Essence of Pepsin.-T. B. O.-The popular books of formulas abound in receipts for essences and elixirs of pepsin, but if you will stick to the National Formulary process (National Formulary of Unofficial Preparations, No. 88, page 33) you will insure definiteness of composition and have the satisfaction of knowing that you are using a tried and proved formula.

To Make Wood Impervious to Water; to Remove Old Paper from Walls, Etc.-K. C. H. writes: "A year or SO ago I read directions in your journal for dressing the top of a board so that it would be impervious to water and other fluids. I have lost the combination and do not know where to find it. Will you kindly assist me? Also republish formula for preparation for removing old paper from walls. Please give me formula for absolutely harmless headache powders."

We do not recall having ever printed directions for rendering wooden surfaces impervious to water. The method usually followed is to dry the wood thoroughly and saturate it with hot liquid petrolatum, or hot melted paraffin wax. It has also been suggested to treat the wood, if it is a soft wood, with glue or gelatin in conjunction with potassium bichromate applied in the form of a solution of about 1 part of glue or gelatin in about 8 parts of water at 160 degrees F., and a solution of 1 part of potassium bichromate in 15 parts of water, but we are rather skeptical as to the value of this process.

Headache Cures, for which prizes were awarded by the Tennessee State Druggists' Association, are as follows:

ammonia cleansing compounds recorded by Frank Edel in a previous number showed that ammonium oleate could be utilized to advantage in the preparation of various cleansing compounds. The oleate solution has a wide range of usefulness, being adapted as well for shampoo preparations as for furniture polishes. In preparing the oleate the following method has given good results:

The alcohol and ammonia water are mixed and poured upon the oleic acid contained in a bottle of suitable size. After shaking vigorously the bottle is allowed to stand a week or more to effect complete saponification.

The foregoing may be diluted with plain water or ammonia water to furnish a ready-made ammonia solution for cleansing purposes, but the following formulas are recommended for laboratory and cloth cleansing compounds:

Shake before using.

The ammonium oleate solution is diluted with the ammonia water and to this is added the shellac varnish, followed by the linseed oil, the whole being vigorously shaken to form a homogeneous mixture.

Pancreatic Extracts.-L.-The mixed ferments of the pancreatic gland may be extracted by methods analogous to those employed for the preparation of pepsin. Allen says that useful and permanent extracts may be obtained by exhausting the finely divided pancreas with water containing about 2 per cent. of boric acid and 1 per cent. of borax. A well-known brand of pancreatic extract is stated to be prepared by digesting fresh, fat free, finely minced pancreas with four times its weight of dilute alcohol (alcohol 1 part, water 3 parts) for several days. The liquid is then faintly acidulated with acetic and filtered through paper. The product is a nearly colorless liquid with very little taste or smell other than that due to the contained alcohol. It possesses both the amylolytic and proteolytic properties of the pancreas in a highly concentrated degree.

= e.

Ligs Morphiæ Sulphs = e. .gr. i Ligs Atropiæ Sulphs ..grs. 1-25 Mr. Pepper says "The sign =1' after Sulphatis in the first two lines means that an amount of the liquor or solution is to be used equal to the quantity prescribed in grains." This is undoubtedly the meaning of it, but I beg to disagree with Mr. Pepper in this way: The letter said to be an 7 is not an 1, but an e and is the Latin preposition e, which e means "out of." This preposition e is used as e before consonants and as er (which is perhaps more familiar to my brother pharmacists) before vowels. For instance:

BUSINESS BUILDING

By W. A. DAWSON

Under this head will appear suggestions and plans for increasing trade, advertising experiences, information, and notes of interest useful to the pharmacist in the preparation of his advertising matter. Specimens of current advertising will be reproduced, with suggestive analysis and criticism, and queries relative to advertising matters will be answered. To aboid delay address communications to the Department of Business Building, AMERICAN DRUGGIST, 66 West Broadway, N.Y.

JUNE ADVERTISING.

June is the healthiest month in all the year, the period when human vitality seems most vigorous; when the strong feel that it is good to be alive and the weak and sickly appear to take on a new lease of life. In this flood-tide of the springtime when the sunshine warms the blood, when the air is balmy and the breeze invigorating, all mankind wants to get out of doors and feels an almost irresistible desire to dig in the dirt; to plant things and watch 'em grow-that is, if one be moderately poor and of suburban habitat. With the moderately rich city dweller, whose ancestors have not lived close to the ground for many generations, the stirring of springtime in their blood creates the desire to take a trip "way off" somewhere, or scoot through the country at express train speed in red devil-wagons.

