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PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS

Read This Before You Write.

Contributions on subjects of interest to the pharmaceutical profession are always welcome. Write upon but one side of the sheet and spell out in full the names of medicines; never use abbreviations. The editor pays no attention to anonymous communications.

Are We to Thank the War for the most tolerant spirit being shown pharmacists by certain medical publications? Or is it simply an outgrowing of the "childish" attitude of self-sufficiency affected by a portion of the Medical Fraternity?

In either case, we should gladly meet them half way. If they can honestly realize that there is a place in the universe for the humble maker of pills, we should put on our very best smile and dutifully permit them to excuse us for living.

There is no reason for hostility-in fact it only adds to our misunderstandings. Every mean, spiteful word we say about our neighbor who dispenses or our neighbor who counter-prescribes only postpones the time when each will be content to discard his questionable practices.

And to those members of the medical profession who have come out frankly for recognition of pharmacists in the army, we should publicly extend our thanks. The Medical Corps is certainly under the domination of the M. D.'s, and without their consent and aid, the pharmacist has little chance of securing recognition. True, this aid, as pointed out in a recent issue of the New York Medical Journal, is extended, largely, that we may add to the further glorification of the medical profession; nevertheless, it is aid, and will get us further than six months of the most stringent "resoluting" by our very best resolution committees. Let's give 'em the glad hand. [C. H. McDonald, Rocky Comfort, Mo.

A Retail Druggist Goes Fishing.-For many years I conducted a retail drug store in the heart of a great city, and in my younger days did a fairly good and lucrative business, but with modern methods and the more aggressive younger generation, I finally had to submit to the inevitable and now, having sold out for a snug little sum, am what is usually termed a "man of leisure;" or you might say a "capitalist," which, to suit my case, will have to be spelled with a very small c.

Instead of finding myself supremely happy because I do not have to work any more, I am on the contrary, thoroughly miserable for the want of something to do to pass away the time. While relating this to one of my friends in one of the large wholesale houses, I was told that if I but knew how to go about it, there was lots of enjoyment in life, even at my advanced age, and he would gladly give me a few lessons on how to have a good time. So, having become desperate, I promptly grasped the opportunity, paid a dol

lar to join his fishing club, and proceeded to lay in a supply of hooks and reels to drain the lake on the following day. My wife, of course, was delighted with the idea-not so much on account of the prospective fish fry she was to enjoy, but more particularly to get rid of me for a few days, as a man around the house in daytime is not only a bore, but an absolute nuisance. So mama set the alarm for four o'clock and we retired early so as to be ready on time but instead of going right to sleep as I was told to do the sand man refused to put in an appearance, and like a five-year-old boy the night before Christmas I lay there picturing the beautiful bass and crappie on the end of my line. I even saw pictures of my wife dipping them first in eggs, then in corn meal, and finally in the sizzling pan. I was just about ready to doze away into real sleep when I felt a jolt in my ribs and a sweet soft voice repeating, "Darling, you better get up now, Mr. Ochse will be here in a few minutes, so get up and get ready so he won't have to wait." Well, home and bed never looked so good to me before in my life, I filled thousands of prescriptions in the middle of the night and the middle of the winter, but the night bell in my drug store was music compared with that darn alarm clock that morning. Anyway, I had to get out or be kicked out. My wife insisted, "it will do you lots of good, and oh, you will have such a nice time, and my goodness, just think of the delicious nice fish you will bring home and then too if we can't eat them all we can sell the rest and you will get back what you paid to join the club and more too, and there he is now. Goodbye darling, goodbye dear," and out I went into the machine. In order to make my first experiment as pleasant as possible, my friend invited a few expert casters, a Mr. Roeder of the Medical Supply Depot, a Mr. Kohl of Belleville, Ill., Mr. Lee, Mr. Roebke and Mr. Helbig. We first called for Mr. Helbig, and after throwing sand and gravel against his window, finWe ally got him out of bed. were to meet Mr. Roeder at his office, but after we got down there we found that his negro man servant had brought the wrong clothes (he brought the hunting clothes instead of the fishing clothes), so we had to go to his house in South St. Louis. Finally, after arranging his clothes and the 101 different kinds of fancy tackle we left St. Louis for Belleville just about the time we figured on getting back home. Of course, Mr. Kohl had given us up; he was just locking his front door preparing to go home and go to bed, when we drove up. After much persuasion and much more liquid courage, he finally consented to send a messenger to Mrs. Kohl saying

W. J. Kohl.*

*This is a picture of Walter J. Kohl in 1897 when he was graduated by the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. He then lived on the "fat of the land" in a students' boarding house. He did not care whether the fish bit or not.

that he had just received word that a very dear friend in the country was very sick and that he must take some medicine to him forthwith.

