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[A SPARK MAY RAISE AN AWFUL BLAZE.] 659. Medicines. Preparations of them.--The following directions are of the utmost value in connection with the DOMESTIC PHARMACOPOEIA, DISEASES, PRESCRIPTIONS, and POISONS. They will be found most important to emigrants, attendants upon the sick, and persons who reside out of the reach of medical aid, sailors, &c., &c. They contain instructions not only for the compounding of medicines, but most useful hints and cautions upon the application of leeches, blisters, poultices, &c. 660. Articles Required for Mixing Medicines. Three glass measures, one to measure ounces, another to measure drachms, and a measure for minims, drops, or small doses. A pestle and mortar, both of glass and Wedgwood-ware. A glass funnel. Glass stirring rods. A spatula, or flexible knife, for spreading ointments, making pills, &c. A set of scales and weights. A small slab of marble, or porcelain, for making pills upon, mixing ointments, &c. 661. Medicine Weights and Measures.--Weights. When you open your box containing the scales and weights, you will observe that there are several square pieces of brass, of different sizes and thicknesses, and stamped with a variety of characters. These are the weights, which may now be explained. 662. Troy Weight. Medicines are made up by troy weight, although drugs are bought by avoirdupois weight. There are twelve ounces to the pound troy, which is marked lb.; the ounce, which contains eight drachms, is marked [*ounce]i. [looks like a z on top of a 3]; the drachm, containing three scruples, is marked [*drachm]i. [looks like a 3]; and the scruple of twenty grains is marked [*scruple]i. [looks like a backwards C with a horizontal cross-bar]. The grain weights are marked by little circles, thus: