A complete prescription should have the following parts:

Date
Date must be written on the prescription by the prescriber at the same time when it is written. The date on the prescription helps a pharmacist to find out the cases where prescription is brought for dispensing long time after its issue. Prescriptions containing narcotic or other habitforming drugs must bear the date.

Name, Age, Sex and Address of the Patient

Name, age, sex and address of the patient must be written on the prescription. If it is not written then, the pharmacist himself should ask the patient about these particulars and put down at the top of the prescription. This avoids the possibility of giving the finished product to a person other than the one it is meant for. Patient's full name must be written instead of surname or the family name. Age and sex of the patient especially in the case of children helps the pharmacist in checking the medication and the dose. Therefore, there will be less danger of its being administered to the wrong member of the family or the hospital ward having similar names. The address of the patient is recorded to help for any reference at a later stage, to contact the patient or to deliver the medication personally.

Superscription
The superscription is represented by a symbol, Rx, which is always written at the beginning of the prescription. In the days of mythology and superstition the symbol was considered as a prayer to Jupiter, the God of healing, for quick recovery of the patient but now this symbol is understood as an abbreviation of the Latin word recipe, meaning "take thou" or "you take".

Inscription
This is the main part of the prescription. It contains the names and quantities of the prescribed ingredients. The names of the ingredients are written each on a separate line, followed by the quantity ordered and the last item written is generally the vehicle or diluent. In complex prescriptions containing several ingredients the inscription is divided into three parts: i) The base or the active medicament which is intended to produce the therapeutic effect; ii) The adjuvant which is included either to enhance the action of the medicament or to make the product more palatable; iii) The vehicle which is either used to dissolve the solid substances and/or to increase the volume of the preparation for ease of administration.

Subscription
This part of the prescription contains prescriber's directions to the pharmacist regarding the dosage form to be prepared and number of doses to be dispensed. Since, nowadays only a few prescriptions are compounded therefore such directions are less frequent.

Signatura/Signa
It is usually abbreviated as "Sig" on the prescriptions and consists of the directions to be given to the patient regarding the administration of the drug. It usually indicates the quantity of medicament or number or dosage units to be taken, how many times in a day or at what time it should be taken and the manner in which it is to be administered or applied.

Signature, Address and Registration Number of the Prescriber

All other parts of the prescription may be printed or type-written but the prescriber's name must be hand-written and should be signed with ink. This eliminates the danger of dispensing medicament on a spurious order and it authenticates the prescription. The prescriptions containing narcotic or other habit-forming drugs must bear the address and registration number of the prescriber. This identifies the special license which a prescriber must have to prescribe the narcotic and other habit-forming drugs.

Word or Phrase. Ad, (with accus. case) Ad duas vices, Ad libitum, Ad tertiam vicem, Adde, Ad defectionem animi, Ad gratam aciditatem, Adhibendus, Admove, Adversum, Adstante febre, Aggrediente febre, Alternis horis, Alvo adstricta, Ana, Ante cibum. Aqua, Aqua astricta, Aqua bulliens, Aqua communis, Aqua destillata, Aqua fervens, Aqua fluvialis, Aqua fontana, Aqua marina, Aqua nivalis, Balneum arenae, Balsamum, Balneum maris, Bene, Bibe, Bis indies, Bulliat, or Bulliant, Capiat, Caute, Cochleatim, Cochleare magnum, Cochleare medium or modicum, Cochleare parvum, Cola or Coletur, Coletur, Collyrium, Collutoreum, Coloretur, Compositus, a, um,

As generally written. Ad, Ad 2 vic. Ad. lib., Ad 3 tiam vic., Add, Ad def. animi, Ad grat. acid,, Adhib., Admov., Adv., Adst. febre, Aggred. febre, Alt. hor., Alvo adst., , Ante cib., Aq., Aq. astr., Aq. bull., Aq. com., Aq. dest., Aq. ferv., Aq. fluv., Aq. font.., Aq. mar., Aq. niv., Baln, aren., Bals., B. M., Bene., Bib., Bis. ind., Bull., Cap., Caute, Cochleat., Coch. mag., Coch. med. or mod., Coch. parv., Col., Colet., Collyr., Collut., Coloret., Comp.,

English equivalent. To, or up to. At twice taking. At pleasure. For three times. Add. To fainting. To an agreeable sourness. To be administered. Apply. Against. When the fever is on. While the fever is coming on. Every other hour. The bowels being confined. Of each. Before eating. Water. Frozen water. Boiling water. Common water. Distilled water. Hot water. River water. Spring water. Sea water. Snow water. Sand bath. Balsam. A warm water bath. Well. Drink thou. Twice a day. Let boil. Let the patient take. Cautiously. By spoonfuls. A tablepoonful ( ss) A dessertspoonful ( 3 ij) A teaspoonful ( 3 j) Strain. Let it be strained. An eye wash. A mouth wash. Let it be colored. Compound.