We arrived at the club house about twenty miles west of Belleville about midnight, tired, hungry and just a little bit discouraged. I wanted to go to bed but Roebke said that inasmuch as we hadn't had anything to eat that day he could catch some nice big cat fish with a flash light. It would only take a few minutes to get a bushel basket full and they are fine eating if fried a certain way. Well, I was hungry enough to eat them raw, so I jumped at the chancewell, either there are no cat fish in the lake or they were all asleep, so after flash lighting for a couple of hours we returned to the shed (they call it Club House because it sounds better) for a nap, and an early start at sunrise.

Mr. Helbig said the best time to fish is early in the morning. The fish are hungry then (no hungrier than I was) and furthermore we can fry them for breakfast.

I agreed because I couldn't do otherwise, and we proceeded to locate the sleeping quarters. Four mattresses on the floor with no covers except the overcoats we brought with us was all there was in the place. The thermometer stood just one degree above freezing on the outside, and on the inside it seemed like twenty below to me. I left a nice comfortable home with steam in the radiators, an ice box full of good eats, a good pipe and cigars, a nice loving darling wife cuddled up in a nice big mahogany four-poster with three or four nice big downy quilts filled with sachet powder-honestly, I could have cried a woman in the same predicament can cry and get a lot of satisfaction, but I, a man, what could I do. Of course, I let loose a few imprintable expressions. It helped a little bit, but a nice fat ham sandwich and glass of beer and an old-time base burner would have helped a whole lot more. The worst of it was they always talked about eating. They wanted to know whether I liked my fish fried, broiled or just simply stewed. Darn it, I said I don't give a hang how you fix 'em, but if you can't fix 'em now for heaven's sake shut up.

Fortunately for us, Mr. Kohl found a lamp with some oil in it so we could at least warm our hands. With overcoats on and collars turned up we sat around a table and played poker until sunrise. I was a dollar and sixty cents ahead at first, and on account of the winnings had forgotten all about being so cold and hungry, when all of a sudden Mr. Roeder discovered that we were playing with a double pinochle deck and I had to return all my winnings. After that I lost steadily, and about 5 o'clock when we quit I was about eighty-five cents in the hole with nothing to eat all day and not a wink of sleep that. night.

When we finished playing, Mr. Roeder had all the chips before him and after cashing them and putting

the $1.10 in his pocket, we drew straws should walk to the nearest farm house a some lard in which to fry the fish. Mr. were the "lucky" ones. We walked, and then we walked some more. Either nobo that part of Illinois or they have all g trenches. We finally had to give it up an to the "Club" just a little after noon, foot so but not cold. We had at least gotten wa ing else. Mr. Lee said to me as we cam of the club: "Honestly, old man, I'm to eat, and I suppose they got a whole boat f too. He wasn't disappointed when they t Roeder caught a dandy big crappie, but hooking him was finned in the thumb and that ended the crappie. Mr. Ochse caught a I had visions of turtle soup, but it seems turtles are not the kind you can eat, so I lowed the lump in my throat for lunch.

We probably wouldn't have had a thing day if it had not been for Mr. Kohl. He f brought a minnow seine along and with it three nice little sun fish about the size point oyster. They were small but Mr. they were much finer flavor than the larg Mr. Roebke caught. Of course, Mr. Roed to stay one more night and play poker. that every person should give his stomach and then, and that he had heard of people or 40 days without eating. Then I got so pressed myself in a very unlady like ma Ochse chimed in with me, too, and Mr. H he hadn't tasted food for so long that he fo it was like. So we all piled in the ma started for home. We drove a little fa usual and passed a great many automobil matter how many we passed there was a other machine ahead of us, and each one to see who could raise the most dust. imagination but it seemed to me that al that was raised settled on me, and I had letter of introduction to my wife when I Even with that she wouldn't believe it was said that her husband went fishing and me where are the fish? The dear old lad table all set, even went so far as to pu special fish dinner set that we got for present, each plate had a fish painted on plates and a different fish on each plate.

