PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS By George W. Hague, Ph. G., Freeport, N. Y. Setting Color.-Frequently customers will ask druggists, when preparing to dye goods, what to use to set colors. One ounce of acetate of lead dissolved in a gallon of water will set the color in cloth if used before the cloth is washed. About Soap Bark.-Nearly all pharmacists dread handling this drug because of its irritating dust which causes sneezing. Indeed, two students were expelled from a college of pharmacy for throwing this drug around the lecture hall. It is the dust only which is so offensive. If soap bark is sifted over a barrel or a chute, to remove the dust, there is very little difficulty experienced in handling it. All drugs which produce irritating dust must not be kept in a place where they will dry out much. George W. Hague, Ph. G. Of course, the sifting arrangement must be so arranged that the operator will not get the dust. There are many closed sieves on the market. To Pick Up Small Slivers of Glass.-Cheap cotton that is used to clean up ointment tiles, etc., is excellent to pick up fine slivers of broken glass. Wet the cotton before using. The Use of Barrel Heads.-When these are removed from the barrels and are covered with felt, screw brass hooks into them. They are then very useful for displaying scissors, watches, etc. In Making Baking Powder containing soda bicarbonate and potassium bitartrate, it is necessary that the ingredients be thoroughly trituated together, as the liberation of the gas depends upon this. Note on Making Syrup of Hydriodic Acid. In preparing this syrup, the simple syrup is not always clear. To prepare a bright-looking product, mix the syrup and water and filter them before adding the hydriodic acid. When Ordering Liquors from the jobber in dozen lots, they usually come in a separate case. The writer has known these cases of liquors to arrive with one bottle short. To prevent this have the jobber pack your dozen bottles of whiskey, brandy or wine into the large box or barrel containing your other drugs. The Boss At Work.-The writer entered the store of an old friend and found him hard at work cleaning; he made this remark: "I have a new boy coming tomorrow and I don't want him to see this store looking so dirty. If a new boy sees this store looking this way he will think this is our usual way of keeping it." There is some good common sense in this proprietor's talk. The Danger of Credit.-Babson said, in the Saturday Evening Post, "Credit, like fire, is very useful, but very dangerous." The curse of many drug stores is its unlimited credit, the salvation of many stores is lack of credit. When a druggist or any merchant cannot get credit he starts in at once to buy carefully, work hard, extend credit carefully, turn his stock quickly, economize, and avoid dangers. The lack of credit is likely to develop in a man or a woman qualities that contribute to success. It is a very foolish thing for any person to open a business entirely on credit. The Boy's Day Off.-It is a frequent thing to see boys come back to work after having a day off, tired out or sick. It frequently occurs with young clerks too. It always makes me feel bad to see a youth get a day off, and then go out and overdo himself and return to the store all the worse for it. Not that the young boys drink, fight and gamble, but they over-do what if taken moderately, would be all right. Young men seem to take pride in being the last one home from a fair, ball, party or racket of some kind. Then, too, their stomachs are usually overloaded. Not that sides are being taken with the proprietors, but it is an actual fact that there is more young help to report sick after having a day off than they do the day before. The day off ought to be used in a healthful and restful way. Associations Are Good for Clerks.-By this is meant pharmaceutical associations such as the American, National and State. A young clerk starting out in the world needs acquaintances of the leaders in the pharmaceutical world. At the meetings will be found teachers, chemists, editors, board members, drug clerks, retail pharmacists, wholesale dealers, manufacturers, etc. Even if such meetings are not attractive to the average clerk, it certainly put him in a position where he would be very likely to learn of some good situations, if nothing else. There are a great many men today who can thank these mentioned associations for the splendid positions they are now holding. Another good point about associations is this: The nice vacation trip it gives a person. It is a great deal more satisfactory to go to a convention where you all have a connon interest. You have friends to go with, friends to come back with and friends to travel with while you are there. There are many there with their wives; there are many there without them. A member may take his wife or leave her home, as the case may be. During a convention week there are usually little parties gotten up for the purpose of taking a ride, or sail, etc., and thus greatly reduce the individual expense. Nothing has been said about the most noble part of it, learning, teaching and advancing pharmacy. It only shows the clerk where he might be personally benefitted by joining. Read This Before You Ask a Question. Many questions are thrown in the waste basket each month on account of the correspondents failing to give name and address. The editor has a large basket for such questions. Write questions on separate sheets and on but one side of the paper. No questions will be answered by mail. Spell out in full every word; never abbreviate the names of medicines. Laundry Blue.