DRUG MARKET REVIEW By E. P. Schrader, St. Louis, Mo. The Market Prices Indicated in this Review represent as nearly as possible the correct valuations on the day of going to press with this section of the Meyer Brothers Druggist. Exceptional facilities for keeping in close touch with changes enable us to give the latest word on prices. However, the erratic market conditions make it quite impossible to forecast changes that may occur in the immediate future. (Also see page 332) The Drug Market is virtually featureless with the exception of the change in Alcohol occasioned by the increase in Revenue Tax. The new tax bill which became effective October 4th contained many provisions directly affecting the druggist. There are but few goods on the shelves of the retail druggist which are not affected in some measure by the tax. Alcohol for medicinal or industrial purposes takes an additional tax of $1.10 the proof gallon, while spirits for beverage purposes are subject to an additional tax of $2.10 the proof gallon or $2.10 the wine gallon if below proof. The tax is based on 100 proof spirits, which would make the net additional tax on 188 proof Alcohol for medicinal or industrial purposes $2.07 the wine gallon. On Liquors, cordials and wines, the existing tax is doubled. Prepared syrups or extracts intended for use in the manufacture or production of beverages commonly known as soft drinks by soda fountains, bottling establishments and other similar places require a tax of 5 cents the gallon when sold by the manufacturer or producer for not more than $1.30 the gallon. When sold for more than $1.30 and not more than $2.00 the gallon the tax is 8 cents per gallon. If sold for more than $2.00 and not more than $3.00 the gallon, the tax is 10 cents per gallon. If sold for $3.00 and not more than $4.00 per gallon the tax is 15 cents the gallon. If sold for more than $4.00 the gallon the tax is 20 cents. All unfermented grape juice, soft drinks or artificial mineral waters (not carbonated) and fermented liquors containing less than one-half per cent of Alcohol, when sold by the manufacturer or producer in bottles or other closed containers; all ginger ales, root beers, sarsaparilla, pop and other carbonated waters and beverages require a tax of 1 cent the gallon. All natural mineral waters or table waters in bottles or other closed containers when sold at more than 10 cents the gallon require a tax of 1 cent the gallon. Carbonic acid gas in drums takes a tax of 5 cents per pound. Cigars of all descriptions made of tobacco or any substitute therefor weighing not more than three pounds per 1000 are taxed at 25 cents a 1000. Cigars retailing at 4 cents or more and not over 7 cents each, require additional tax of $1.00 the 1000. On cigars retailing at more than 7 cents each and not more than 15 cents each, the additional tax is $3.00 the 1000. Cigars retailing at more than 15 cents each and not more than 20 cents each the additional tax is $5.00 the 1000. Cigars retailing at 20 cents each or more, bear additional tax of $7.00 per 1000. Cigarettes weighing not more than three pounds per 1000 require an additional tax of 80 cents per 1000. Cigarettes weighing more than three pounds per 1000 require an added tax of $1.20 per 1000. Tobacco and snuff are taxed 5 cents a pound in addition to the existing tax. Tennis rackets, golf clubs, base ball bats, LaCrosse sticks, balls of all kinds, including base balls, foot balls, tennis balls, golf balls, pool and billiard balls, fishing rods and reels, billiard and pool tables, chess and checker boards and pieces, dice, games, excepting playing cards, children's toys and games are taxed 3 per cent of the price charged by the manufacturer, producer or importer. All perfumes, extracts, toilet waters, cosmetics, petroleum jellies, hair oils, pomades, hair dressings, hair restoratives, hair dyes, tooth and mouth washes, dentrifices, tooth pastes, aromatic cachous, toilet soap and powders and other similar articles which are used or applied or intended for toilet purposes are taxed the equivalent of 2 per cent of the manufacturer's price. All medicinal preparations the manufacturer or producer of which claims to have any private formula, secret or occult art for preparing or making same, claims to have any exclusive rights entitling him to the making or preparing same, which is sold under any letters patent or trade marks which are sold or recommended to the public by the makers as proprietary medicines or medicinal proprietary articles or preparations, as remedies or for any disease, diseases or affections whatever affecting the human or animal body are taxed at 2 per cent of the price for which sold by the manufacturer. Chewing gum bears a tax of 2 per cent. The tax on playing cards is increased 5 cents per pack. The general drug market has shown a few important changes. The market on opium is gradually increasing and the effect of this is noted in the increased price of morphine. Manufacturers recently advanced their schedules one dollar the ounce on the sulphate. Makers are giving the scarcity of basic material as the reason for the advance. QUININE is firm. but little in second-hands. SILVER NITRATE is considerably easier owing to a decline in metallic silver. Stocks are small and there is In 8-ounce vials the price is 20 cents the ounce higher. QUININE.