Editorial

The Fine Chemical Industry of England is far behind that of Germany. The present war has been the means of bringing England to a realization of this fact. Various excuses for the condition are given in England and numerous suggestions made for an improvement in the fine chemical industry of that country. An English writer on the subject points out that the German government aids and abets chemical research along technical lines, that the German teachers in this department of science are better paid than in England. In other words, the German government and the German people have long recognized the importance of the chemical technical industry and encouraged its development.

In England, those who correspond to the pharmacists and druggists of the United States are known as chemists and druggists. The word "chemist" is used to designate the pharmacist who may have a very limited chemical education. Professional chemists and particularly those educated along technical lines have objected to the long established custom of calling pharmacists chemists. Some have gone so far as to claim that this condition accounts for the slow development of the chemical industry in England.

In the United States, we do not speak of pharmacists as chemists, but we do grant diplomas bestowing the degree of doctor of pharmacy, which has met with a protest from some who hold the degree of doctor of philosophy, on account of a similarity of abbreviations for the two degrees. Objection has also been made on account of the title of doctor being applied to pharmacists. It is custom, however, and not logic, that has confined the title to the medical profession, the ministry and the graduate in philosophy.

Two Deaths from Careless Dispensing.-Bismuth subnitrate was used for some time by X-ray operators in photographing the human stomach. A quantity of the chemical was taken into the empty stomach. More recently physicians have been using barium sulphate in place of bismuth subnitrate. Manufacturers have placed on the market and listed especially prepared barium sulphate for X-ray use. Last month and almost simultaneously two deaths occurred, one in New York City and the other in Baltimore, and both from the poisonous effects of barium sulphide dispensed by pharmacists when barium sulphate was wanted. In one case, the physician wrote out, "barium sulphate," but the pharmacist thought this was a mistake and dispensed barium sulphide. In the other instance, the physician followed the careless practice, so common, of unduly abbreviating and wrote, “barium sulph." The pharmacist took this to mean barium sulphate and dis

pensed accordingly. In both cases, the pharmacists tried to defend themselves by pleading ignorance of the use of barium sulphate in medicine. The cases are a new and deplorable evidence of the necessity of keeping up with the times. Many pharmacists claim that they do not have time to read. Changes are continually taking place and the pharmacist who does not read is likely to meet with many difficulties which could be avoided by properly keeping up with the times.

One of these cases also teaches a lesson for physicians. This is to be taught in a legal way in Baltimore, where the city council has adopted an ordinance prohibiting pharmacists from filling prescriptions written with abbreviations. The fact that "sulph." may mean, sulphate, sulphite of sulphide is only one example of a long list of abbreviations which are indefinite. The opportunities for mistakes in dispensing are sufficiently great without adding to them by careless abbreviations.

The War Demand for Rubber is far beyond that of any previous war. Rubber blankets have long been in demand for the use of soldiers. Now, the greater proportion of rubber used in times of war is that which supplies the tires of various conveyances. Rubber boots are also greatly in use, particularly, while digging trenches. England claims that during the next six months, the War Department will have use for all of the rubber from the plantations controlled by England. Rubber from these sources must be sent direct to London and none of it is to be exported for other use than that of the allied armies. If this war measure is strictly enforced, it will have a decided effect on the rubber supply required to meet demands in the United States. This country can and does obtain rubber from South America, but this source of available supply cannot meet the requirements in this country.

It must be remembered, however, that reclaimed rubber is a growing source of supply. Those best versed in the rubber market believe that England will soon permit shipments of crude rubber from New York City, provided sufficient guarantee is given that none of it will find its way back into the hands of countries with which England is at war.

Crude Drug Importation issues are very important to the trade. The government drug inspectors and other officials in the various customs districts have the final word on importations of crude drugs. Importers claim that these officials at various ports do not always agree. The importers are anxious to have some of the decisions reviewed by higher authority. It is proposed by a section of the drug trade most interested to have the Secretary of Agriculture review decisions that are carried to him. It is further urged that the law be so amended that from the Secretary of Agriculture importers may go to the Board of General Appraisers and even further to the Court of Custom Appeals.

The American Pharmaceutical Association was organized in 1852 for the purpose of securing rules

and regulations governing the importation of drugs. From that time down to the present day, importers have had restrictions placed on them with a view of protecting the general trade against inferior goods or adulterated articles. It is but natural that friction should occur, but it is desirable that justice be maintained and every opportunity given to secure the administration of the regulations in a just man

ner.