--This subject is continued from page 12 of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for December, 1916. 2. Make ordinary Prussian blue (that which has been purified by acids, chlorine, or the hypochlorites) into a thick paste with distilled or rain water, and add a saturated solution of oxalic acid sufficient to dissolve. If time be of no consequence, by leaving this solution exposed to the atmosphere, in the course of 60 days the blue will be entirely precipitated in soluble form. Wash with weak alcohol and dry at about 100° F. The resultant mass dissolves in pure water and remains in solution indefinitely. It gives a deep, brilliant blue, and is not injurious to the clothing or the hands of the washerwoman. The same result may be obtained by precipitating the soluble blue from its oxide solution by the addition of alcohol of 95 per cent, or with a concentrated solution of sodium sulphate. Pour off the mother liquid and wash with very dilute alcohol; or throw on a filter and wash with water until the latter begins to come off colored a deep blue. Liquid Laundry Blue.-This may be prepared either with liquid Prussian blue or indigo carmine. Make a solution of gum dragon (gum tragacanth) by dissolving 1 to 2 ounces of the powdered gum in 1 gallon of cold water in which 1⁄2 ounce oxalic acid has been dissolved. The gum will take several days to dissolve and will require frequent stirring and straining before use. To the strained portion add as much Prussian blue in fine powder as the liquid will dissolve without precipitating, and the compound is ready for use. Instead of powdered Prussian blue, soluble Prussian blue may be used. This is made by dissolving solid Prussian blue in a solution of oxalic acid, but as the use of oxalic acid is to be deprecated for the use of laundresses, as it would set up blood poisoning should it get into any cuts in the flesh, it is best to prepare liquid blue by making a solution of yellow prussiate of potash (ferrocyanide of potassium) with water, and then by adding a sufficient quantity of chloride of iron to produce a blue, but not enough to be precipitated. Ball Blue. The ball sold for laundry use consists usually, if not always, of ultramarine. The balls are formed by compression, starch or some other excipient of like character being added to render the mass cohesive. Blocks of blue can, of course, be made by the same process. The manufacturers of ultramarine prepare balls and cubes of the pigment on | Make a thick paste, roll into sheets, and cut into tablets. Preparing Rubber Gloves for X-Ray Surgical Operations. Your question is answered by the India Rubber World, which publishes the following from the "Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie:" "Rubber gloves for surgical operations where Xrays are used are made opaque to these rays by being impregnated three or four times, at intervals of about a half hour, with a paste obtained by thoroughly mixing the following ingredients in a chemist's mortar: 100 grams finely ground lead carbonate. 50 grams of rubber solution (similar to solution 50 grams of light mineral oil. "Large-size surgeon's gloves need from 40 to 50 grams of paste each; the paste is applied with a soft brush, preferably on the interior surface of the gloves, the latter being turned inside out and filled with tale or a similar powder. The paste adheres better when the surface has been coated beforehand with diluted rubber solution. "This paste is not affected by prolonged contact with water containing phenol, nor by strong alcohol, but it blackens if the gloves are placed in boiling water for any length of time, and then it develops a tendency to crack when the gloves are stretched in any way. "In French military hospitals many doctors coat their hands with the paste above described before putting on their rubber gloves. The paste can be easily washed off by using mineral oil." Bleaching Sponges.-The Chemist and Druggist advises a compound that the best way of bleaching sponges is to give alternate baths of potassium permanganate and sulphurous acid, but if they are not very dark the following bath suffices: LEGAL DEPARTMENT LEGAL POINTERS FOR DRUGGISTS. By Chesla C.-Sherlock, LL. B. The Courts Have Handed Down Many Interesting, as Well as Practical, Decisions in Regard to Druggists. For instance, there was a statute in Massachusetts prohibiting the sale of any merchandise or of any business transactions whatsoever on the Sabbath day, excepting the sale of drugs and medicines. A druggist of that State sold some cigars, incidental to keeping his shop open on Sunday to fill prescriptions for medicine and drugs. He was arrested and the question arose whether or not cigars were "drugs" within the meaning of the statute. Although there might be some very good argument in favor of this contention, the court ruled that cigars were not drugs within the meaning of the act.