-The market is firm on the basis of 90 cents per ounce in 100-ounce tins. Subdivisions are quoted as follows: 1-ounce vials, $1.00; 1/2-ounce vials, $1.05; 4-ounce vials, $1.10; %-ounce vials, $1.20; 1/12-ounce vials, $1.35; 1/16-ounce vials, $1.50 per ounce. ACETANILID.-Manufacturers are in control of the situation. Supplies are light with almost none in second-hands. In barrel lots present quotation is 70 cents the pound, 100-pound lots, 72 cents, 25-pound lots, 76 cents. One-pound cartons, 82 cents. ACETPHENETIDIN.-Market has shown further weakness and supplies are now readily available at $13.50 the pound. One-ounce cartons are now quoted at $1.12 the ounce. ALCOHOL.-It appears that in most instances jobbers are adding $2.10 the gallon to former schedules to cover the increased revenue tax which is based on $1.10 the proof gallon. CAFFEIN. The demand is steady, though prices are practically unchanged. Alkaloid is quoted at $14.50 per pound, citrated at $8.50 the pound. CASTOR OIL.-There has been no improvement in the situation as far as increased supplies are concerned and prices in a jobbing way continue on the basis of $2.70 the gallon in cases of 2-5s. CASTILE SOAP.-Spot stocks are so small that trading is possible only in a limited way. Pure White Italian Castile is quoted at $13.75 the case of ten bars. CHLOROFORM.-Manufacturers have advanced their schedule 3 cents the pound owing to scarcity of supplies. The demand is steady and further advances are not unlooked for. COD LIVER OIL.-A supply of Newfoundland Oil has recently arrived and is being quoted on the basis of $85.00 the barrel of about thirty gallons. Norwegian Oil is practically out of the market and quotations are entirely nominal at $135.00 to $140.00 a barrel of about thirty gallons. EPSOM SALTS.-Supplies of U. S. P. Magnesium Sulphate are exceedingly scarce. Quotations in this market are made on the basis of 54 to 52 cents the pound in barrel lots. GLYCERIN.-The continued steady demand for Dynamite Glycerin has caused producers to make further increases in quoting figures and the U. S. P. grade is correspondingly higher. In 50-pound drums, U. S. P. Glycerine is quoted at 782 cents the pound. MENTHOL.-While Menthol showed signs of weakness during last week's trading, the market has reacted and quotations are now made in average jobbing quantities at $4.00 to $4.20 the pound. NITRATE OF SILVER.-Although the price has recently been as high as 95 cents the ounce for crystals, the recent weakening in price of bar silver has brought about a reduction in the quotation for nitrate. The present quotation being 85 cents to 90 cents the ounce, according to quantity. PHENOLPHTHALEIN.-Under slackening demand this popular laxative has shown further weakness and is now quoted on the basis of $14.00 the pound. MERCURY.-The bottom appears to have dropped out of the demand for this liquid metal and in 75pound flasks the present quotation is $120.00. In small lots the average price is $2.00 to $2.10 the pound. SACCHARIN.-Prices are slightly easier due to a temporary lessening of the demand, but in view of the fact that stocks are exceedingly light no appreciable declines in the immédiate future may be looked for. Owing to scarcity of supplies, jobber: instances continue to restrict orders to not one ounce to a customer for which their $4.00 the ounce. WITCH HAZEL.-There is a good der Witch Hazel and this condition together wi creased tax on alcohol with which the g fortified have been responsible for an adva cents the gallon for U. S. P. grade. BALSAM COPAIBA.-There is but little t present in either South American or Para Ba prices are virtually unchanged. TOLU. There is practically no demand fo Tolu, though prices still hold at 50 cents to the pound, according to quantity. BARKS BLACK HAW.-Bark of the root is in good d prices firmly maintained. In package lots price is 24 cents the pound, smaller lots 28 cents the pound, according to quantity. CINCHONA.-Quotations on true red Quills rang cents to 80 cents the pound according to qua demand shows considerable improvement and ket is strong at the above quotations. SIMARUBA.-There are no supplies available Nominal quotation is $1.75 the pound. BEANS CALABAR.