: STRICTLY UNOFFICIAL Practical Preparation.-A "hypenated American' writes to the school teacher concerning calesthenics: "You better teach my Sadie more 'ritin' and figgers. If I want she shall know to jump, I kin make her jump myself." All honor to the St. Louis College of Pharmacy that drill on laboratory work and "Commercial Pharmacy."-[Joseph Frey, Ph. G., St. Louis. It is Cheaper to Be a Christian Scientist.-A very telling article appeared in Puck, issue of April 15th, comparing the investment of time and money necessary to qualify for the practice of medicine and of Christian Science. It is conservatively estimated that the average medical graduate has given from four to seven years of his time, representing at least $3,000; living expenses during course, $3,000; books, instruments, laboratory charges, etc., $1,000; hospital internship expenses, $1,000; or $8,000 as the cost cr his preparation for care of the sick. The Christian Science "healer" buys a copy of Mother Eddy's "Science and Health" at $3.00, and a Prince Albert suit at $35.00; $38.00 in all prepares him to pray over poor fools for pay. Why be a hard-working doctor? Signs of All Kinds Interest Pharmacists. Not only signs of the times, signs of peace and signs of war but signs in the drug business and signs in side lines appeal to the thoughtful consideration of the up-todate pharmacist. Recently, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gave sign makers a few pointers, as follows: You may find on the door of a parochial school in South St. Louis this sign, old and weather-beaten: Keep of the fence. DO IT NOW. Lose this day loitering-'twill be the same story - Goethe. ODD ORDERS What Would You Dispense on the following order, filled by George W. Stahl, of St. Louis: "Lickwood vering?" Spirit of Camphor.-(Alcohol Camphor) was dispensed by B. T. Buschmann, St. Charles, Mo., for "Alcolar Chenpren." Potassium permanganate was dispensed by Hale & Elson, Unionville, Mo., on the following order: "totasman termangant 30." Very Pharmacopoeial is the following order, filled by Frantz F. Berg, of Colorado Springs, Colo.: "Hypho ficate comp. U S P 6 oz." With double quick action.-R. L. Hope's Store, at Centralia, Mo., filled. the following order by supplying buchu leaves: . Please send me 25 ets worth of Pq leaves are some such a name it is for horses kidneys. London Pharmacists have odd orders in spite of war times. A call for "a box of capsules, male and female" puzzled a London pharmacist for a time. Inquiry developed the fact that the customer wanted a box of male fern capsules. A New Use for Stock Food.-C. O. Moffett, Ph. G., of Carlisle, Ark., gave careful attention to the following order: Will pay you next time I come to town. A Serious Error in That Up-to-the-Minute Prescription. If our readers will turn to page 384 of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for December, 1915, they will find a prescription calling for seventeen ingredients recently compounded in neutral United States. The prescription as printed, however, is not complete. Following "zinc valerianate" should be "Extraxt cannabis indica grs. 12." We hope that experts to whom this prescription has been referred will take into consideration this important ingredient before rendering their expert opinions. Is your eyesight good?-L. B. Kirby, Ph. G., Harrison, Ark., says the following is a good test not only for eyesight but guessing capacity. What would you dispense and who signed the order? صينة MARION ALPHON STOUT. Marion Alphon Stout, Bluffton, Ind., president of the N. A. R. D., greeted the readers from the cover of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for January, 1916. Presi- . dent Stout announces the annual meeting at Indianapolis, September 18. Do You Distinguish Between Barium Sulphate and Barium Sulphide?-Barium sulphate is now being used in the place of bismuth subnitrate in taking X-ray pictures. It is practically harmless, while barium sulphide is a poison. Some physicians are careful to underline the word "sulphate" and some go so far as to say "barium sulphate" not "barium sulphide." Index to Advertisements, Page 24. Editorial Business Twelve Months Ago and Now. There is considerable satisfaction in a review of business conditions today and a comparison of what we find now with that of a year ago. The war has continued in spite of prophecies and prayers. Everything possible has been done and is being done by neutrals to bring the war to a termination but a general feeling is pervading the neutral countries that the war is likely to continue for some time to come. This belief has caused the business world to accept conditions as they are and make the best of crcumstances brought about by the war. This fact alone has a tendency to make business better than was the case when every one was filled with anxiety and a feeling of uncertainty. Neutral countries are also becoming accustomed to war