Translation of prescriptions from Russian into Latin

Case Choice: Genitive or Accusative?

The main rule of pharmaceutical Latin when drafting prescriptions: after the word Recipe (Take), the name of the medicinal substance or plant is put in the genitive case (Genitivus) if its quantity in grams or milliliters is specified in the prescription. This logically answers the question "take of what?". For example, if we translate the task "Take: Validol 0.05", the word "validol" (Validolum — neuter gender, second declension) takes the ending -i: Recipe: Validoli 0.05. The same applies to liquid forms: the phrase "Dimexide solution 100 ml" is translated as Recipe: Solutionis Dimexidi 100 ml, since the word Solutio belongs to the third declension.

However, the grammar changes if the physician needs to prescribe a finished dosage form indicating a specific number of pieces (e.g., tablets, dragees, or suppositories) rather than the weight of the substance per single dose. In this case, the dosage form itself is put in the accusative case (Accusativus). For example, in the prescription "Dexamethasone tablets 0.005 number 50", the word "tablets" will be translated in the accusative plural (Tabulettas), while the name of the active substance itself remains in the genitive (Dexamethasoni).

Verbs in Prescriptions: Moods and Voices

In standard prescriptions, actions for the pharmacist (mix, dispense, label) can be expressed in two grammatical ways. The choice depends on the traditions of drafting a particular prescription.

• Imperative Mood. These are direct commands to the pharmacy worker: Misce (Mix), Da (Dispense), Signa (Label). For example, in a prescription for sulfadimezine tablets or motherwort tincture, the standard ending will sound short and clear: Da. Signa.
• Subjunctive Mood in the Passive Voice. This is a softer, passive formulation: "Let it be dispensed, let it be labeled". In Latin, this sounds like Detur, Signetur, and if the components need to be mixed beforehand, Misceatur is added. When translating orders for such drugs as Revit dragees or senna extract tablets, this construction is often used: Detur. Signetur.

In addition, the subjunctive mood is used in the construction fiat (let it be made). It is necessary when the pharmacist must create a new dosage form from several ingredients. For example: Misce, fiat pulvis (Mix, let a powder be made) or Misce, fiat species (Mix, let a tea/species be made).

Features of Translating Herbal Teas and Complex Powders

If a prescription includes several components in equal doses, the Latin translation requires the mandatory use of the preposition ana (in equal parts, often abbreviated as aa in prescriptions). For example, if it is necessary to take buckthorn bark (Corticis Frangulae) and nettle leaves (Foliorum Urticae) 15.0 grams each, the word ana is placed before the number that applies to both components: ...ana 15.0.

Multi-component herbal prescriptions require precise knowledge of the dictionary forms of plants and the names of their parts. When translating, one must remember that:

• Bark is Cortex, icis m (third declension).
• Leaf is Folium, i n (in the plural — Foliorum).
• Rhizome is Rhizoma, atis n.
• Root is Radix, icis f.

For example, when prescribing an herbal tea with peppermint leaves (Foliorum Menthae piperitae) and valerian rhizome with roots (Rhizomatis cum radicibus Valerianae), one must carefully monitor the case endings of each word.

In complex powders, for example, containing euphylline (Euphyllini), diphenhydramine (Dimedroli), and sugar (Sacchari), the phrase "Dispense such doses in the number of..." is often found. When translated, it is formatted using the accusative plural — Da tales doses numero...

Trade Names and Adjective Agreement

When translating prescriptions that include adjectives, such as "Liquid hawthorn extract", it is important to follow the rule of grammatical agreement. The adjective "liquid" (fluidus) must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun "extract" (Extractum), and not with the plant name (Crataegus). In the genitive singular, this construction sounds like Extracti Crataegi fluidi.

Finished commercial drugs whose names are written in quotation marks require special attention. In prescriptions for forms such as Revit dragees or Anuzol suppositories, the trade name does not decline. It is always capitalized and remains in the nominative case: Dragee "Revit", Suppositoria "Anuzolum". Only the name of the dosage form itself declines.

Briefly: answers to topical questions

Class and exam questions

What else to study on this topic

• Declension of 2nd and 3rd declension nouns (using Validolum and Solutio as examples)
• Rules for using the preposition ana in multi-component prescriptions
• Features of translating botanical terms (Cortex, Folium, Rhizoma, Radix)
• Differences between active and passive voice when formulating instructions for the pharmacist
• Adjective agreement with nouns in the names of extracts and solutions

Other topics in the section "Accusativus and Ablativus. Prepositions. Prescription. Prescription Line"

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