-While there is but little demand f Beans the price continues on the basis C pound. There is but little likelihood of any in price in the near future, owing to lack o for shipping and handling. TONKA. Tonka Beans are unchanged at $1.25 t pound. VANILLA. Recent reports indicate that the Me is very small. In fact, it is stated that t less than one-third normal. When this con the prevailing shipping situation are cons present high prices are easily understood. Pr 8 to 81⁄2 inch, are quoted at $8.50 to $9.50 according to grade and quantity. BERRIES CUBEB. The situation is practically unchanged tions hold at $1.15 the pound in full ba smaller quantities $1.25 to $1.30 the pound SAW PALMETTO.-There is a better demand Palmetto Berries and quotations are made 1 cent the pound higher than those of a w GUMS CAMPHOR.The market for Domestic Campho TRAGACANTH.-The denfand is quiet and See That Your Prices Are Right wheth facturers inform the public or not of the a cost, The Ill. Ph. A. and the Chicago R. common with several other organizatio adopted resolutions of which the following ample of the type: Whereas, A number of proprietary medicine manufac raised the wholesale price of their products, thereby an increase in the retail selling price; Therefore, Be it resolved by the Illinois Pharmace ciation, in annual convention assembled, that they facturers) notify the public of the change in the ret all their future advertising, and also provide labels new selling price to the wholesale druggists who in furnish same to the retailers. DRUG MARKET (Continued from page 331.) ROOTS-Alkanet.-This Hungarian coloring agent is extremely scarce, and supplies are held at $4.00 to $4.25 the pound. Sanguinaria.-The demand is only routine; quotations range from 16c to 25c, according to quantity. Calamus.-Unbleached Calamus Root is quoted at 45c to 50c the pound. The Bleached variety is selling at $3.75 to $4.00 the pound. Ladies' Slipper.-There is a good demand for Ladies' Slipper Root, and stocks are limited. Further advances have been noted, bringing the present quotation in full package lots up to 72c the pound. Smaller quantities are quoted at 76c to 85c the pound. Valerian. There is a good demand for the Japanese variety, and holders have made further advances in their asking figures, due to the shrinkage of spot stocks. Japanese Root is bringing from $1.15 to $1.25 the pound. Belgium Valerian is scarce, and readily brings $1.75 the pound. SEEDS Anise.-Supplies of Spanish Anise Seed are plentiful and the market shows an easier tendency. Full bag lots are quoted at 29c the pound. Smaller quantities at 32c to 35c. Canary. There is at present no Smyrna or Dutch seed obtainable. There is no change in the position of Spanish or South American Seed. Caraway.-Dutch Caraway Seed continues to advance, owing to increased demand. 220-pound bags are quoted at 92c the pound. Smaller lots of $1.00 to $1.10 the pound. The position of African Seed is unchanged. Cardamom. There is but routine demand for Cardamom Seed, the extra large selling at $2.50 to $2.60 the pound. The ordinary seed is being offered at $1.20 to $1.75 the pound, according to size and quantity. Celery. Owing to increased supplies and diminished demand, the price of Celery Seed has slightly receded. Full-bag lots are quoted in this market on the basis of 32c the pound smaller lots at 35c to 40c the pound. Trade Activity.-Industrial activity continues at this center and an exceptionally good fall business is indicated. There have been of late increased orders for the wholesale and jobbing houses and lower temperatures have led to broader buying of fall merchandise. An immense volume of government orders have been booked by the great mercantile and manufacturing interests of St. Louis. This buying will help various branches of trade and will become an important influence in enlarging payroll disbursements, thereby increasing the spending power of this community. The great business houses are assuming a cautious attitude about the future and all commitments are being entered into with the purpose of guarding carefully against the hazards that must be reckoned with by a nation at war. The bank position is strong and although bank clearings as elsewhere show important gains over the corresponding totals of a year ago, it is recognized that these increases may be due in part to the high prices which obtain for all classes of merchandise and other material.[The Mechanics-American National Bank of St. Louis. American Dye Industry.