PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS.

Read This Before You Write.

Contributions on subjects of interest to the pharmaceutical profession are always welcome. Write upon but one side of the sheet and spell out in full the names of medicines; never use abbreviations. The editor pays no attention to anonymous communications.

Pharmacists Have the Best Perfumes.-Not long ago I chanced to be standing at the toilet counter of a retail drug store when a lady stepped up and asked to be shown some nice perfume; after examining about a half dozen odors and selecting her choice of the assortment she purchased two ounces, explaining in a sort of apologetic manner, that she always bought all her perfumery in drug stores of late as she found that druggists as a rule had a superior grade of extracts to those supplied by other dealers.

Since this occurrence I have made it my business to investigate this matter a little further. I have interviewed druggists in different parts of the country, consulted with friends and the public in general and visited many other dealers outside the drug line and was agreeably surprised to find that the prejudice in favor of the druggist is more or less universal and seemingly well founded.

In Chicago, for instance, I met a lady who was selling a face cream, and after speaking about matters in general I finally broached the subject of perfumery. I found that she was a liberal buyer of this delightful toilet article and after she enumerated her favorite brands and odors I inquired into the matter of where she procured her supplies, she gave me two names of dealers in her home town and both (I discovered later on) were druggists.

My next experience was with a gentleman in the smoking compartment of a Pullman car. We first talked about the weather, then the prospects of the crops and later on I brought up the subject of perfumes. Well, he remarked, after a general conversation on the subject of perfume, I had quite an experience a few weeks ago when I noticed an advertisement of one of the large shops announcing in bold type that all 50c and 75c perfumes would be sold on that day for 19c per ounce. My wife being very fond of White Rose, and as I liked to have her use it, being fond of it myself, I thought I would give her and myself a good treat, and bought four ounces for 76c. On reaching home I brought forth what I considered a lucky find (as the presentation was a pleasant surprise for some moments); the color was really as beautiful as could be imagined but the odor was so faint that it took almost the entire contents of the bottle to get any kind of a smell. No more bargain counter perfumes for me, said my friend.

I suggested that it might be better to confine his purchase of the perfumery to the drug stores who sold only straight goods of reputable manufacturers, and he concluded in saying that it certainly would

prove an easy task for him to heed my advice in the future.

While I could continue to enumerate experiences, suffice it to say that the druggist certainly has the prestige of the perfume business, and he should make every effort to maintain this prestige. Let the other dealers sell the cheap stuff that is made up by these "start up over night" perfume houses who shake up a few concentrates and synthetics with alcohol or dilute alcohol in a bottle, the whole operation taking less than five minutes, for which they charge anywhere from five to ten dollars per gallon or even more when put up in pint bottles.

Some perfume manufacturers will not sell to any dealer except the druggist, and such the druggist should support and co-operate with. The price cutting evil originated in merchants endeavoring to handle the same class of goods as leaders to draw trade. Druggists among themselves are not in favor of cutting prices and the perfume houses who sell only to the drug trade are certainly glad to protect the druggist and assist him to keep up the regular selling price.

I find that the druggists are giving the perfumery and toilet articles branch of their business more attention than ever before. This is probably brought about by the effort of the dry goods stores trying to monopolize the business. The line is an unusually profitable one if properly handled, and other merchants were not slow to see that the selling of extracts at 50c and 75c and $1.00 per ounce was quite worth while the little time and attention it requires.

Regular odors such as White Rose, Violet, Heliotrope and so forth at $3.00 per pound of eighteen ounces brings the cost down to 17c per ounce; if the dealer is on a "Life Membership" contract he gets a discount of 20% from list prices and that brings the cost down iò 13 cents per ounce. This class of odors retail at 40c per ounce or 50c per ounce, which to say at least is a very profitable investment.

I find that some druggists whom I have interviewed are seemingly glad and anxious to receive suggestions and plans to create more business while others are more or less indifferent. Those who have accepted suggestions from me in most instances gave me their views and experiences in return and in consequence of this I have gathered more or less information which of course I am willing to divulge at any time and if my information will assist my druggist friends in any way I will feel fully repaid. Any druggist is at liberty to write the undersigned at any time.