With tears in my eyes I pointed at the said there, sweetheart, there they are, t brought you and then we went to bed. Ne Amen. Yours truly.-[Andreas Lehbenter druggist, now retired for good.

LOBELIA, also called Indian tobacco, is k common herb, often growing as a weed parts of the United States.

TIMELY TOPICS

How Can the Retail Merchant Help Win the War? -It has been said that the very life of the nation depends upon the free flow of commodities through unclogged Arteries of Commerce. During the past winter when weather conditions, particularly in the northern portion of our country seriously interfered with the movement of trains, great hardships were inflicted upon the people, due to a shortage of fuel and food stuffs, not so much because of an actual diminution in production, but by reason of congestion of our great steel highways.

This situation was viewed with alarm and prompted the organization of various committees acting under the authority of the President to deal with the situation to the end that the transportation of war essentials and the ordinary commerce be permitted to flow as freely as possible.

The railroads acting as a unit have unselfishly taken from their ranks some of their best officers to serve on these various committees, so that the government may have the benefit of the experience and judgment of the best men in the country. It was at the very beginning of their labors manifest that without the earnest co-operation of the shippers and receivers their labors must come to naught. Accordingly urgent appeals were made to load and unload cars promptly and to capacity, to sell and buy a maximum car instead of minimum to the end that the car space be utilized to the fullest extent. While this may cause the carrying of more stock, it is more desirable at this time to have a slight overstock than being unable to supply the demands of the trade, and this is equally true whether the dealer is a wholesaler or a retailer.

While this was directed especially to the large shippers, attention was also directed to the necessity of removing promptly from the freight depots less than carload shipments to prevent the congesting of the freight houses, and here is where the retail merchant can do his "bit" for his country and incidentally himself, by removing his shipments from the freight house the same day that they arrive. In this the patriotic and civic pride of the drayman must be appealed to. In fact it is absolutely necessary that all interests sincerely co-operate to enable the transportation companies to bear up under the strain. -[George Danner, St. Louis.

Are You Taking Advantage of the Present Situation and Realizing a Legitimate Profit on the Goods You Sell? It has been many years since conditions have created such a situation as now confronts the manufacturer, and though in many instances reluctant to do so he is compelled to advance the price of his finished product, be it a chemical, proprietary medicine or a sundries item the shortage of supplies, the enhanced price of raw materials and the increased

overhead compels him to pass on a part of this added expense so that he may operate without an actual loss.

Not long ago I was told by a fellow retail druggist that in many instances he is still able to sell stock from his shelves at "before the war prices." He boasted that on account of his having had on hand large stocks when the war started he was now in a position to undersell his competitors and yet make a profit on the original cost.

I congratulated him on the generous spirit that prompted him to work for philanthropic purposes even though the consumer was perhaps not aware of the munificence of this dealer. I criticised him, however, from a business standpoint, calling to his attention the fact that the goods he was now selling at less than market prices would eventually have to be replaced, and that the added profit which he should have made would be lost to him twice.

First, in that he would not make the profit to which he was entitled by reason of the fact that through years of hard toil he had accumulated sufficient money or credit to enable him to anticipate his requirements against the contingencies that arose, and second because when an eventual adjustment of conditions will be reached and a readjustment of values results he must accept the loss which all of us must face on account of declining market values.

Aside from this loss which he must sustain the injustice he had done his fellow druggist, his friend, his competitor, would be difficult to calculate.

I maintain that the retail druggist as any other merchant is entitled to a profit on merchandise based on market valuation and the dealer who does not take advantage of favorable market conditions sustains two losses eventually for himself and disturbs conditions generally affecting perhaps others who would ordinarily be glad and willing to take advantage of a situation which for once gives the retail druggist an opportunity to make a reasonable profit for an unreasonable amount of energy and work expended.