State Association Activity.-It is interesting and instructive to note the difference in activity between some of the state pharmaceutical associations that are in close touch with all that pertains to the welfare of pharmacy and others that follow a very nominal existence. Ohio is one of the important states of the Union which has given the country many public men and can be depended upon for activity in all that looks to the welfare of this country. Pharmacy is no exception to the general rule of advancement in Ohio. The Ohio Pharmaceutical Association will hold a special meeting, at Columbus, October 7, which has been called by President Bowman upon the petition of twenty-five members. A voluntary contribution of $5.00 per member is coming in with promptness. It is planned to place an organizer, a legislative lobbyist and a publicity man in the field, to work for the advancement of the association in particular and the welfare of pharmacy and citizens in Ohio in general. Such good work deserves more than passing mention and the details should be studied by the officers of other state pharmaceutical associations. Ohio has an active branch of the A. Ph. A. at Cincinnati and another at Columbus.

The Anti-Narcotic Law, governing interstate traffic in narcotics, becomes effective, March 1, 1915. This new regulation has been known as the Harrison Anti-Narcotic Bill and was passed by Congress, December 10. The American Pharmaceutical Association has for years advocated the regulation of the sale of this class of medicines. The Beal Model Anti-Narcotic Law originated in the A. Ph. A. and was discussed at various state meetings. The A. Ph. A., at the 1912 convention, provided for what has become known as the Drug Trades Conference, representing various branches of the drug trade. This conference has met frequently at Washington in consultation with representatives of Congress and has exerted a marked influence on the form of the bill.

Whether or not the new law is in the best possible form remains to be seen. It may stand the test of time or require early and frequent amendments. It is, however, a beginning and places the United States in line with the action of The Hague opening conference.

The drug trade has been busy studying the war tax, but must now take time to become familiar with the Anti-Narcotic Law.

Fourth of July Celebrations are Expensive. The Journal of the American Medical Association has

gathered statistics during the past twelve years and finds that forty deaths have occurred during that time from Fourth of July accidents. In addition, 1,466 persons have been injured. As a result of the 1914 celebration, three little boys died from lockjaw, sixteen persons, mostly little girls and small children, were burned to death from fire by fireworks, five persons were killed by firearms, six by the explosion of gunpowder, guns or torpedoes, five died from blood poisoning resulting from injuries caused by fireworks. Perhaps it is timely to call attention to this record when nine of the great civilized countries of the world are engaged in the greatest of human wars. It is well, however, for this country to understand that even in times of peace, we are reckless of human life. The only excuse for the deaths and accidents resulting from the celebration on July 4, 1914, is the force of habit which causes us to continue our form of celebration in spite of the propoganda for a safe and sane Fourth of July. Clean Up and Paint Up.-Pharmacists, particularly in the smaller cities and towns, are depended upon by the citizens to take the lead in all that pertains to civic affairs. A community is like an individual in many respects. Being clean and tidy causes a person to feel better as well as look more attractive and pleasing to others. Personal attention to such matters is largely a custom or habit. The same is true in communities. The pharmacist is the one to see that the custom of cleaning up and painting up with the advent of fall and spring is continued until it is recognized as a fixed habit. Experience teaches that a campaign of getting rid of rubbish, cleaning up yards, repairing wood work and painting is able to take care of itself when once well started. Human beings are imitative creatures and copy the actions of each other. The pharmacist should begin by having his own store placed in atrractive shape. His residence should also be given attention and the entire force, from proprietor to apprentice, should talk, "Clean up and paint up."

Fire Precautions. In this age of safety first, it is very fitting for pharmacists to give particular attention to fire precautions. A drug stock is usually considered to be a hazardous risk. What are you doing to reduce this hazard as much as possible? Fire insurance is a precaution of one kind, but the best of all is the precaution which prevents expense. See to it that every avoidable cause of fire risk is given attention.

Shrewd Law-Makers find ways and means of introducing jokes into bills so that the real object of the bill will be defeated. Such legal technicalities stand the test of courts. This should not tempt amateurs in an effort to disguise the real intent and purpose of a bill by pretending that it is a restrictive measure when they know that in fact it will be prohibitive.

The Index to the 1914 volume of MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST appears in the January, 1915, issue. Make use of the same for reference.

STRAY ITEMS AND COMMENTS

Do You Have the Complete Volume of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for 1914? If not, communicate at once with the publisher, as the supply of back numbers is limited.

March 1, 1915, is the date on which the Harrison Anti-Narcotic Law becomes effective. The drug trade has three months in which to prepare for the restrictions on interstate commerce in handling narcotics.

Watch Yourself. When a man habitually gives the same greetings, always advances the same arguments, forever asks the same questions, and never misses an opportunity to spring his favorite joke, he soon acquires an intellect with all the potency of a rubber stamp.

Potassium is Scarce in England. It may be necessary to resort to the manufacture of potassium from wood ashes. Another possible source of supply is feldspar. It is pointed out that England has absolutely unlimited and inexhaustible as well as a uniformly distributed supply of feldspar.

The U. S. Is in the Right Path. However, it is not necessary that Europe's departure from the paths of civilization and righteousness should result in the abandonment in this country of ideals and ethical standards that have been taking a gradually increasing place in our thoughts and actions.-[National 5, 10 and 25c Magazine.

Damage Suits. Few young men or women entering pharmacy realize that throughout their professional life they will be constantly in danger of either. civil damage suits or arrest on criminal charges. Miss M. C. Dow, the head of a number of drug stores in Cincinnati, has recently been sued for $75,000.00 by a customer, who claims that she was given a mixture containing arsenic when she ordered epsom salts.

Keep Out the Drug Stores. It is very likely that some will raise the cry that the pharmacists of Oregon are anxious to avoid competition and are consequently asking legislation which is likely to restrict the number of stores in the state. What the pharmacists of Oregon really want and intend to do is to prevent the opening of drug stores which are simply a blind for the sale of intoxicating liquors. Pharmacists, the country over, will sympathize with the Oregon pharmacists in their position and in their work.

Board Examinations are sometimes carefully prepared and the questions classified. Other examination sets contain a heterogenous assortment of interrogations. H. C. Christensen, chairman of the Advisory Examination Committee of the N. A. B. P., recommends a division of a board of pharmacy examination into twenty questions in pharmacy, ten questions in chemistry, twenty questions in materia medica, ten questions in pharmaceutical and chemical problems, with prescription compounding and

laboratory work, ordinarily called practical work, and finally, an oral examination or quiz. We hope the time will come when all boards of pharmacy will give the careful attention to examination questions indicated by the second annual report of the committee of which Mr. Christensen is chairman.

"Poison," "Deleterious Ingredient," and "HabitForming," are terms of current literature, but differently understood by those who have occasion to use these words. John F. Queeny, in the Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter, calls attention to the definitions that came out in the famous Coca-Cola trial. They are as follows: "The word 'poison' is generally understood to mean any substance which, when introduced into the body in given strength and in relatively small quantity, and acting chemically, is capable of producing death or great bodily injury to health in the case of an average adult in ordinary health. A 'deleterious ingredient' in an article of food is any substance which, when digested in sufficient amount by a person in ordinary health, is capable of acting detrimentally upon the system. 'Habit-forming' is defined to mean something that calls for ever-increasing doses to bring an effect, which effect must be a harmful one."

Remedies for Indigestion Must Be Properly Prepared and Sold While Fresh.-Announcements of the Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, state that examination of a number of products which purport to contain certain enzyms or ferments supposed to be useful in promoting digestion shows that these contain little, if any, of these active agents. Further investigation shows that the manufacturers frequently have employed a sufficient quantity of pepsin, diastase, pancreatin, trypsin, or similar material, but in many cases no attempt has been made to determine whether the material used is really active. In certain cases, manufacturers have combined pepsin and trypsin, which tend to negative each other, and in other cases they have used its pepsin in alkaline media, which destroy activity, and have combined trypsin with acid substances which are not suited to it. Under certain methods of preparing the remedies, heat is applied to a degree that may destroy the activity of the pepsin or other enzyms. Similarly, many of these substances which owe their properties to the action of enzyms, are put up in too strong alcoholic solutions or in other ways which lessen their effectiveness. The great trouble with many of these preparations, however, is that they do not keep well, and while active at first, after a time lose their digestive activity. The Department of Agriculture therefore warns manufacturers that preparations claiming to contain digestive enzyms should be put up in such a way that they will have suffered little, if any, loss of activity when sold to the consumer. In the case of preparations which are liable to deterioration within a few months, the Department suggests that each lot should be dated, and that sales after a certain fixed time should be prevented.

IN BRIEF

Do you carefully watch the trend of trade? Do you realize the full selling power of show cases? The N. A. R. D. will hold its 1915 meeting in Minneapolis.

A substantial business depends on facts instead of reputation.

The proper treatment of the customer is a prime consideration.

An artificial silk is now made from the slime of the seaweed.

Do you work off your old stock? If not, what will you do with it?

Many English pharmacists have volunteered for service in the war.

The cauterization of the dental pulp dates back many centuries, B. C.

Is it better to buy an established drug business or open up a new store?

There is always a call for better men. help meet the demand?

Will you

The war in Europe will teach its lessons. In this country, it is teaching geography.

The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, founded in 1839, was the first dental school.

St. Louis has the distinction of being the largest manufacturer of crackers of any city.

The first dental journal was established by Drs. H. H. Hayden and C. A. Harris, in 1839.

The perfumery interests made a vigorous fight against the war tax but were unsuccessful.

A pharmacist cannot create a demand for some goods but others are appropriate for pushing.

The revised British Pharmacopoeia gives increased attention to tests for the purity of the essential oils. Confidence is replacing hesitation throughout the country and the drug trade feels the ground swell of prosperity.

A government report assumes that the citizens of the United States pay half a billion dollars annually for medicines.

Nitrous oxide was first used by Dr. Horace Wells, December 10, 1844, but did not come into general use until 1868.

"The Secrets of Success," is the title of a new book. Secrets that are public property lose their force as secrets.

Fertility is illustrated by a grain of wheat which, during the period of five years may produce 11,000 bushels of grain.

An extension of aromatic plant cultivation in England is urged by the government and the manufacturers of perfumes.

Apomorphine was discovered by Matthiessen and Wright in 1869, but its great emetic value was not recognized until 1882.

Dr. W. C. Alpers and other officers-elect of the A. Ph. A. for the term of 1915-16, are already planning for official activities.

Capital is necessary in order to start any business. Make certain that you have a sufficient amount before entering on the venture.

The yield of tomatoes has been doubled and that of cucumbers increased over 12 per cent by an excess of carbonic gas in the air.

War conditions have affected to some extent several of the schools of pharmacy, cutting down the supply of apparatus and chemicals.

The extent of a man's charities is said to be a fair index to his character. It does not help him, however, to give prominence to this index.

Are you familiar with the provisions of the AntiNarcotic Law which becomes effective March 1, 1915? It applies only to interstate commerce.

Radium has been reduced to about one-half of the former price. You can now purchase one milligram (about one sixty-fourth grain) for $52.80. "Radium Therapy," was the subject of a paper by Dr. William J. Schieffelin at the November 12 meeting of the Philadelphia Branch of the A. Ph. A.

The metric system is giving English pharmacists all kinds of trouble on account of having been adopted after the present revision of the British Pharmacopoeia.

Man is said to be a herbiverous and fruit-eating animal. Attention, however, should be drawn to the bloodthirsty traits which have cropped in the old world.

The United States Public Health Service reports that Dr. F. F. Friedmann has no claims to discovery of a specific cure for tuberculosis. So said many people long ago.

The "Palace of Eats" was the name of a restaurant in a small Indiana town where the health commissioner found numerous flies, dirty counters and uncleanly waiters.

Thus Dame Fortune looks out for her children, and when they are slow in learning useful secrets and possibilities, drops a word of advice in their way so plain that they cannot choose but read it.

Dr. William Osler, formerly dean of the Medical School of Johns Hopkins University, but now of Oxford University, in England, is a colonel in the British army, in charge of hospital service at the front. A willingness to spend an hour or two in the evening in studying the problems which must be handled next day will bring far greater results than almost any amount of brilliancy and spasmodic sprint on the morrow.

Superintendent E. B. Heimstreet refuses to abandon the Druggists' National Home, at Palmyra, Wis., and is caring for the same at his own expense. He has been disappointed in receiving general support from the pharmacists of the country.

English pharmacists were given several months in which to become acquainted with the British Pharmacopoeia before it became the official standard, December 31, 1914. With the previous edition, conditions were different for it went into official force immediately on publication.