One druggist told me the other day that he had given positive instructions to his clerk that he (the clerk) must dress the window once every week and he would tell him what to put in. About a month ago the clerk came to me and said: What shall I put in the window today? I had to study for a while as I had had the regulation window displays right along and wanted to get something different if possible. I finally decided upon a half-pound empty bottle which

I saw standing on the prescription case. I pointed it out to the clerk and said to him, "Put that in the window." He looked at me rather astonished, wondering if I was joking or demented. Yes, I reiterated, put that in the window and that alone; set it right in the center of the window on a box covered with cloth

or tinted crepe paper, cover the back of the window

with the same material and below the bottle set a neat little sign reading: "It's all gone. Sold quick because it's the best odor we have ever had."

This was a new deal on the natives and as I had suspected most every one was disappointed because he or she did not get in on some of that nice perfume before it was all sold but as I made sure that we had several unopened half-pound bottles before making the display, I made a good many quick sales and was forced to change the window before the week was out. Before closing let me say that in selling perfumes it pays to sell the best. People will come back for a good extract for which they paid 50c or $1.00 per ounce, but they will never come back for colored water even if you make them a present of it.-[O. P. MEYER, St. Louis, December 11, 1907.

A Veteran Pharmacist.-W. S. Dorsey, of Gilman & Dorsey, Columbia, Mo., was born in Kentucky in 1834, coming to Missouri twenty years later where he established himself in the drug business forty-five years ago. Owing to sympathy for the Confederate cause he was banished to Cincinnati, Ohio, during the war. He

MR. AND MRS. W. S. DORSEY.

married Miss Margaret Williams, of Missouri, in 1857.

Five children are living. Mr. Dorsey has always led an active life and enjoys the distinction of being able to hold his own at the age of seventy-three, with the average man a score of years younger. He expects to reach the century mark and his many friends trust that such will be the case. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary September 10.

Sure of It.-The Country Deacon-There must have been a stranger in church this morning.

The Parson-Did you see him?

The Country Deacon-No; but I found a $5 note in the collection.

STRAY ITEMS AND COMMENTS.

November 20, 1907, was the first anniversary of the death of Albert Ethelbert Ebert. The day was observed in many of the colleges of pharmacy by special addresses to the students, on the life and

work of Ebert.

Liquid Crystals and Solid Solutions sound strange to those who studied physics and chemistry a generation ago and have not followed up the subjects. Both terms, however, are now descriptive of the generally accepted facts.

Thorium and Uranium are, owing to their high authentic weights, considered to be purer forms of what is generally known as Radium. It is now being accepted as a fact that the former elements by discharging certain of their electrons give rise to Radium.

Two Organizations Become One.-With the birth of Statehood for Oklahoma, the Indian Territory and the Oklahoma Territory Associations went out of existence and gave way to the Oklahoma State Pharmaceutical Association which takes up the work of the two former organizations.

Nobel Prizes have been awarded as follows: In physics to Professor A. A. Michelson, of the University of Chicago; in chemistry to Professor Eduard Buchner, of the Berlin Agricultural School; in medicine to M. Laveran, of Paris; in literature to Mr. Rudyard Kipling, and for the promotion of peace to M. Renault and M. Moneta.

Make the Retiring President a Member of the Council. The A. Ph. A. has an unwritten law that the retiring president shall be elected to the Council. The Mo. Ph. A. follows a similar plan, and we believe the practice is common in various sections of the country. It remained, however, for the new State of Oklahoma to adopt a form of organization which provides that one member of the Council shall retire each year and his place be filled by the retiring president of the association. The suggestion was made by F. B. Lillie, who has a wonderful facility for organization work.

Edward C. Fritsche, of Leavenworth, Kan., com

pleted his twenty-first year in business on his own account, December 1. To a local newspaper reporter, he summed up his business life history in the following language: "Born here; raised here; like the place too well to go away. Served four years' apprenticeship; graduated at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy; went into business for myself; married a Leavenworth girl; have closely watched the business, had many ups and downs but managed to peg along and am satisfied with my lot. Believe I will stay here as long as the Lord will let me." Mr. Fritsche made many friends while in the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and they are always glad to greet him when he visits the city.