-The investment of $200,000,000 and the skill of American chemists in the dye industry since the beginning of the war is not without tangible results. Owing to the dumping methods of German dyemakers, we were producing only 3000 of the 30,000 tons of dyes and dyestuffs used in this country in 1913. It was not merely that the German manufacturers made so much better dyes and produced them so much more cheaply, although they did both. With their marvelous efficiency they had put their chemists at work, without regard to expense, and had discovered secrets of shades and tints we do not yet know. But their monopoly was due to a policy of commercial ruthlessness which we have penalized in the Sherman act. They stamped out competition by selling dyes at less than the cost of manufacture in America or in Germany. The obvious purpose was to establish such a superiority that they might so dominate the dye industry as to be able to charge any prices later on. This plan might have worked had it not been for the war. The year before the war Germany shipped America $6,000,000 worth of dyes. During the last fiscal year we got only $464,499 worth, brought by the submarine Deutschland. Our total dye imports, at inflated prices, amounted to $3,161,371. This was less than a third of our exports, $11,710,887. We practically produced all the dyestuffs we consumed, in addition to these heavy exports. more Much of this has come through utilization of byproducts we have heretofore neglected. Our chemists and chemical engineers have discovered many new processes by which dyes never before made here are successfully produced. The same is generally true as to chemicals, drugs and medicines. During the fiscal year 1914 we imported $60,960,028 chemicals, drugs, dyes and medicines than we exported. For the last fiscal year our exports exceeded imports by $63,075,776, the value of exports leaping from $27,079,092 to $187,846,351. It behooves us to maintain the growth of this comparatively new industry when peace comes. The Tariff Commission will do well to give the matter special attention.-[St. Louis Globe-Democrat. BOARDS OF PHARMACY Pennsylvania.-At a recent examination, June 5-7, 229 passed successfully and 42 failed for registered pharmacists. Of those applying for assistant pharmacist, 105 were successful and 70 failed. The Nevada Board of Pharmacy has recently decided to join the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and enter into reciprocity. The Pacific Coast is now represented in the N. A. B. P. by Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah. Mr. H. A. Mohler, of Van Wert, Ohio, has been appointed Inspector by the Board, for the purpose of enforcing the pharmacy laws, and Miss Helen Hough, of Columbus, is stenographer and assistant in the office. Kentucky. At the meeting of the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy, held at Dawson Springs, July 10, 11, out of a class of 17 the following passed as registered pharmacists: Newell Atwood Cabell, Madisonville; A. M. Creel, Cleaton; Allen M. Hill, Shelbyville; Hubert B. Pleasant, 423 Upper street, Lexington. The following passed as assistants: Walter Farrar, 512 South Third street, Paducah; Chas. M. McDowell, La Grange; William V. Perkins, Franklin; B. Sanders Wilson, Paducah; Ewing L. Wright, Georgetown. Arkansas. Twenty-three hundred certificates of registration as pharmacists have been issued since the creation of the Board in 1891. Biennial renewals for the year 1917 were 1022, 795 of whom are practicing in Arkansas. Certificates of registration as pharmacists were issued during the year of 1916 as follows: Alboral. This new combination of aluminum and boric acid makes an ideal general antiseptic for application to the skin and mucous membrane. In addition to being antiseptic it is astringent and deodorant, properties that should make it valuable in a wide range of skin and mucous membrane affections. Since it is never to be sold through department and fiveand-ten cent stores, as is Peroxide, you can develop a large and paying business with Alboral by presenting its merits to your customers. You have a nice margin for its sale and one that will never be cut into by cheap competition. Drop us a card and we will let you know more about this new general antiseptic. The Wm. S. Merrell Chemical Company, Cincinnati. DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTR Chemical Abstracts Published by the American Chemic Preservation of Infusion of Digitalis.-Fock chim. farm. 53, 100 (1914). Digitalis infusion preserved for months by the addition of CHCl3 to 100-150 g. of infusion.-[H. S. Pain Senna.-Anon. Boll chim. farm. 54 834 (191 prepn., which is a glucoside extd. from senna is placed on the market in the form of tabl taining 0.075 g. of the active principle; it i dish yellow, amorphous powder which is sol. -[H. S. Paine. A Peculiar Form of Dried Milk.-C. Grie Nahr.-Genussm. 32, 445-7 (1916).-The pow probably made by the evapn. at relatively lo and reduced pressure of a fine spray of milk trations are given.