conditions and take the incidents as a matter of fact. A year ago, the business world was speculating on what would happen when the war was over. Today, the industries and arts are endeavoring to make the most of conditions as they exist. The great activities in certain manufacturing lines have stimulated business and prosperity in collateral directions. Today, high prices prevail for cattle, sheep, wool, grain and also such products as are dependent on leather, steel, iron, copper, glass, lead and zinc. Certain manufacturing industries located east of the Allegheny Mountains are doing an unprecedented business. The great grain sections of the northwest reflect the advance in the price of these crops. The lead and zinc mines of Missouri and vicinity bring money to the Middle West. Remunerative figures for products are scattered pretty much over the United States. Some lines of business continue to suffer on account of the war but the ability of mankind to adapt itself to conditions is becoming manifest, the country over. It is not necessary to look for a prosperous 1916 but simply to have faith that the good start which has been made will continue throughout the year. Such is the feeling among business men and the community at large will soon respond. The retail drug trade of the country should be particularly alive to the opportunities presented by better times. Strict attention to business is essential. A realization of the fact that the druggist of today is much of a general merchant must be acknowledged. The apothecary of yesterday is confined to those who cater to the trade in office buildings occupied by physicians. Boards of Pharmacy and State Associations.-At one time there were frequent differences of opinion and occasionally actual antagonism between state boards of pharmacy and state associations. Little by little, conditions are improving and we find that, as a rule, the members of boards of pharmacy are among the most staunch supporters of state phar maceutical associations. In some states, like South Dakota, the registered pharmacist must belong to the state association and he makes but one payment per year, which covers re-registration and also state association dues. In several of the states the association secretary is also the board of pharmacy secretary. This works very well, as is evidenced by the long tenure of dual service. Kentucky is one of the best examples to cite. Boards of pharmacy members come in personal contact with those who enter the calling in the state. They are in a position to secure many new members and enthuse the younger generation with interest in the good work that the pharmaceutical associations of this country are doing. Missouri may be mentioned as a state where the board of pharmacy, year after year, contributes not only new members but moral support in every way for the state association. This subject is brought to our attention at this time by an announcement which is made by the Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy, which is offering two prizes for the two best papers submitted by registered pharmacists at the meeting of the Oklahoma Pharmaceutical Association to be held at Sulphur in May. The board will select subjects and announce the same in the near future. Thus the Oklahoma board gives its stamp of approval to the state association and at the same time encourages pharmacists to make practical contributions to the literature of pharmacy. We are confident that the board will have subjects that are timely and important. The Food and Drugs Act Upheld by the Supreme Court. The Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, has stood the test of time and the decisions of courts remarkably well. In the beginning the attempts at evasion were many. Some, through ignorance, violated the law. The Government required time and experience in order to properly administer the enforcement of the law. Hardships resulted from some of the prosecutions. Differences of opinion arose over points at issue and lawsuits resulted. It was not until May, 1911, when the famous Johnson Cancer Cure case was the subject of a Supreme Court decision that any real defect in the law was discovered by those most interested in its enforcement. This decision held that Congress had not expressed a specific purpose to make a false claim of curative medicinal property the basis of condemnation of a medicine under the provision of the act relating to misbranding. This decision resulted in Congress adopting the so-called Sherley Amendment in August, 1912. The amended law has now been in force for more than three years. Various prosecutions have occurred under the amendment section. One which was bitterly fought has recently resulted in the decision by the United States Supreme Court which accords full validity to the Sherley Amendment. This gives emphasis to the honest label covering claims for therapeutic value of medicinal com 1 |