# Rectal suppositories for a sore throat. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 15, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136 "2010-01-15T23:04:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136/21 "2010-01-19T20:12:00Z")
As mentioned, one of the advantages of suppositories is that the drug gets delivered directly to your blood stream. For molecules that degrade in stomach acid and need to be absorbed in a more neutral pH environment, going in via a suppository saves the company from having to design a drug that is coated to survive the stomach and then release the drug once in the intestine. It also provides much more rapid effects, which is a good thing for cold and anti-allergy medications, which people want fast-acting relief. Fun fact: one of the tests on a suppository drug lot is “melting temperature”. The manufacturer needs to ensure that the wax binding will melt above room temp but below body temp - usually criteria are something like 34-36C, IIRC. It’s one of those time-consuming but zero effort quality control tests that are absolutely fantastic to do on a Friday afternoon, when you don’t want to work anyways. Just watch a plug of wax melt in a capillary tube. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136/22 "2010-01-20T01:49:07Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Or you could take a steak knife w/ built in meat thermometer and stab the kid with it, but 4 out of 5 doctors don’t recommend it. And the fifth doctor is Hannibal Lecter. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136/23 "2010-01-20T02:45:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > And the fifth doctor is Hannibal Lecter. Nah, the fifth recommends Trident Sugarless Gum, but that’s because he’s not paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136/24 "2010-01-21T02:09:15Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Nah, the fifth recommends Trident Sugarless Gum, but that’s because he’s not paying attention. After seeing this thread, now I have to think twice where to stick the Trident gum! ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136/25 "2010-01-21T07:27:26Z")
Be sure to remove the wrapper first 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136/26 "2010-01-21T07:33:02Z")
“I put them in my back passage, but for all the good they did, I might as well have stuck them up my ass.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rectal-suppositories-for-a-sore-throat/525136.md?page=1)