db sql issue from var

Hi All I have found the problem from my last post and need to know how to solve it. Example sql var: $sql = "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test; CREATE TABLE test ......."; When i run the script i get Mysql error near ';' create table...... So how do i run this command from my script to include the ; as part of the sql. phpmyadmin copes with this ok so it must be able to be done. Thanks for any help in advance Dave C