It therefore behooves the drug trade generally to keep fully informed as to market conditions as advances in goods occur, and selling prices on such stock should be immediately revised and they should expect and demand a fair profit, because inevitably a declining tendency will eventually result and then a large proportion if not all of the present profit will be required to equalize the losses then sustained.

My experience in the drug business and my close relation with my brother retail druggist makes me believe that perhaps many of us do not fully realize that the old proverb, "what goes up comes down again" applies to their business as it does to the law of gravitation.-[I. B. Wise, St. Louis, Mo.

P. S. You should check over the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST price list very carefully each month. It is posted up to the minute and will save you thousands of dollars if you follow this suggestion.-[I. B. W.

SIDE LINE

Side Lines in the Drug Business.-Much has been said and written on the subject of side lines in drug stores, which are entirely foreign to medicines themselves. Every druggist, no doubt, recalls having read in the humor columns of the papers such occurrences as in the instance of a customer of an establishment bearing on the front window, the sign, "Drug Store," who carried in his hand a prescription to be filled. The prospective customer was referred from one department to another, each in turn signaling him on in the direction until eventually the coveted prescription department was found in the remote end of the room.

A. C. Meyer.

The word "eventually," just mentioned, brings to mind that included in the varied lines of merchandise carried in stock by the hustling and aggressive druggists, flour for bread making is sold, while in some of the large city drug stores, flowers of the garden variety are carried in stock and sold in great numbers. This even to the extent that the full planting of the gardens is taken in hand under the manager of the floral section of the "drug" business.

It is a well known fact that the number of so-called drug stores could not continue to exist if they confined their efforts entirely to the dispensing of medicines and the selling of patents and such goods as are strictly defined as items calculated to alleviate illness. The druggist is called to enter other lines of merchandising because emporiums termed dry goods stores and the like, are making inroads on the business of the pharmacist through the selling of goods rightfully belonging within the province of the drug stores.

Regardless of whether the other merchant first encroached upon the pharmacist by placing on sale such goods as were looked upon to be procurable only in drug stores or whether the druggist branched off into handling goods as were regarded to be foreign to the drug profession, the fact, nevertheless, remains that the drug business has resolved itself into a merchandising proposition. The retail druggist, whether he owns a large establishment or a small one, is fully as much entitled to be called a merchant as is the man whose name is incorporated in the big letters displayed on the outside walls, indicating the style of the largest department stores in the busy down-town section of a city.

While the drug business must of necess an ethical avocation with men of far more nary intelligence to conduct it, the oppo up-to-date and aggressive merchandising m lost sight of with the exercising of good ju to what character of goods should be place It is to the advantage of the operator drug stores that they have the reputation ing goods of quality and merit. It is thi served recognition, no doubt, that is larg altogether responsible for the confidence th by the public, for example, in the soda fo freshments found in drug stores, insuring discriminating tastes to patronize the soda of drug stores in preference to other dispe

Included among the many lines that the p drug merchants feature, the writer recentl casion to enter an order for an electric massage apparatus that a druggist had sold for $25.00, realizing him a net prot of $9.00 o to the consumer. Readers of these lines that it is not short-sightedness on the pa particular druggist that he should feature t this class of merchandise in his store, when margin is so entirely satisfactory.

Another recent incident comes to mind dealer purchased an Electric Drink Mixing for his soda fountain at the same time suppl self with literature and prices on Electric L ing Devices for the home, that he might this illustrated descriptive matter to the c his town to, in this manner, inform them th headquarters for the sale of such appliance

An excellent opportunity for adding nice profit showing was suggested by the fact that had until then been supplying electric cur in the night, making electricity unavailab the day time. Upon being pressed by the c serve them with electricity during the day the owners of the power plant agreed to d a specified time as an experiment and in the consumption justified would continue to fur tricity by day as well as night.

Our friend immediately took advantage portunity, first in that he invested in the Dr and then successfully interesting people in munity in various electric appliances, there ing the continuance and extension of the ser ing to the comfort and convenience of his p decidedly improving his profit showing, thi medium of some newly found side line.-[A. St. Louis, Mo.

CASCARILLA is the dry bark of a tree wh wild as well as under cultivation in many the West Indies and the Bahamas.