Concisus, Congius, Continuantur remedia, Coque, coquantur, Cortex, Cras nocte, Cras, crastinus, Cras vespere, Cras mane sumeudus, Cugus, cujus-libet, Cum, (with abl. case) Cyatho theae, Cyathus vinarius, Deaurentur pilulae, Debita spissitudo, Word or Phrase. Decanta, Decubitus, De die in diem, Deglutiatur, Dejectiones alvi, Detur, Diebus alternis, Diebus tertiis, Dilue, dilutus, Diluculo, Dimidius, Detur in duplo, Dividatur in partes aequales, Donec alvus bis dijicratur, Donec alvus soluta merit, Dosis, Drachma. Eadem (fern.), Ejusdem, Electuarium, Enema, enemata,

Con., C. or Cong., Cont. rem., Coq., Cort, C. n., Crast., C. v., Cras mane sumend., Cuj., C. Cyath. these, C. vinar., Deaur. pil., Deb. spiss., As generally written. Dec., Decub., De d. in d., Deglut., Dej. alvi., Det., Dieb., alt.; Dieb. tert., Dil, Diluc., Dim., D. in 2 plo., D. in p. aeq. Donee alv. bis. dej., D., Dr. or 3, Ead., Ejusd., Elect., Enem.,

Cut. Gallon. Let the medicines be continued. Boil, let them be boiled. Bark. To-morrow night. To-morrow. To-morrow evening. To be taken to-morrow morning. Of which, of any. With. In a cup of tea. A wine glass. Let the pills be gilt. A proper consistence. English equivalent, Pour off. Lying down. From day to day. May be (or let be) swallowed. Stools. Let it be given. Every other day. Every third day. Dilute (Ihou), diluted. At break of day. One half. Let twice as much be given. Let it be divided into equal parts. Until bowels have twice avacuated.

Donee alv. sol. ft. Until the bowels shall be opened. A dose. A drachm (60grains). The same. Of the same. An electuary. A clyster, clysters.

Extende super alutam mollem, Fac, or fiat, Fac pilulas duodecim, Febre durante, Femoribus internis, Fiant chartulae xij, Fiat emplastrum vesicatorium, Fiat haustus, Fiat massa, et divide in pilulas xij, Fiant pilulae xij, Fiat pulvis in chartulas xij divi-denda, Filtrum, filtra, Fluidus, Fiat lege artis, Fiat mistura, Frustillatim, Fiat secundum artem, Gargarisma, Gelatin a quauis, Gradatim, Granum, grana, Gutta, guttae, Guttatim, Guttis quibusdam, Harum pilularum sumantur tres, Haustus, Herba, Hora decubitus, Hora somni, Horae unius spatio, Idem, In dies, Infusum, Injectio,

Ext. sup. alut. moll. F. or ft., F. pil. xij, Feb. dur-, Feb. intern,, Ft. chart. xij, Ft. emp. vesic.. F. H., Ft. mas. div. in pil. xij, Ft, pil, xij, Ft. pul. in charl. xij div., Fil., Fl., F. L. A., F. M., Frust, F. S. A., Garg., Gel. quan., Grad., Gr., Gtt., Guttat., Gutt. quibusd., Har. pil. sum. iij, Hanst., Hb., Hor. decub., Hor. som., Hor. j. spat., Id., Ind., Inf., Inj.,

Spread upon soft leather. Make, let be made. Make twelve pills. During the fever. To the inner part of the thighs. Let twelve powders be made. Let a blister be made. Let a draught be made. Make a mass and divide into 12 pills Let twelve pills be made. Let a powder be made to be divided into 12 papers. A filter, filter (thou). Liquid. Let it be made by the rules of art. Let a mixture be made. In little pieces. Let it be made according to art. A gargle. In any kind of jelly. By degrees, grdually. Grain, grains. A drop, drops. Drop by drop. With a few drops. Let three of these pills be taken. A draught. An herb. At the hour of going to bed. Just before going to sleep. After one hour. The same. Daily, or from day to day. An infusion. An injection.