-[W. E. Kirby. Aging Wine Electrically. — A. Lachman, 1,204,669, Nov. 14. A stream of wine is fed a pipe into an expansion chamber, where it is and an elec. current is passed through it, a cooled in a heat interchanger in which the i current of wine is warmed. Chenopodium Poisoning.-A. F. Coutant York. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 67, 1593-6 (1916).— cases, 9 of which were fatal, are reported f literature. C. adds the history of one case vises more caution in the use of this drug treatment of hookworm-[L. W. Riggs. TOO LATE FOR CLASSIFICATION Caspari.-Charles Caspari, Jr., died at his Baltimore, Md., Saturday, October 13, at 8 a. r several months of illness with heart disease fessor Caspari was one of the best known of can pharmacists. He was an author, a teac state food and drug commissioner. For man he was general secretary of the American 1 ceutical Association. The notice of his death as we are closing the last form of the Octobe A more extended reference to his life and w appear in our November number. LOYALTY Loyalty is the Supreme Human Quality-the and Glory of Civilized Mankind.-In civic life, becomes that vaunted virtue, patriotism. In life it makes individuals heroic and armies cble. In religious life it produces the prop the martyr. In the family life it blossoms in tiful affection and binds husband and wife, and children, with ties that defy time and the Loyalty is the greatest thing one can bring in ness life. It surpasses brains and brawn. It than energy, industry and genius. It is the c tion of all these that which gives them poin tion and positive value. You can, at any rate and above all, be loya Ice Cream in Hades. Following is a very vivid description of hell given by a certain preacher whose name has not been made public: "Friends," he said, "you've seen moulten iron running out of a furnace, haven't you? It comes out white hot, sizzling and hissing. Well, they use that stuff for ice cream soda in hades." [National Bottlers' Gazette. Counting a Billion.-Somebody figures that to count a billion dollars would require 102 years of steady work at the rate of eight hours every working day. You can see from this how embarrassed you You would be if you had a billion dollars. wouldn't even have time to count it.-Boston Globe. There is no sign that Mr. Rockefeller is ever in the least embarrassed. On Night Duty By Miss Vera B. Adams, (With Woman's Hospital, Nashville, Tenn.) At 7:00 p. m. on duty you come, Get out your bottles and give each fellow a pill, Some one is calling for a hot water can, Go to bed about eight for an all day's nap, This Was Read and dispensed in New Orleans: Averbeut. At se Missouri Experiences. In reading the July MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST my attention was called to the column containing "odd orders" and as I like to read these myself and enjoy a good laugh, I have two which I think are real good. A lady entered my store one day and called for "kerosene" pills. Not wishing to embarrass her, I told her all right and stepped behind the prescription case and began to study, but nothing I had sounded like "kerosene," but on second thought I remembered the physician had once prescribed some "Hinkle Cascara" tablets for her, so to make sure I told her we had two kinds and at the same time showing them to her and asking, which kind she wanted, (Hinkle Cascara Tablets) (Veracolates) (1) Kerosene (2) She chose the first one and said, "You just can't beat those Hinkle Kerosene pills." I marked the tablets plainly "Cascara Tablets," so now I do not have calls for "kerosene pills." A young girl entered by store and approaching me said, "I would like to have 10c worth of "physical" pills. [E. L. Angell, Kingsville, Mo. A Bunch of Odd Orders From lowa is furnished by J. C. Strickling of Keosauqua. They are carefully selected and give quite a range of example, showing what a druggist is expected to decipher without hesitation. 1. We Loe Strickhe. Please send me one Baby Swring. Equal parts of turpentine and vamilla Hide. 2. 7. 8. 9. Camphor ice, limwater pills 10, som cream tartco 10. 15c pine and tar, 10 earl rise pills, 15 niple, 35 cast story. GOOD SHERRY FOR BEEF, IRON AND WINE.-Good, aged wine is an important ingredient of beef, iron and wine. Liquor dealers do not always supply old wine when it is ordered, according to C. L. Wright (Proc. Mo. Phar. Assn.), who puts a sample of his goods in a bottle and sets it aside for about sixty days, when, if it is less than six years old, it will have thrown down a precipitate. Being sure that he has an old wine, Mr. Wright detannates it, dissolves the iron in it and lets it stand five days, then adds the beef, some water and a little glycerin, and at the end of a week, decants it. |