HORSERADISH as a medicine and condimer tioned in the Egyptian records, 2000 years is easily grown in almost any part of the w

DRUG STORE MANAGEMENT

By J. F. Chandler, Ph. G., M. D., Oregon, Mo.*

The Best Way for a Retailer to Advertise. I take it that the best way for a retailer to advertise is that way which will bring the quickest and best result. You should have a purpose in advertising, as well as any other procedure, and having the purpose in mind, study how to accomplish that purpose and then proceed carefully, intelligently, systematically, and do it thoroughly putting your best effort into the work.

J. F. Chandler, Ph. G., M. D.

In advertising, as many other enterprises, there are many ways of doing it, many which are good, but the one which will reach the class of trade you desire, attract the attention to the lines you have for sale and so rivet it on the mind that it becomes more than a passing thought, is the best for you. Advertising in a personal way, verbal, is good, but is limited to the store, principally. But one cannot reach the fireside of many whom he would have as customers, and tell them what he would have them know.

Taking into consideration all environments - city and rural-I think printers' ink will serve our purpose better than any other way. I would not depend on circular letters or display advertising, as circular letters fail to reach all the household, and are usually thrown aside before the recipient has finished reading them, and display advertising is seldom read by others than persons looking for bargain day or special sale. It would be my purpose to reach all the family: mother, father and all the children. And how can you better obtain this object than through the local columns of your home paper? This is especially so in a rural community where all read the locals for news concerning the neighborhood.

Having selected the local columns of your home paper as the best medium, how shall we proceed to make use of it? I would suggest short pithy articles and locals in which I would work in the name of Blank, and name the goods Blank has for sale. Short, terse articles concerning happenings of the times, a little story concerning origin of the article for sale, with a brief description of the first one put on the market, naming some of the improvements made, and the usefulness of the article, and wind up by saying it may be procured at Blank's.

If you have a thing to advertise get the attention of the public by telling something interesting about it, if you have to refer to an encyclopedia, trade

*Awarded first prize in the Meyer Brothers Druggist Prize Con

test.

journal or government literature for the information. You will find the time spent in educating the public through your "local notes" will repay you for the effort, you become to know your goods, better qualified as a merchant, and more capable to talk to the trade when a customer appears.

Then I would say the best way for a retailer to advertise is along the line I have suggested, for it familiarizes him with the goods he has for sale, calls the attention of the public to what he handles and redoup is to his good throughout.

As ariety is the spice of life, make your notes spicy ly keeping the printer constantly supplied with new c py, the wording of which should be in no way like the preceding advertisement.

A few crude examples, although hastily prepared, may help to illustrate the point taken, viz.: Before 1st. Can sending away for goods stop to consider: you examine the goods? 2nd. Is the quality equal to the goods to be obtained at home? 3rd. The possibility of the goods being damaged in transit. 4th. Expense in ordering, delivery, etc., not taking in consideration the trouble connected therewith. having done all this call on us for quotations on anything in our line and, remember, if we have not the goods in stock at the time, we will procure them for you and deliver them safe in hand without trouble on your part.

When

Goods purchased at home must come up to a standard required by law-in this you are protected by the state. You have the assurance of this great commonwealth whereas, otherwise, you take chances.

Our stock has been inspected recently, and everything new and conforming to law, you are safe in securing goods from us. We invite you to call and make known your wants with the assurance of an honest endeavor to supply the same, at a reasonable price, service considered. You will find our stock of drugs, etc., fresh and pure.

The sun to us is the most interesting heavenly body, because most indispensable. It supplies the life-force of man, and the motive power of his machinery. It gives climate to his soil and heat to his hearth. It makes it possible for the mother to look into the eyes of her babe; and probably inspired the first religious thought that ever thrilled the soul of man. It warms the earth and causes the leaves and buds and blossoms to come forth in the springtime, and a bountiful harvest in the fall-if you sow Blank's seeds.

A Country Fair. Webster defines a fair to be a gathering of buyers and sellers; a stated market; an exhibition of wares. Well, we can truly say that a country fair is all this and more. It is a place where all people may gather and enjoy a few days of recreation after the toil of the season, and a place where they may be rewarded for their labors. It is a place where they can bring their best products before the eyes of the public that the people may learn of the fertility of the soil. Not only this, but a place