12
Take one pill every four hours
until [illegible], and in four hours
each will take one
For Johnston, Vermillion,
Lyon & Ray

Rx (Rx = Recipe, take)
Blue Mass (dram)ss (ss = Semis, a half)
Op Pulv grs v
M.D Pil No 12 (M = Misce, mix; D = divide)
Take one pill every four hours
until [illegible], and in four hours
each will take one
For Johnston, Vermillion,
Lyon & Ray

And the other example
Rx
Blue Mass grs X
F. Pill No 2
S. one at bed time tonight & also tomorrow night
Bishop

Rx (Rx = Recipe, take)
Blue Mass grs X
F. Pill No 2 (F = Fac, Fiat, let there be made)
S. one at bed time tonight & also tomorrow night ( S = Sumat, let the patient take)
Bishop

As you can see in both cases the blue mass was being taken from stores by weight and either compounded with other medicines or alone and divided into pills, 12 in the first example and 2 in the second.

[funhistory]

Excellent, Sir!

I would also add that the line "Op Pulv grs v" would translate to "Opii (Opium) Pulvis (Powdered) grs (grains) v (5)".