VOL. XXIX.

Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter in January, 1895.

Meyer Brothers Druggist

PUBLISHED MONTHLY.

C. F. G. MEYER, PUBLISHER.

"Success does not happen."

No. 8.

Martin A. Eisele, local secretary of the American association, greets the readers of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST from the frontispiece of the August issue and invites them to register at the Arlington hotel, Monday, September 7, for the fifty-sixth annual meeting of the A. Ph. A.

Editorial

Suicide a Disease.-It is not necessary to go very far back into the history of civilization to reach a time when insanity was looked upon as a crime and those afflicted with the disease treated as were criminals of

that date. In fact, the tradition has not been entirely lost for, at the present time, we find traces of old superstitions which classed insanity among diseases to be attributed tc evil spirits and even associated with witch-craft. The ducking stool and the dungeon, formerly used in the treatment of insanity or to restrain the maniacs are in great contrast with the medical attention and comfortably arranged asylums for the insane of to-day. While progress has been made in our knowledge and understanding of insanity, we are only now beginning to surmise that suicide is as much a disease as insanity or smallpox and that the victim should be treated in accordance with the rules and customs governing our regard for other patients afflicted with diseases. The law inflicting punishment upon a person attempting suicide but failing in his effort, when viewed from an impartial point of observation is as ridiculous as would be a statute providing for the punishment of a smallpox patient who recovers from the disease. A very good idea of the present status of our knowledge of suicide is given in an able article on the subject by George Keenan, in McClure's Magazine for June, 1908. It shows that the number of suicides is increasing at an alarming rate and that the greatest number occur during the spring and early summer weather, in fact, the greater number on bright, sun-shiny days. Great calamities like war or earthquake lessen the number of suicides, as it does the number of cases from many other diseases. system of giving in great detail reports of suicides leads other susceptible persons to catch the disease, and the time will come when but very brief mention of cases of suicides will be permitted in the daily The law when enacted will at first meet with press. as much opposition as have laws in the past requiring the placarding of homes where a contagious disease exists or providing for the removal of patients to quarantine but, in the long run, common sense prevails and we will gradually learn to do without a knowledge of the details of suicide cases.

Our

As our knowledge of suicides advances and the public learns that the taking of one's own life is due to a diseased condition, we will cease to hear the now common expression, "Why try to prevent the suicide, as the person who will take his own life is unworthy of citizenship." The injustice of such a view is apparent to many of our readers who have personal knowledge of cases where people have attempted suicide but, through failure, have lived on to again become worthy citizens, in some cases continuing for many years as valuable members of the community.

The subject of suicides comes home to the pharmacist as it does to every other citizen and also reaches him in a special way as one who with the physician is interested in relieving suffering humanity. The drug store is not infrequently the temporary hospital for a would-be suicide or a morgue for the remains of a suicide discovered in the neighborhood. We hope our readers will realize their opportunities and do what they can to educate the public into an understanding that suicide is a disease.

Laws to Regulate the Sale of Paris Green are being passed in different states. As long as Paris Green caused accidents only among human beings, such as use in committing suicide or poisoning accidents through careless handling, the law makers gave Paris Green but little attention. Now, that it is extensively used in spraying fruit trees and when impure causes serious injury to foliage, the legislatures are quick in action, looking to a standard of purity and careful control of this article. It is only another instance where we look more carefully after vegetation and lower animals than we do to the health of the human race. Paris Green causes damage to foliage in direct proportion to the amount of water soluble arsenic which it contains. This is in the form of white arsenic, or arsenic trioxide which may be present through carelessness in manufacture but more frequently on account of adulteration. The white arsenic is much cheaper than Paris Green.

F. D. Fuller, B. Sc., chief chemist of the Department of Agriculture of the State of Pennsylvania, has been investigating Paris Green sold in that state and we copy the following from his preliminary report: Chemical Composition of Paris Green.-Paris Green, which is known as copper aceto-arsenite, contians, when chemically pure, approximately:Copper arsenite. Copper acetate.....

.82 per cent. ......18 per cent.

The composition of the commercial article in our markets shows a variation from these figures, which is chiefly due to a difference in manufacturing processes, and possibly to some carelessness in the manipulation.

Sodium sulphate naturally occurs in Paris Green, and we also find water and sand in small quantities. Therefore, we rarely find Paris Green to consist entirely of copper aceto arsenite, but it contains this compound as its chief constituent.

Will the Consolidation of Colleges of Pharmacy continue? The medical colleges of this country have been passing through a process of elimination by means of consolidation of organizations during a number of years past. We refer to that union of leading colleges, located in such close proximity that their fields of work were common territory. This record has resulted in fewer leading colleges, but better ones. The recent announcement that the Scio College of Pharmacy had been absorbed by the Pittsburg College

of Pharmacy is an interesting bit of news, and may be the beginning of a new process in Pharmaceutical educational affairs, whereby we will find the colleges of pharmacy following the good example of the medical colleges, and uniting whenever such action means a better college and greater educational facilities.

The consolidation of large colleges of pharmacy will not stop the springing up of small colleges in sections of the country where the pharmacists demand local institutions. We feel full sympathy for the efforts of state universities in maintaining pharmacy departments, even though many of them may never have large classes, nor exert wide-spread influences. We can understand and subscribe to the conditions which have developed new schools of pharmacy at the universities of Nebraska, Mississippi, and some of the other states during the past few months, for these institutions will serve the profession of pharmacy.

Accomodating Secretaries.-The average member of a state or local pharmaceutical association little realizes the extent to which secretaries can be of service to the organization by cooperation with the pharmaceutical press and with officers of the A. Ph. A. who are collecting statistics and other information from various sections of the country. It is very pleasing to note that the secretaries of the associations and the boards of pharmacy now fully realize the obligations which go with their positions. We remember a time when a representative of a pharmaceutical journal was looked upon at some of the association meetings as an intruder prying into other people's affairs. To-day, we find the secretaries of a long list of state associations carefully preparing reports of their annual meetings and promptly mailing them to the pharmaceutical journals of this country. The representatives of the press are welcome at the various meatings and given every facility for work, such as desk room and access to reports of committees and officers. We feel that this change, which has gradually come about is decidedly to the advantage of the organizations as well as a matter of convenience for the editors. We know that we express the unanimous sentiment of our contemporaries when we say that the accommodating secretaries are fully appreciated

Get Rid of the Pests.-The study of preventive medicine has led to a new field of operation in dealing with pests of mankind. The mosquito is prevented from breeding by covering pools of standing water with coal oil. Rats are being destroyed by means of a contagious disease spread among them. As a result, cases of malaria are becoming few and far between. Yellow fever epidemics are stamped out and diseases spread by rats are held in check. It now remains for some ingenious person to find a method of getting rid of drug store pests. We do not refer to those occupying a lower order in the animal kingdom, but we have in mind the person who uses the druggist's free telephone to order goods from some cut rate place, a customer who confines his trade to

postage stamps, the one who mutilates the City Directory while making free use of it, and perhaps we might mention the customer who rings the night bell and gets the clerk out to sell a tooth brush, or some other article, which might just as well be purchased during the day. Who will invent a wire screen to shut them out or discover a bacteria which will reduce their number?

San Francisco Physicians Accept Commissions on prescriptions compounded by pharmacists. This seems to be the way that the medical profession in the City of the Golden Gate looks at the matter. At least, so we interpret the expressions of the editor of the California State Journal of Medicine who claims that pharmacists "started the game" and consequently are to blame for it. We are not familiar with the initiation ceremonies, which must have taken place a generation or more ago, for the practice was looked upon as an old and fixed one, when the A. Ph. A. met at San Francisco in 1889. The pharmacists seem disposed to say that the physicians demand percentages, and are as anxious to fix the blame on the physicians, as they are to turn the tables on the pharmacists. Our suggestion is that since both doctors and druggists must admit and, as far as we know, do not deny that the practice is disreputable, they should come together in a love feast and resolve to forget the past, turn over a new leaf and work together in the future upon the same terms that are followed in Chicago, St. Louis and the cities on the east side of the Rocky Mountain divide.

Saloon Drug Stores Are a Natural Consequence of a prohibition movement. The experience of the past emphasizes this fact, and the present prohibitory movement which is sweeping over the country causes pharmacists of the United States to shudder when they think of the number of saloon drug stores which will, like camp followers, spring up in the wake. The pharmaceutical press has almost as a unit commented on this condition. As the season for state association conventions passes we find presidents giving attention to the subject in their annual addresses. Perhaps the most emphatic expression comes from Kansas where the president speaks in no uncertain terms, and points out that joint drug stores must be short-lived when both public opinion and pharmaceutical sentiment unite in an effort to suppress this class of stores. In presenting the subject, the president said, "These ideas are not advanced as representing the personal views of any one, but are deductions arrived at by cold analysis of conditions as they present themselves.

Cocaine Not Mailable.--Acting postmaster general has amended section 494 of the postal regulations so that cocaine and its derivatives are in the same lists with intoxicating liquors, poisons and explosives, all of them being unmailable. Of course, it remains to be seen just what is meant by derivatives, but cocaine as an alkaloid and all of its salts are unquestionably excluded from the mails.

STRAY ITEMS AND COMMENTS.

Merchandise by Mail to the United Kingdom of Great Britain was limited to four pounds six ounces; but, on July 1, 1908, a new order went into effect which enables parties in the United States to send by mail packages not exceeding eleven pounds in weight.

U. S. P. and N. F. Propaganda.-Everything considered, we believe that this topic has attracted more attention than any other discussed at the state pharmaceutical convention during the season of 1908. Will the time come when the subject will demand a similar share of thought on the part of the medical profession?

The National Soda Fountain Association was organized at the Hotel Astor, New York City, June 18, the first annual meeting to be held at Atlantic City, N. J., September 1. Officers and executive committee will be elected and the question of an annual show determined upon. Practically all of the soda fountain manufacturers were represented at the organization meeting.

P. C. Candidus, of Mobile, the first honorary president of the A. Ph. A., and the founder of the Ala. Ph. A., was remembered by the association at the twentyseventh annual meeting, held last July. A committee

waited upon Mr. Candidus and presented him with a

handsome and valuable gold headed umbrella, eulogizing his work in the state association, the state board of pharmacy, the A. Ph. A. and in other pharmaceutical directions.

the American Medical Association, last June. The pamphlet contains much information of practical value to physicians.

Patronize

Reputable and Reliable Wholesale Druggists and you will avoid the trouble and expense experienced by some retail pharmacists of Massachusetts whose goods were found deficient when measured by Pharmacopoeia standards. The Bulletin of the Massachusetts State Board of Health for April, 1908, states that the following samples of drugs were found to be adulterated: alcohol, gin, hamamelis, rum, spirit of camphor, tincture of iodine, whiskey and several proprietary medicines.

Poison Cautions are almost as numerous as the sure cures for consumption and other incurable diseases. Perhaps there is no means of stamping out dispensing errors or accidents in the sick room, but proper care will reduce such unfortunate conditions to a minimum. H. W. Servant, of Sedalia, Mo., is eminently practical and makes use of a small rubber stamp to place the word, "Poison," on the top and sides of the cork which is used to stopper a bottle containing poison. The patient or nurse must be at least temporarily blind, who overlooks this warning.

Chemical Formulas are very much like the terminations of Latin words, in that both require skilled

knowledge in order to properly write them. We re

gret to see chemical formulas and chemical equations written in such a careless manner on board of pharmacy examinations. Perhaps it makes little difference to some of the applicants for registration whether chemical formulas are legible or not, as their knowledge of chemistry may be so limited that they cannot

It is, however, an evidence of carelessness on the part of board members when they submit chemical formulas that are blurred or incorrectly written.

The Cash on Delivery Postal System inaugurated in England on June 1, enables dealers to fill orders from country customers and send a bill with the goods, the amount to be collected by the postmaster. The pharmacists of the United States who are fighting the proposed parcel post in this country would consider the above practice simply adding insult to injury. We judge from our English exchanges that the pharmacists of that country are by no means satisfied with the system.

U. S. P. is most generally translated "United States Pharmacopoeia." The Chicago branch of the A. Ph. A. explains that it stands for "Uniformity, Strength and Purity." This is set forth in the thirty-two page pamphlet on the Pharmacopoeia and the National Formulary which was printed for distribution at the exhibit of the Chicago branch in the Exhibit Hall of

Dr. Robert Koch is a Great Man in Little Things, a feature which is said to be observed in the truly great. Of course, we do not refer to his greatness as an authority on the subject of bacteriology which treats solely of little things, that is, certain forms of microscopic plants. We are thinking of the manner in which he warded off all attempts to place him in the limelight as a hero of the medical profession during his recent visit to this country. He absolutely refused in city after city to accept banquets and other functions which the medical profession and, in some instances, the public at large proposed to tender him. It would be, indeed, a severe strain upon some of our great men in the sciences in this country to turn aside similar acts of recognition on the part of professsions in Europe.

Frederick Belding Power, director of the Wellcome Research Laboratory, London, Eng., had much to do with the planning of the department of pharmacy in the University of Wisconsin and the placing of it on a firm footing, a quarter of a century ago. In recog

nition of these services, the university, last June, conferred the degree of doctor of laws upon Prof. Power. The doctor was a very active member of the committee on revision of the U. S. P. elected by the convention of 1890. In conjunction with Dr. Charles O. Curtman, he accomplished much in the way of rendering the chemical features of the Pharmacopoeia practical and of service to the retail pharmacist. His American friends have not forgotten him and take this occasion to extend their congratulations and expression of appreciation of work performed in the interest of pharmacy.

Should Fresh Bed Bugs be Regulated by the Pure Food and Drugs Law. Dr. James H. Beal is a humorist of the quiet, modest type. He not only devises means to prevent snoring but does not hesitate in entering the sacred fields of homeopathy when it is seriously proposed to make the pharmacopoeias of the homeopathic school standards under the food and drugs act. The doctor, in the June issue of the Midland Druggist gives a list of the drugs of animal origin recognized by these pharmacopoeias. He does not call attention to the humor of the situation but that feature becomes prominent when we glance over the entire page of titles like the following:

Mephitis, Odorous matter of Common Skunk.
Vulpus Hepar, Fresh Fox Liver.

Cervus Brazilicus. Fresh Hide and Hair of the Brazilian Stag.
Cimex Lectularius, Fresh Bed Bugs.
Murex Purpurea, Juice of a Sea Snail.

Precaution Against Postage Stamp Thefts.-The post-master general, on April 8, issued the following as Section 562 of the postal laws and regulations:

"For the purpose of identification only, and not for advertising, it shall be permissible to puncture or perforate letters, numerals or other marks or devices in United States postage and special delivery stamps. The punctures or perforations shall not exceed one-sixty-fourth of an inch in diameter, and the whole space occupied by the identifying device shall not exceed one-third inch square. The puncturing or peforating must be done in such a manner as to leave the stamp easily recognizable as genuine and not previously used. The use of ink or other coloring matter in connection with such puncturing or perforating is prohibited."

As indicated by the text, this regulation is intended merely to enable the identification of postage stamps without in any way advertising the firm or individual purchasing the stamps. Perhaps some of our readers remember the newspaper reports of immense sums being offered the government by patent medicine manufacturers who craved the privilege of placing the name of medicine on the die of the stamp used in canceling postage stamps. It was decided that such a permit would not be legal.

"Metals and the Microscope," was the subject of a paper presented by W. N. Brazier, Ph. C., before a recent meeting of assistant pharmacists in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mr. Brazier gave an interesting description of a series of lantern slides showing the micro-crystalline structure of steel, nickel and aluminium as determined by Mr. J. E. Stacey Jones, B. Sc., of Coventry. He also explained the importance of these microscopic appearances from the point of view of the engineer as a test of the quality of materials required in different

mechanisms. The production of aluminium metal was also fully explained and illustrated. In conclusion Mr. Brazier threw out a suggestion that a pharmacist with a microscope might turn his attention to the subject of metallography, especially in a manufacturing district. At the present time few engineering firms had laboratories fitted up for this work. The apparatus was not elaborate or expensive. Three or four felt bobs mounted on a spindle with some arrangement for rapid revolution by means of a treadle, a microscope and camera with a bull's eye condenser were all that was required.

How Shall Ebert be Honored?-President O. F. Fuller, of the Chicago Veteran Druggists' Association, reported at the recent annual meeting of the organization that the Ebert memorial fund, including the interest, now amounted to something like $980. What shall be done with the money? Mr. Fuller remarked that the Ebert lot is not large enough to erect a monument on, although he thought an exchange of lots could be made if it should be decided to carry out the monument idea. Personally, however, he believed that the establishment of a scholarship would be more appropriate to the memory of Ebert, which reminds us that the scholorship plan was suggested some months ago and was then held in abeyance, pending the final settlement and disposition of the memorial fund. The Bulletin is rather inclined to agree with President Fuller that a scholarship would be a much more fitting and permanent memorial to the memory of Ebert than a monument so located in the very nature of things that it would simply be one of many hundreds.—[Bulletin of Pharmacy.

Cutting Away the "Blackmail" Excrescence. New York, Massachusetts and other pharmaceutical associations have taken the view advocated in The Era that the manufacturers, wholesalers and jobbers ought not to be levied upon for the expenses of holding the conventions, or for the personal entertainment of the members. At the Swampscott meeting, the ugly word "blackmail" was used in the debate and in other discussions almost as forcible terms were employed. The sentiment was general wherever the subject was discussed that the associations should pay their own expenses and be under no obligations to others for "dead head" favors that most of the members do not care to receive.

In the Massachusetts convention it came out that the state association received $100 for advertising privileges for the proceedings. If our information is correct the man who paid the $100 made a profit of many times that amount, not a cent of which went to the association or any of its members. Yet every advertiser and contributor to this day holds that the Massachusetts pharmacists are debtors to him or his firm for whatever money was paid over. This is another feature of annual conventions that will be watched more closely in the future.-[Pharmaceutical Era.

Pure Spices. Do you handle them as a side-line?