FROM A DRUG CLERK'S DIARY.

A Week's Experience in a Retail Drug Store in Country Place.

BY HARRY N. FORCE, PH. G.

PHARMACOPOEIA LONDINENSIS:

OR

THE NEW

LONDON

DISPENSATORY

IN SIX BOOKS

Translated into English for the Publick Good and fitted to the whole Art of Healing. ILLUSTRATED

With the Preparations, Virtues and Uses, of all Simple
Medicaments, Vegetable, Animal and Mineral;
of all the Compounds, both Internal and
External; and of all the Chymical
Preparations now in use.
TOGETHER

With some choice Medicines added by the Author.

AS ALSO

The PRAXIS of CHYMISTRY,

As it's now exercised, fitted to the meanest capacity.

The Eighth Edition, Corrected and Amended.

By WILLIAM SALMON, Professor of Physick, At the Great House near Black-Fryar's Stairs.

LONDON

Printed by J. Dawks, for G. Conyers, J. and B. Sprint in Little-Britain and sold by T. Varnam and J. Osborn at the Oxford-Arms in Lombard-Street.

MDCCXVI.

The foregoing title page in an old book I picked up in the Doctor's library excited my curiosity. "May I borrow it for a few days, Doctor?" I asked. "No, indeed," he answered, "I would not allow any one to take it from the house. But you are at perfect liberty to read it here at any time." "And copy from it?" I queried, thinking of a strange formula I had just seen. "Certainly," he replied warmly. "Remember that while you are here you are to feel perfectly at home among my books. But this volume," he said reflectively as he picked up the old yellowed, leather bound book, "I value too highly for even you to take from my library for fear of an accident to it. I had a friend

in Ireland purchase this and Bate's Dispensatory, of about the same date, which you may see in the book case, after searching America for something of the kind which could be bought. You are interested in superstitions so I know this will be a treat for you. Although it was the official work for the physicians of that age, as we see it now it seems largely a compilation of the rankest superstitions. Do you know," he added with a twinkle in his eyes, "I believe that in another two hundred years the pharmacopoeias of to-day will be only obsolete relics of a superstitious past?"

He may be right. The advancement wrought by centuries of enlightenment may find the human race in need of no medicines-let us hope so. And why not? Are we bound to old methods of treating disease by shackles which are never to be shaken off? Are great discoveries to be made in other sciences and the healing of diseased humanity be left to drugs which so often fail to do what is expected of them? Any thoughtful druggist or physician will admit-to himself at least that the great majority of the American people take too much medicine. In the ages to come the druggist's side lines may become his main lines and boards of pharmacy have no terrors for the vendors of "Druggists' Sundries."

This old volume with its grotesque formulas has set me thinking. And now I am going to copy some of it into my Diary. I will try to be accurate in regard to spelling and punctuation, although I shall not use the old style letters, the old long s for instance.

The work is divided into eight "books.' No. 1 treats of "Simple Vegetable Medicaments" and is divided into eleven chapters. No. 2 treats of Animals and has seven chapters indexed as follows: "Chap. 1. Of Man. Chap. 2. Of Beasts. Chap. 3. Of Birds. Chap. 4. Of Fishes. Chap. 5. Of Serpents. Chap. 6. Of Insects. Chap. 7. Of Parts of Animals.

"Book 3," treats of Minerals. "Book 4," "Of Compounds Internal," as Waters, Spirits, etc., "Book 5," "Of Compounds External," as Lotions, Ointments, etc. In one "book" is a long treatise on the "Practice of Chymistry."

The chapter on Man deserves to be copied bodily.

Homo, Man.

We shall consider the Parts as they are taken, I. From a Living Body. II. From a Dead Body.