Instar, Libra, Mane primo, Magnus, Massa pilularem, Mica panis, Minimum, Misce, Mitte, Modo praescripto, Word or Phrase. More dictu, More solito, Nocte maneque, Non repetatur, Nox, noctis, Numero, Octarius, Omni hora, Omni bihorio, Omni mane, Omni nocti, Ovum, ovi, Partes aequales, Parvus, Pediluvium, Per deliquium, Per fistulam vitreum, Phiala, Phiala prius agitata. Pilula, Pondere, Pondus civile, Pondus medicinale,

Inst., Lb., lb, Mane pr., Mag., Mass., Mic. pan., Min., M., Mitt., Mod. praesc, Mor. dict., Mor. sol., Noct. maneq., Non repetat., Nox noct., No., O., oct.. Omn. hor., Omn. bih., Omn. mane, Omn, noct., Ov., Pt. aeq., Parv., Ped., P. d., P. fis. vit., Phil., P. P. A., Pil., P., P. C, P. M.,

Like. A pound. Very early in the morning. Large A pill mass. Crumb of bread. The 60th part of a drachm measure. Mix.: Send. In the manner prescribed In the manner directed. In the usual manner. Do not deliver without the money. At night, and in the morning. Let it not be repeated. The night, of the night. In number. A pint ( xvj). Every hour. Every two hours. Every 1/4 hour. Every morning. Every night. An egg. Equal parts. Small. A foot bath. Through, by. By deliquescence. Through a glass tube. A vial. The bottle having been first shaken. A pill. By weight. Avoirdupois. Apothecarie's weight.

As generally written. English equivalent.

Ne tradas sine nummo, Ne tr. s. num.,

Omni quadrante horae, Omn. quadr. hor.,

Per (with accus. case), Per,

Post cibum, Pro (with abl. case), Pro ratione aetatis, Pro re nata, Pulvis, pulverizatus, Quantum libet, Quantum sufficiat, Quaqua hora, Quoque, Quorum, Quotidie, Recipe, Repetatur, Saturatus, Scrupulum, Secundum artem, Semis, or semissis, Semi hora, Sesqui, Sesqui hora. Signa, Sine, (with abl. case), Singulorum, Si opus sit, Si vires permittant, Solve, solutus, Solutio, Spiritus, Statim, Stet, or stent, Subinde, Sumat talem, Sumatur, Summo mane, Suppositoria, Talis,

Post cib., Pro, Pro. rat. set., P. r. n., Pulv., Q, lib., Q. S., Qq. hor., Q. q., Quor., Quotid., , Rept., Sat., Scrup. or , S. A., Ss., Semi h., Sesqui, Sesq. h., Sig., Sin., Sing., Si. op. sit, Si. vir. perm., Solv., Sol., Spt., Stat., St., Subind., Sum. tal., Sum., Summo mane, Suppos., Tal.,

After eating. For. According to the age of the patient. According to circumstances. A powder, powdered. As much as you please. As much as is sufficient. Every hour. Also. Of which. Daily. Take. Let it be reduced to powder. Let it be repeated. Saturated. A scruple (20 grains). According to art. A half. Half an hour. As much again by half. An hour and a half. Write, or mark (thou). Without. Of each. If necessary. If the strength will bear it. Dissolve, dissolved. A solution. A spirit. Immediately. Let it stand, let them stand. Frequently. Take one such. Let it be taken. Early in the morning. A suppository. Such, or like.

Redactus in pulverem, Red. in pulv.,

Ter in die, Tinctura, Trochisci, Word or Phrase. Tritura, Tere simul, Ultimus praescriptus, Uncia, Unguentum, Vel, Vesper, eris, Vinum, Vehiculum, Vitellus, Vitello ovi solutus, Vomitione urgente.

T. i. d., Tr. tinct., Troc. As generally written. Trit., Ter.sim., Ult. praes., Unc. or , Ungt., Vel., Vesp., Vin., Vehic., Vit.; V. O. S., Vorn. urg.

Thrice daily. A tincture. Troches, or lozenges. English equivalent. Triturate. Rub together. The last ordered. An ounce. An ointment. Or, The evening. A wine. A menstruum. The yolk (of the egg). Dissolved in the yolk of an egg. The vomiting being troublesome.

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