GLOSSARY
There are many abbreviations in the Edinburgh dispensary case notes, as well as symbols that are not in common use today. Below is a list of symbols and abbreviations that you might come across, with their meanings given on the right.
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Abbreviation: Description: ℔ Libra, a pound, made up of 12 ounces ℥ An ounce. Apothecary’s unit of measure equivalent to 31.1 grams ʒ A dram or drachm. An apothecary’s unit of measurement equivalent to 3.89 grams. There are 8 drams in an apothecary’s ounce ℈ A scruple. Apothecary’s measurement of weight equivalent to 1.296 g. There are 24 scruples in an apothecary’s ounce. There are 3 scruples for 1 dram ĀĀ, āā, AA, aa Ana, ‘of each’ Aq. Aqua, water Bis indies Twice a day Cap. Capsule (From the Latin capsula) Cap. ‘Let the patient take’ (Latin abbreviation of capiat) Coch. Parv. ‘A scant spoonful’, or a teaspoonful (Latin abbreviation of cochleare parvum) Comp. ‘Compound’ (Latin abbreviation of compositus) D, d. Doses f. ‘Make’; ‘let it be made’ (Latin abbreviation for fiat) Gr. A grain. Apothecary’s measurement equivalent to 64.8 mg. There are 480 grains in an apothecary’s ounce. There are 20 grains for 1 scruple Habt. Habeat, ‘let him have’ h.s Either ‘at bed time’ (Latin hora somni) or ‘half-strength’ Indies, Ind. ‘Daily’ (Latin) Lat. Dol ‘To the painful side (Latin abbreviation of lateri dolenti) Mist. ‘Mixture’ (Latin abbreviation of mistura) Noct. Night (Latin abbreviation of nocte) om. hor. ‘Every hour’ (Latin abbreviation of omni hora) om. m. ‘Every morning’ (Latin abbreviation of omni mane) om. n. ‘Every night’ (Latin abbreviation of omni nocte) p. ‘Continue’ (Latin abbreviation of perstetur) p.m ‘Evening or afternoon’ (Latin abbreviation of post meridiem) ppt. ‘Prepared’ (Latin abbreviation of praeparata) pro enim 'For' pulv. ‘Powder’ (Latin abbreviation of pulvus) Rep, Repet. ‘Let it be repeated (Latin abbreviation of repetatur) Rx. Recipe Sed But; but also; but in fact Sing. ‘Of each’ (Latin abbreviation of singulorum) Sumat ‘Let him/her take’ Syr. Syrup Ter.in.die. ‘3 times a die’ for (omni nocte) Viz. Latin abbreviation of adverb videlicet: ‘namely’; ‘that is to say’ X Times
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℔
Libra. a pound, made up of 12 ounces
℥
An ounce. Apothecary’s unit of measure equivalent to 31.1 grams
ʒ
A dram or drachm. An apothecary’s unit of measurement equivalent to 3.89 grams. There are 8 drams in an apothecary’s ounce
℈
A scruple. Apothecary’s measurement of weight equivalent to 1.296 g. There are 24 scruples in an apothecary’s ounce. There are 3 scruples for 1 dram
ĀĀ, āā, AA, aa
Ana, ‘of each’
Aq.
Aqua, water
Bis indies
Twice a day
Cap.
Capsule (From the Latin capsula)
Cap.
‘Let the patient take’ (Latin abbreviation of capiat)
Coch. Parv.
‘A scant spoonful’, or a teaspoonful (Latin abbreviation of cochleare parvum)
Comp.
‘Compound’ (Latin abbreviation of compositus)
D, d.
Doses
f.
‘Make’; ‘let it be made’ (Latin abbreviation of fiat)
Gr.
A grain. Apothecary’s measurement equivalent to 64.8 mg. There are 480 grains in an apothecary’s ounce. There are 20 grains for 1 scruple
Habt.
Habeat, ‘let him have’
h.s
Either ‘at bed time’ (Latin hora somni) or ‘half-strength’
Indies, Ind.
‘Daily’ (Latin)
Lat. Dol
‘To the painful side, (Latin abbreviation of lateri dolenti)
Mist.
‘Mixture’ (Latin abbreviation of mistura)
Noct.
Night (Latin abbreviation of nocte)
om. hor.
‘Every hour’ (Latin abbreviation of omni hora)
om. m.
‘Every morning’ (Latin abbreviation of omni mane)
om. n.
‘Every night’ (Latin abbreviation of omni nocte)
p.
‘Continue’ (Latin abbreviation of perstetur)
p.m
‘Evening or afternoon’ (Latin abbreviation of post meridiem)
ppt.
‘Prepared’ (Latin abbreviation of praeparata)
pro enim
'For'
pulv.
‘Powder’ (Latin abbreviation of pulvus)
Rep, Repet.
‘Let it be repeated (Latin abbreviation of repetatur)
Rx.
Recipe
Sed
But; but also; but in fact
Sing.
‘Of each’ (Latin abbreviation of singulorum)
Sumat
‘Let him/her take’
Syr.
Syrup
Ter.in.die.
‘3 times a day’ for (omni nocte)
Viz.
Latin abbreviation of adverb videlicet: ‘namely’; ‘that is to say’
X
Times