-[Commonwealth v. Goldsmith, 176 Mass. 104; 57 N. E. 212. The New York courts also have been called upon to determine just what a "drug" is. The Public Health Act of that State defined a drug to be "all medicines for internal and external use." In a given case the court held cream of tartar to be a drug.— [State Board of Pharmacy v. Gasau, 107 N. Y. Supp. 409; 122 App. Div. 803. The Federal courts have held that arrticles used in dyeing, or tanning are not dutiable as drugs.-[Leber & Meyer v. United States, 135 Fed. 243. Nor are Orchil or Persian berry extracts.-[G. Siegle & Co. v. United States, 166 Fed. 1015. Wai San, an edible root used by the Chinese, is, because edible, not a drug.-[Wing On Wo v. United States, 175 Fed. 891. Dried lizards are dutiable, however, because they are used in compounding a medicine (for the Chinese. [Wing On Wo v. United States, 148 Fed. 334. Many decisions of value to druggists have been handed down by the courts in regard to the liability of a druggist where mistake causes a substitution of one drug for another in filling prescriptions. One authority says: "A druggist undertaking to sell a certain drug to a customer impliedly warrants the good quantity of the drug sold, that the article sold and delivered is of the kind he contracted to sell, and if a prescription, that it is compounded secundum artem."-[14 Cyc. 1084. There is a rule applying in the sale of many kinds of merchandise known as the doctrine of caveat emptor (let the purchaser beware). This doctrine, however, does not apply in the case of drugs and this is a very important thing for druggists to know.[Jones v. Georgre, 61 Texas 345. Where a druggist substitutes a harmful drug in lieu of a harmless one, he commits a breach of warranty of the contract; if he is guilty of negligence in so doing, he is also guilty of a tort. Perhaps an explanation would serve to make this proposition absolutely clear to the reader. When a druggist accepts a prescription, he impliedly enters into a contract to supply the purchaser with the medicine called for in the prescription. There is also an implied warranty on the part of the druggist to the purchaser that the medicine or the drugs will be of good quality and of the kind called for in the prescription. Now if the druggist is not guilty of negligence in a case where he substitutes a harmful drug for a harmless one, he can be sued only on the implied contract. But, if negligence can be proved against the druggist he is not only liable on his implied contract with the purchaser, but is also liable in tort, or in other words, for personal injuries sustained by the use of the faulty medicine. It has been held that where a prescription called for snakeroot and Peruvian bark, and the druggist ran them through a mill in which he knew cantharides, a poisonous drug, had shortly before been ground without being properly cleansed, he was liable to the party injured.—[Fleet v. Hollenkemp, 13 B. Mon. (Ky.) 219; 56 Am. Dec. 563. Where a druggist's clerk negligently substitutes a harmful drug in lieu of a harmless one and injury results, the druggist will be held liable.-[Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Texas courts. It makes no difference in the above rule if the clerk is a registered and competent pharmacist.[114 Iowa 275; 54 L. R. A. 364. One court has gone so far as to say: "The mistaken label of a manufacturer will not protect a retailer if he was negligent in failing to discover the mistake." [42 N. E. 303. However, the general rule in regard to the liability of the dealer for the mistakes of the manufacturer seems to be the other way. It is a recent departure of the courts to hold a manufacturer liable to the purchasing customer, but is more consistent with justice. In view of this reasoning, it was held in Massachusetts that where a druggist (manufacturer) negligently labels poison so that it appears as a harmless medicine and sells it to dealers in such articles, he is liable to any one who buys it and is injured by its use, provided there is no negligence on the part of the retailers.-[Davidson v. Nichols, 11 Allen 519. OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US Very Much do I enjoy reading the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST each month.-[Ben Gnaegy, St. Louis, Mo. Not a Single Copy of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST can I afford to miss.-[Charles E. Bray, Kansas City, Mo. I Cannot Afford to miss a single issue of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST. I am confident many others feel likewise. [M. A. Dunn, Nashville, Tenn. I Am Anxious to get each copy of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST. It is a valuable assistant to me in many ways.-[G. I. Martin, Atlanta, Ga. STORE MANAGEMENT The Proper Conduct of a Retail Drug Store. By John F. Chandler, Ph. G., M. D., Oregon, Mo.* The fact that there are many lines now carried which formerly were not to be found in drug stores, and new ones being constantly added thereto, commercial methods become more in vogue, and it becomes necessary for one to have a knowledge of commercial methods as well as professional pharmacy to properly conduct a retail store. Such being the case, any suggestion along the line must necessarily be general and have wide application, as it may be viewed from many different angles, much depending on individuals, environments, amount of stock, class of merchandise, J. F. Chandler, Ph.G., M.D. etc. Then the first requisite in the proper conduct of a retail drug store is to have a person at the helm who possesses a knowledge of the business from a commercial as well as a professional standpoint, and that he have at hand a few good books of reference pertaining to the commercial as well as the professional side of the business. This is so, as one cannot depend solely on his memory, even though he be thoroughly up to date in pharmacy. As to books of reference, he should possess at least the following: The U. S. Pharmacopoeia, National or U. S. Dispensatory, and a "want book." He should also have at hand current price lists, and receive regularly a good drug journal. The proper conduct of a store means that it is up to date, and it is not possible to keep it up to date without a knowledge of prices current and the advancement along pharmaceutical lines. You may acquaint yourself with the new lines on the market, new methods of advertising and displaying stock, decorating store and windows by reading a good live trade journal and, with the information you are enabled to pick up from traveling men, keep the store up to the times. I would have you cultivate the acquaintance of the drummer with the object of making him your friend. Although you may not give him an order, always, you can greet him pleasantly and make him feel at home. . To be on good terms with the traveling man means much to you in so much that it is he who brings to your attention much which is new, and may help to enlighten you as to newer methods practiced by others in advancing the drug business. In fact, the proper conduct of a drug store depends much on the one in charge-his behavior towards those with whom he comes in contact, for, although he may know phar macy and merchandising from A to Z, the store would not be properly conducted should he fail in his deportment towards the public. He should require of all who may assist him in the store, should he be so fortunate as to have assistance, that they deport themselves properly at all times. You should be alert and quick to respond to calls from customers, giving them your attention while serving them. You should be honest in dealing with the public, faithful to your promises, neat and cleanly in appearance, careful and attentive to details, and let methods of precision rule all your actions. I would that you hold to your opinion, but not engage in heated arguments with your customers. Loafing should not be permitted. To this end I would bar all games of chance. Many times I have known women to pass a store, owing to the fact that a crowd had congregated around a punchboard, and gone elsewhere to make purchases, for the reason they would not subject themselves to the gaze of a crowd of loafers or ask for what they wanted in the presence of a third person. Besides, games of chance or questionable deals are not looked on with favor by the more desirable class of trade. The store which is not at all times in suitable form to receive all classes of customers is not properly conducted. Neither should you substitute-unknowingly to the customer or urge him to take "something just as good," but give him what he calls for, if at hand, or "be pleased" to show him something else, he to take it of his own free will, not reluctantly, so that no offense may be taken or displeasure follow your actions in the matter. Be ever ready to return his money for such purchases, providing the goods are returned in good order. Don't forget that it should ever be your purpose to please and show to your customer appreciation for his patronage. The money will purchase the goods from any store where sold, yet the purchase does not always take with it pleasant memories of the visit, kindly appreciation of the dealer, and a pleasant invitation to the customer to return. The store should be kept clean, well lighted, and the windows free from dirt, dust and frost, and open at regular hours. As a convenience to yourself, as well as customers, the hours for opening and closing the store should be known to the public. Especially should the "open hours" on Sunday be known if they differ from the regular hours on a week-day. This may be made known by a suitable sign in front part of the store. The arrangement of the stock should be such as to attract attention-new and attractive goods to the front-and goods frequently called for placed in a convenient place so that time not be needlessly lost in dispensing and waiting on customers (know the stock). All bottles in which goods are dispensed should leave the store without greasy, sticky or ill-smelling substance adhering thereto, correctly labeled, neatly and securely wrapped. The same may be said of all packages, that there may be no reason for complaint on part of customers. As this article is to be limited to "about one thousand words," I find it necessary to desist from entering into a discussion of the intricacies of the work behind the prescription case, further than to say all work should be done in systematic manner and a record kept of any unusual procedure in compounding prescriptions, when it might occur that a different procedure would change the finished product. This is to be done to prevent any irregularity in case of refilling the prescription. Also, the prescription file should be held sacred in so much that permission should not be granted others than those concerned in the management of the store to have access to it and, should a physician request permission to examine a prescription given by himself, let it be removed from the file for his examination; not grant him permission to run through the file and examine prescriptions given by others. As to the propriety of handling lines of general merchandise, I would say that it is perfectly legitimate to do so, and I would not hesitate to carry in stock any useful articles which goes well with the drug business and which I saw the demand would justify the additional expenditure. However, I would advise against cut-rate, and would keep an outlook for new lines for which I could command a reasonable profit. While the proper conduct of a retail drug store does not always means that it is "made pay," I think all business done should yield a profit. *Awarded first prize (value $25) by the Meyer Brothers Druggist in contest for January, 1917 (see page 100 of this issue for announcement of other contests). OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US Especially Interesting in My Work as a pharmacist is the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST.-[Harry A. Steinkamp, St. Louis. BROTHERS A Superior Journal is the MEYER DRUGGIST. I am keeping all of them for the purpose of binding.-[H. K. Allman, Emmett, Ida. Please Send Me the Copies of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST which I have missed. I desire to keep my file complete.-[R. D. Noble, Des Moines, Ia. I Am Very Fond of Reading the Editorials in the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST. I would dislike to miss a single number.-[Glenn v. Steiner, St. Louis. Although Hundreds of Miles Away from St. Louis, I am glad when the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST arrives each month.-[Francis A. Shrieves, Texarkana, Tex. I Have Derived Much Pleasure as well as profit from being a subscriber to the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for the past three years.-[Ferdinand D. Stoll, Louisville, Ky. Ever Since I Began Work in a Drug Store have I been a reader of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST. This testifies to my interest in the publication.-[D. Bollinger, Melbourne, Ark. COLLECTIONS ARE YOU A GOOD COLLECTOR? A Frenzied Financier.-One who can borrow money from a bill collector.-[National Drug Clerk. Treat Well the Man Who Comes to Collect a Bill.He probably doesn't like his job very well and if you treat him right, next time he may come to buy.[Playthings. Do Your Bills Pass the First Reading? Collector-Did you look at that little bill I left yesterday, sir? House Member-Yes, it has passed the first reading. -[Boston Globe. Are You a Man?-A wag of a printer sent the following letter to a friend whose account was overdue, attaching it to a bill: "Dear Jones-Man is dust. Dust settles. Are you a man?" Nutty, perhaps it was, but it brought the dough.-[Associated Advertising. It Doesn't Pay to be Too Good Natured, particularly on credits. Therefore, don't hesitate to decline whenever the risk is not a good one, and when you do give credits don't hesitate to collect them promptly and with vigor when they become due.— [The Modern Druggist. Touching Up Delinquent Customers.-As a means for cleaning up the 1915 accounts on his books, George Worley of Covington, O., enclosed the following letter with all statements sent out on February 1: Dear Friend: We thank you for favors shown in helping us to make the past year one of our very best. On our part we shall endeavor to continue to merit your patronage; in fact, we are trying our best to make this "the people's store." Just now we are giving our attention to cleaning up the balances on our ledger for 1915. If this does not correspond with our January 1 statement, or if you note any errors, remember we are only human and are liable to mistake. We will gladly make corrections. Appreciating your past favors and awaiting your further commands, I am, Yours truly, George Worley. The amount due was stated on the bottom of each letter and a request made for settlement by February 10. [Bulletin of Pharmacy. Be Firm in Your Interviews with Debtors.-The man who gives credit to his customers often finds that it is much easier to sell the goods than it is to get the money for them after they have been delivered and used. Selling to cash buyers is harder than to book accounts, but as there is about the same amount of hard work in any kind of business in the aggregate, what is gained in easier sales effort is lost in hard collection work. Besides, selling goods is a pleasure, while making collections, asking your people for money, is to nine hundred and ninety-nine people out of a thousand a most disagreeable task. But, like the most unpleasant things in this world, the best method to meet them is with firmness. "Take the bull by the horns" and do the work well once you begin, so it won't have to be done over again. [Canadian Druggist. |