Vol. XXX.

No. 9.

THREE GREAT MEN DEAD.

Balzac has said, somewhere, that the figure 3 runs throughout all human experience-using, in expressing the thought, words which we shall not attempt to quote offhand. And very often we are confronted by conditions or circumstances which seem to bear out the statement.

Within the past month three great men have been called to their final reward: Sir William Ramsay, an Englishman; Professor Elie Metchnikoff, a Russian whose home was in Paris; and Doctor John B. Murphy, of Chicago. Ramsay and Metchnikoff were distinctly scientists; Dr. Murphy was one of the world's greatest surgeons.

Ramsay will be known above other accomplishments as a chemist. He is credited, in conjunction with co-workers, with the discov

ery of a number of chemical elements, and one of his latest achievements was the transmutation of radium into helium, thus bringing into view a possibility ages old-the making of gold from a baser element.

Metchnikoff succeeded Pasteur as director of the institute which bears the latter's name, and is best known, perhaps, for his studies in bacteriology. A part of his work-that relating to the prolongation of human life-brought him more or less into the public prints, a condition he did not welcome.

Dr. John B. Murphy was, in many respects, a pioneer in surgery. A number of the operations now performed daily were made possible by his originality and his daring. Thousands of lives have been saved by that simple device known as the "Murphy button."

The world is better because these men have lived in it. No higher tribute could be paid them.

CONGRESS WILL NOT ACT ON STEPHENS BILL.

Hope that the StephensAshurst bill will pass during the present session of Congress has been abandoned. Determined opposition has developed. It is intimated in certain quarters that lobbying in behalf of the measure has been much too aggressive, Senators and Congressmen becoming resentful.

Then, too, to quote Senator Ashurst, "there is a marked difference of opinion among members as to the merits of the proposition." Again, without question the majority of the members of the Commerce Committee, to which the bill was referred, are opposed to the measure, the chairman, it is reported, being outspoken in his opposition. The bill has never been reported out of committee and, consequently, Congress has not had an opportunity to express itself on the principles involved.

The cause is in no sense dead, however. Determined effort will be made to secure the passage of the bill at the next session of our national law-making body. It is predicted that, in the end, a measure of this character will become law.

ALCOHOL

AND CARBOLIC

ACID.

About twenty years ago a New York surgeon gave a demonstration which seemed

to prove that alcohol was an antidote to carbolic acid. He immersed his hands in the acid and immediately dipped them in alcohol. His hands were not burned.

The conclusion was jumped at that alcohol would annul the effect of carbolic acid in the stomach, and this belief has been held to more or less firmly all these years. However, a recent issue of the Therapeutic Gazette calls attention to the fact that this view is no longer in good form. The only alcohol that was found effective was the 95-per-cent article, and this is so strong that it does almost as much damage as the carbolic acid itself. More than that, it has been shown that the administration of alcohol increases the solubility of carbolic acid. Diluted alcohol has no antidotal value.

A recent brochure by Martin I. Wilbert, of the Public Health Service, goes into this subject quite comprehensively.

A

POISON-MAILING

BILL.

Under the present law poisons cannot be sent through the mails, no matter how securely the powder, pill, liquid, or whatever it happens to be, may be packed. As the law is phrased, such items, entirely regardless of how useful or necessary they may be in the conservation of health or the saving of life, cannot be admitted to the mails.

To remedy this unfortunate condition a bill, known as the Kern-Doremus bill, has been introduced in Congress-by Kern of Indiana in the Senate; by Doremus of Michigan in the House. Although it is too early yet to predict what will happen, there would seem to be no reason why this measure should not become a law during the present session of Congress, or at least during the next session, which will convene in December.

the points involved to Supreme Court test have filed their briefs, the local Health Department has performed likewise, and rejoinders have been duly submitted. It will be recalled that preliminary moves in these three cases, which in a sense constitute parts of a joint case, were made last spring. The mill of the law grinds slowly.

In connection with the New York ordinance and the propaganda back of it, it is interesting to note that practically the same measure has been put into operation in Porto Rico. Thus the war between the "patent medicine" interests and the American Medical Association in no sense languishes.

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Few epidemics excite much concern as outbreaks of what is known in medical

circles as anterior poliomyelitis. The health authorities seem powerless when it comes to stemming the tide of this dread disease.

The present epidemic in New York has already taken a large toll in the number of deaths, and new cases are reported daily. It is not thought, however, that other parts of the United States need become unduly alarmed.

Personal contact is unquestionably the most potent factor in the spread of infantile paralysis. The part that the stable fly may have in the dissemination of the disease is a matter for further investigation. Dust from the streets may play an important rôle, but no figures and no definite proof are yet available. It is known, however, that the specific virus may be found in the discharges from the nose, throat and mouth of infected persons, and it is held that human carriers are responsible for the spread of the disease in the same manner that diphtheria is spread by human carriers.

Epidemics of this disease have prevailed in all quarters of the world, but are most prevalent in the northern parts of Europe and of the United States. Outbreaks occur during the summer months and during September and October.

doubtful whether the inexperienced grower can grow these plants successfully, or, if he succeeds, will find a satisfactory market for his crop."

And encompassed in the department's reply will be found the whole medicinal-plant-growing situation. Bill, Jim, and Rodney can't make a go of it. The work is distinctly that of a specialist.

FUEL FOR AUTOMOBILES,

European countries are much interested in the displacing of gasoline for automobile use by a mixture of alcohol and benzol. Much progress has been made along this line, it is said, and some of the countries at war are using the mixture to quite an extent.