It is at this time of the year that mankind loses its appetite for medicine. Therefore it is but a waste of money to run medicine ads in June. When everybody declares that they

66

feel f-i-i-ne," and are consequently in a good-natured and generous mood, it is well to stop talking medicine-whether prescriptions or patents-and go at talking about the little luxuries and the high-class articles in your stock that might be sold to folks who are feeling good natured and generous.

Among the things that may be displayed and advertised are the finer toilet articles and preparations-bath accessories, toilet soaps, perfumes, new styles in fine papeteries-engraved stationery is a profitable side line at this time.

June is also the month for weddings, and the season of school graduation and college commencement days of the "sweet girl graduate and the sweeter June bride.”

Therefore let those who do business in Normal School or College towns make due preparation in time for appropriate window displays (in school or college colors) and souvenir goods suitable for gifts and for the use of scholars and graduates-not forgetting some pretty little souvenir of low cost to be given free to students who visit the store.

Display and advertise such fancy and side lines as may be suitable for wedding presents.

Now is the time to push soda water and fancy drinks, sundries, etc., and confectionery, cut flowers, potted plants, preserved palms and other plants, as well as decorative materials, for use on Decoration Day, for commencement exercises and weddings.

The city pharmacist will do well to send a circular letter to his customers calling their attention to his stock of medicine and traveling cases, his knowledge of the most useful medicines to take along, of the mail facilities and ease with which medicines may be sent anywhere at small expense, etc.

Other seasonable things are: Manicure and massage goods, talcum and foot powders, tooth brushes, nail brushes, complexion brushes, skin foods, etc.

This ad appeared upon the back of an envelope inclosing a letter to the AMERICAN DRUGGIST from E. G. Tracy, pharmacist, Waverly, N. Y. It appears to be gotten up by the Business Men's Association, of Waverly, and is probably used by all members of the association. On the front appears, in very small type, "E. G. Tracy, Druggist, Waverly, N. Y.," printed in a style similar to the conservative and unobtrusive style of the corner cards printed on stamped envelopes by the post office department.

Envelope backs are a little used but valuable medium for advertising a town and as an auxiliary to the advertising of the drug store.

The idea is valuable, because of its limitless possibilities. There are few businesses to which it might not be profitably adapted.

For example, take a pharmacist in an enterprising town where the idea is not known. Let him begin by using the idea on his business envelopes, having the map made smaller so as to leave an advertising space on the left of map as well as at the right and printed his own ad in the left-hand space. That

VEGETABLE, FIELD AND FLOWER

SEEDS

Quality is the First Consideration.

The price of seeds is such a small part of the cost of raising vegetables and flowers that it is folly not to be sure you are getting and planting

THE BEST

No amount of labor or pains
will avail if you don't start
right, THE BEST IS AL-
WAYS THE CHEAPEST.

Insure success by
buying your Seeds
at

H. H. STRUNK & SONS

Forty-seven Years
Headquarters for

SEEDS

Original Ad.

Note the disjointed and confused appearance of this ad, resulting from a multiplicity of type styles and illogical spacing.

of the town appearing at the right, as it does on the envelope shown herewith.

A map-cut 3 inches square will show all necessary detail, and will go on both a No. 5 and a No. 6 envelope, and leave about 11⁄2 inches of space at each side. In these the wording may be varied frequently at a small cost for the typesetting. If the wording in the spaces are made part of the cut the thing will soon become stale and tiresome.

After using the envelopes a few weeks one will be able to judge if the idea is likely to take, and, if so, the plan may be extended. Having meantime made arrangements to obtain duplicate map cuts, envelopes and printing, quickly and cheaply, and as wanted, the cuts and printed envelopes may be offered for sale.

Fill show window full of the printed envelopes, from floor to ceiling. Pile boxes of unprinted ones in bottom of window and show two or three duplicate cuts. Give prices of envelopes printed and plain, and of cuts separately. Appeal to civic pride " Advertise your town"-etc. Printed envelopes and cut should be sold close, say, a 10 per cent profit, so that it will not pay another to steal your thunder. The map alone, without advertising, may be printed in light tint upon square baronial style envelopes for ladies' use. Reduced in size or enlarged, and printed in light or dark colored inks on letter and bill heads, wrapping paper, shipping tags, tickets, pay envel opes, drug and package envelopes, etc.

SUGGESTING IMPROVEMENT IN DISPLAY STYLE.

EDITOR BUSINESS BUILDING:

clipping bureau from papers all over the country in addition to the many sent in by our readers.

The chief fault to be found with it is a very prevalent one, probably not two ads in a thousand, taking them as they run,

44

'Save a Cent on the Seed

Lose a Dollar on the Crop'

Is the Northern Farmer's way of putting the old saw:-"Save at the spigot-lose at the bung."

When the price of seeds is so small a part of the cost of raising vegetables, flowers or field crops, it is folly not to make sure of getting reliable seeds. No amount of labor or pains will make up for lack of foresight or for carelessness in this respect.

The best seed is always the cheapest-it pays the biggest dividends-in quantity and quality. If you have had failure or poor luck with seeds, or want any information about them, come and see us. We have been buying and selling seeds for 47 years and ought to know something about them. We are certain that we know the best seeds. Our 47 years of seed selling is proof of that. No firm could sell a line of goods for 47 years if they sold poor goods, or ordinary goods; such records can only be made by selling THE BEST.

To insure success get the Best Seeds at H. H. STRUNK & SONS, Pharmacists, "The Oid Drug Store."

Established 1857.

Two-Column ad (reduced in size), showing (in relative proportion) how the H. H. Strunk & Sons' ad appears when set in a space two columns wide and five inches long, making it square in shape.

being free from it-i. e., too many styles of type are used in the ad., no less than six different faces.

American Codliver Oil.

That an American codliver oil should take a medal at an international fisheries exposition in Vienna in competition with a whole roomful of Norway exhibits is not surprising to those who know the general excellence of American products, but it is surprising in view of the prevailing prejudice in favor of codliver oil of foreign manufacture. Custom makes cowards of us all, and so it would be a rash dealer in codliver oil who would venture to assert that there could possibly be a product of the American fisheries in any way comparable to that of Lofoten or Finmarken, though it is a fact that we can and do make a product that is the equal if not the superior of the Norway oil. The Vienna award was the only medal given to any oil there on exhibition for individual merit. The Viennese are far enough removed from the fisheries to decide this matter on its merits, which accounts for the fact that they gave an entirely impartial verdict in this instance.

A further tribute to American codliver oil was given when a leading Austrian chemist certified to its purity and the fact that it answers all the requirements of the German Pharmacopoeia. This chemist, a high authority in the medical world, described the American oil, as to its chemical qualities, in detail, giving its specific gravity, color tests, iodine numbers, saponification and analysis, and concluded with the statement above referred to as to its conforming to the German standard. Higher praise than this could not be given to an American pharmaceutical preparation. And yet it is in America more than anywhere else that the opinion prevails that there is no codliver oil like Norwegian oil. A little more encouragement of home industry in this line would help to demonstrate the false notion that imported articles are necessarily the best.-Oil, Paint and Drug Review.

"Pardon me for not remitting sooner," writes an esteemed subscriber, in upper New York State, "if the AMERICAN DRUGGIST had stopped coming, I should have been reminded to send the money. Thank you for continuing it."

CARLETON C.

Smith's

DRUG STORE.

RELIABLE
REMEDIES

FOR ALL

SPRING
NEEDS.

The BEST KNOWN that

are NEW

as well as

those older in the market and

BEST KNOWN TO YOU.

WE HAVE

50

YEARS' REPUTA-
TION FOR SKILLED
ΤΟ
ATTENTION
PRESCRIPTIONS.

165-167 Main St.

Here is a case of waste in space. The same matter properly set would not occupy more than two-thirds-perhaps but a half of this amount of space and be much better advertising.

CARLETON C. SMITH'S Drug Store

165-167 Main Street

Reliable Remedies

for all

Spring Needs.

The Best Known that are New, as well as those older in the market and Best Known to You.

50 Years

have we had the reputation for skilled attention to prescriptions.

This shows how the ad. looks when set more simply.