1. Crinis, Pilus. the Hair. The Pouder thereof drank cures the Jaundice, and Suffocation of the Womb: The Ashes of it mixt with Hogs Lard, and anointed, helps luxated Joints; the simple Ashes stop Bleeding: An Oil distilled from it with Honey, anointed on the bald places, causes hair to grow. is distilled either alone by a Retort in Sand, and the foetid Oil mixt with Aqua Mellis, or conjunctively; and then you must draw the Spirit as that of Honey. [To be Continued.]

It

Didn't Put Up Any Money.-Guest-Did Count Nofunds put up here last month?

Hotel Clerk-Yes; he did and he didn't.

Danger of Cut Rates on Patent Medicines prevailing is evidently small when N. A. R. D. Notes discusses the propriety of raising the retail price on goods which are sold to the trade at more than the $2.00, $4.00 and $8.00 schedule.

Alfred Vogeler's Health Improved.-Alfred Vogeler, head of the Vogeler Drug Company, of Cincinnati, has returned from an extended trip for his health. Mr. Vogeler had not had a vacation for five years, and some time ago his physician ordered him to leave behind him all business cares and to go away, his nervous system having been under a heavy strain. He went to Atlantic City, but, being little benefitted, returned home. He then went South, and now he says he never felt better in his life, and he looks it.

Preserve Rare Animals and Plants.-The chief justice, presiding at a meeting of the National Preservation Society, at Cape Town, Africa, on November 23, urged the need of stronger measures to preserve rare flora and fauna from extinction. The gnu or wilde-beest, the gemsbok, the mountain zebra, the eland, and the giraffe were all nearly extinct. He said he remembered when a barrister on circuit seeing great herds where now there were railway stations. He also hoped that if the Table Mountain Railways were sanctioned proper safeguards would be taken against desecration.

The New York City Branch of the A. Ph. A., met in December with President Dr. W. C. Alpers in the chair. The session was devoted to a discussion of U. S. P. and N. F. propaganda. One member urged the retail drug trade to place in stock preparations furnished by manufacturing pharmacists. He claimed that the retail trade will in this way secure more uniform preparations. Attention was called to the fact that many drug stores are unable to supply these preparations, while some druggists do not even have the National Formulary. The Association continues to raise and spend money liberally for the purpose of pushing U. S. P. and N. F. preparations. A joint meeting of physicians and pharmacists of greater New York will be held some time in February. Among the speakers of the evening were Dr. William Muir, Dr. Joseph Weinstein, Otto Wicke, Jacob Diner, G. H. Hitchcock, A. M. Roehrig, J. C. Gallagher and W. F. McDowell.

PRESCRIPTION CASE DEPARTMENT.

BY J. M. GOOD, PH. M., HON. M. D., PROFESSOR THEORY AND PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACY, ST. LOUIS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

Correspondence for this department is solicited,

Potassium Iodide in Capsules.-"A physician prescribed granulated potassium iodide in capsules, ten grains to the capsule. The patient returned the capsules in a solid, moist mass. I then mixed lycopodium with the potassium iodide and tried it again but with no better result. How can potassium iodide be dispensed in capsules? Should I make a mass of it?"

We recommend inquirer to try the manipulation given in this column in answer to another correspondent, relative to dispensing saline substances in capsules. Briefly the process consists in making a mass of the salt, mixed with an inert powder, such as licorice root, and using a resinous excipient.

The Trouble is Not With the Sugar.--Callaway, Nebraska, writes: "One of our physicians here directs a certain preparation of his to be colored pink with aniline. It contains nothing but Elixir aromaticum U. S. P. that could possibly affect the color. However, the last lot I made up will fade in spite of repeated coloring with aniline and with Red Fruit Color-composition unknown, purchased from a wholesale drug firm. The syrup used in the Elixir is made by the cold percolation process from granulated sugar, and has always been made in the same way. Could there be anything in the last sample of sugar to affect the color?"

Aniline is not adapted for use in coloring elixirs. Even in neutral solvents, such as alcohol and water, it will soon fade. If the physician will give our correspondent the liberty of making a few experiments, we suggest that he try the coloring solutions given in the National Formulary. These are Solution of Carmine, the formula for which is