A serious drawback has been the difficulty of starting the engine, but this has been overcome by installing on each car a small supplementary reservoir containing gasoline, benzine, or ether. The contents of this reservoir is used until the car is started, then the benzol-alcohol mixture is turned on, the gasoline or ether being conserved solely for starting purposes. Germany, it is stated, is making good use of this mixture.

"Changes in the Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary" is the title of a bulletin put out by the Hygienic Laboratory, Washington, D. C. Martin I. Wilbert is the author, and the bulletin comprises a digest of the changes and requirements included in the two recently revised standards-the N. F. and the U. S. P. To obtain a copy application should be made to the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, and in ordering, the number (107), as well as title, should be specified.

Preparations are being made at Indianapolis for a record-breaking attendance at the N. A. R. D. Convention, September 18 to 22. E. A. Stuckmeyer is chairman of the committee on hotels, and he may be reached by mail or wire at Hotel Claymore, convention headquarters. Ample entertainment has been provided, the exhibits will be good, and many matters of importance to the drug trade will be discussed at the meetings.

*

G. D. Oglesby, of Chicago, committed suicide through the use of potassium cyanide on August 4. Professor Oglesby was a disciple

of the late Dr. Oldberg. He finished and published Oldberg's latest text-book, after the author's death, and he also compiled and issued a collection of tributes which had been paid to his mentor.

The chemist is rapidly coming into his own. Industrial affairs have so shaped themselves that a great deal is expected of chemistry; and the forthcoming meeting of the American Chemical Society is therefore a matter of considerable importance. This meeting will be held in New York City, September 25 to 30.

A serious shortage of ice and ice cream was reported in different parts of the country during the recent hot spell. The situation was many-sided. The demand was unprecedented, and men and horses couldn't work at top speed in the terrific heat. Then, too, pastures dried up, reducing the cream supply.

Washington reports that benzoic acid is being adulterated with boric acid, the high price of the former rendering such a procedure extremely profitable. Some shipments have been found to contain as much as 30 per cent of boric acid.

A. R. Todd, who has held the position of drug analyst, State of Michigan, for the last four years, has been appointed State Analyst, and now has charge of the laboratories of this department.

Eugene R. Selzer, a well-known N. A. R. D. worker, has been elected president of the Northern Ohio Druggists' Association.

The Revenue bill, minus provisions imposing a tax on cosmetics and toilet articles, is well advanced toward becoming a law.

*

The National Wholesale Druggists' Association meets at Baltimore this year, September 30 to October 6.

Saturday, October 14, is National Candy Day. Concerted action on the sale of candy is the idea.

EDITORIAL

CHANCES IN THE DRUG BUSINESS.

Every once in a while there bobs up the question of whether or not, after taking into consideration the length of time required to fit a man for his occupation, the drug clerk's wage compares favorably with that paid to men in other trades or professions. And the usual inference to be gained from these inquiries is that the men who ask the questions think the drug clerk undervalued and underpaid. Such an inquiry came to us only a few days ago.

Why such an opinion should be so widespread is hard to understand. Drug clerks are always in demand and the salary paid them is, in most instances, commensurate with the services rendered. Furthermore, the drug clerk can usually obtain a good wage from the start; he does not have to go through a period of working for a small salary-plus experi

ence.

When he has become registered or has graduated from a college of pharmacy he is ordinarily ready to step into a job that pays from $15 to $20 a week. His education has taken from two to four years, and during that time he has been able to pay all his college expenses by doing relief work in his spare time.

With followers of other professions, however, the situation is quite different. Take the electrical engineer, for instance. He spends

four years in a university at an expense of from two to three thousand dollars, and at the end of that time, instead of being able to step into a lucrative position, he must first put in a year or more doing shop work for an hourly wage of from 15 to 20 cents in order to gain. practical experience.

Similarly with doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and other professional men. The average yearly income of ministers has again and again been put at $700; that of doctors at $900; and that of university teachers at $1000. It is only the exceptional man who surpasses these fig

ures.

It is squarely up to the clerk whether he wishes to continue working for the average wage of about $20 a week, or whether, by enterprise and industry, he is able to increase

his earnings. The opportunities for advancement along pharmaceutical lines are fully as great as in any other trade or profession in the world.

If a man wishes to embark in business for himself he can do so with the accumulations of a few years' savings and the help of a friend or two. In any other line, as engineering or banking, the capital required represents an almost insurmountable obstacle to the average young man. And in the drug business the chances are greater than they ever were before.

If the graduate pharmacist wishes to occupy an executive position plenty of chances are open to him. It has been stated many times that one of the greatest drawbacks to the development of "group" or "chain" stores is the lack of capable managers. The man who is willing to put in the work necessary to qualify for a managerial or executive position can command a salary of from $1500 up. Drugstore trained men who are earning yearly salaries of from five to ten thousand dollars are relatively few in number and yet are not un

common.

In the wholesale field lies another opportunity, either as traveling salesmen or laboratory or executive workers.

The opportunities are all about. It only remains for the drug clerk to demonstrate his ability to do the work in order to lift himself from the small-pay class.

STRANGE, ISN'T IT?

Nothing is more astonishing than the ease with which even intelligent and sometimes prominent men will fall into errors of reasoning.

During the last two or three months we have had occasion in this department of THE BULLETIN to puncture some of the fallacies surrounding the subject of stock turnovers in retail business. In the meantime we have sat in a crowded convention hall and heard the

advertising manager of the Burroughs Adding Machine Co., himself one of the undisputed leaders in the advertising field, calmly make an assertion that does violence to every law of reason and sense.

Mr. Walton was explaining that stock turnovers solved the entire problem of profit making. Many retailers complain, he said, that they couldn't afford to carry an article which