Dr. Walter N. Thayer, of Peru, New York, sends the BULLETIN an old medical book which he picked up recently at an auction. It was published in New York in 1804, while printing was yet in its infancy in this country. The size is characteristic of the books of this period, being four by six and a half inches; while the binding is the sheep used almost entirely at the time. The book was written by one Henry Wilkins, M.D., and was called "The Family Adviser," being "calculated for

THE

FAMILY ADVISER;

OR,

A PLAIN AND MODERN

PRACTICE OF PHYSIC;

CALCULATED

For the Use of Families who have not the Advantages of a Physician,

AND ACCOMMODATED TO THI

DISEASES OF AMERICA.

By HENRY WILKINS, M. D.

THE FOURTH EDITION, CORRECTED.

To which is Annexed,
Mr. WESLEY'S

Primitive Physic,

REVISED.

NEW YORK:

PRINTED BY JOHN C. TOTTEN, FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND SOLD BY EZEKIEL COOPER AND JOHN WILSON, AT THE BOOK-ROOM.

1804.

Reproduction of the title-page: exact size of the original.

the use of families who have not the advantages of a physician." Be it remembered that this was before the day of the omnipotent and beneficent patent medicine with which "families" may cure all the ills they have, as well as prevent themselves from flying to others they

know not of. A book of this kind was consequently needed then, and, if we may judge from the evidences to be found upon the copy before us, was held in great esteem. This particular copy was apparently used very often, and probably consulted whenever the colic or any other simple diseases in fashion at that time visited one or more of the thirteen or fourteen members of the "family."

The inscription on the fly-leaf, which we reproduce herewith, gives the owner's name and some other infor

September the 3: 1807
Amy Days Book Bought
of Elder Samuel
Draper price

Fifty Cents,

mation as well. In getting the book for fifty cents we are inclined to think that Amos drove rather a sharp bargain with the elder.

The contents of the book are quite as interesting as its history. They show us what an easy and simple thing medicine was in the days prior to the discovery of the festive germ, the construction of the eight-syllabled medical word, and the elaboration of the various 'ologies which make us so scientific to-day. With all these new complexities it is difficult to achieve cures; but nothing was easier at that time. Witness this remedy for consumption, which is but one of several given:

Every morning cut up a little turf of fresh earth, and lying down, breathe into the hole for a quarter of an hour.-I have known a deep consumption cured thus.

To prevent "the cramp" it was only necessary "to tie your garter smooth and tight under your knee at going to bed." "This," continues the author, "I never knew to fail of preventing the trouble." We are left to wonder whether one would surely be visited by "the cramp" if he put the garter around the bedpost instead.

Vomiting may be stopped by "applying a large onion, slit across the grain, to the pit of the stomach;" while a broken shin can be mended by "putting on it a bit of white paper moistened with spittle. It will stay on until the place is well." We are told that both these remedies have been "tried," which is very encouraging, for we sometimes cannot help feeling just a bit skeptical, you know. If we ever break another shin we shall know just exactly what to do, and shall not be disturbed by these new-fangled notions which prevail nowadays.

Just at this season of the year, when colds are so prevalent, it is gratifying to know an infallible remedy for hoarseness:

Rub the soles of the feet before the fire, with garlic and lard well beaten together, over night. The hoarseness will be gone next morning. Tried.

Dropsy is at least an undesirable disease, and we read with sympathetic delight of the manner in which a young woman was effectually cured of it:

Jane Roberts, aged twenty, was at last constrained to take to her bed by a confirmed dropsy. In this desperate case, she drank as much as she would, first of small beer; and when that failed, of thin milk. After a while her skin cracked in many places; and she continued drinking and leaking till she was quite well.

But the three great panaceas of these earlier days were vomiting, purging, and bloodletting. Witness this treatment for "croup or hives:"

The patient should take a puke as quick as possible. After taking the puke, he should take four grains (if twelve years old) of calomel, and ten of jalap, the evening of the same day; after this, for three or four days, he should take one day the puke, and the next the purge; and after the first puke and purge, a blister should be laid on the back of the neck.

Now the value of this treatment is indisputable; after it were followed out punctiliously there isn't a shadow of a doubt that the "croup or hives" would escape never to

return.

The hospital ship Maine has recently returned from the East after doing yeoman service in South Africa and China. Some interesting information concerning the ship and the dispensing work done aboard it has been given to the British and Colonial Druggist of London by Mr. Albert O. Spotts, the apothecary-in-chief. The Maine was the gift of Mr. Bernard Baker, president of the Atlantic Transport Company of Baltimore, who not only gave the vessel, but paid the officers and crew for six months from July 12, 1899, and subsequently extended this latter assistance for a further period of six months. The medical contingent was provided from a fund raised by a committee of American-born ladies resident in England, and headed by Mrs. George Cornwallis West (then Lady Randolph Churchill).

Mr. Spotts is a representative of the best class of American pharmacists. He was trained at one of the leading American pharmaceutical schools-the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, of which he is a graduate-and at the time he was appointed to the Maine was an assistant in the pharmacy of Mr. Haas, of Fifth

Avenue, New York. He was led to offer his services from seeing a statement in the papers that Mrs. Whitelaw Reid was engaging the staff for the vessel, and on application he was selected for his post out of many applicants. The medical staff, as well as dispensers, nurses, and orderlies, was at first entirely American, and consisted of Surgeon-Major Cabell of the United States army, and Drs. H. H. Rodman, T. W. Hastings, G. E. Dodge, and Chas. Weber. But through the resignation of some of these officers, and other changes, the staff gradually became composed more largely of Englishmen.

The ship contained 171 beds, and extra accommodation could be arranged for from forty to fifty more. The average number of patients on board was from 150 to 200, and the total number treated was over 750. The whole of the arrangements and fitting were in the best style, and the dispensary itself was a model of compactness and utility. Here Mr. Spotts and the second dispenser, Mr. Herbert Haigh-an Englishman by birth, but a graduate of the New York College of Pharmacy-did their work, which was not excessive. Even after

Mr. Haigh left, which he did at the end of the first voyage, as it was not considered necessary to retain the services of two pharmaceutical graduates, the regular duties did not occupy, as a rule, more than one and a half to two hours every morning. Of course, there was a fair amount of emergency dispensing afterward on most days.

The staff of the Maine reached England on November 19, 1899, and the vessel left for South Africa on December 23. Cape Town was reached twenty-three days later. After a brief stay here she sailed for Durban, where she acted as a base hospital for five weeks. At all the ports where the Maine touched, Mr. Spotts had ample opportunities of seeing the country, and while at Durban both he and Mr. Haigh visited Ladysmith about a week after General Buller's entry. They did not, however, go together, as one remained on duty on the Maine. The last eighteen miles from Colenso had to be done on horseback, as the railway had been rendered temporarily useless by the Boers.

After a second voyage to South Africa the Maine sailed for China on July 12 of last year. She lay at Wei-hai-wei for a month, and at Taku one week. Here she took on board seventy American and about one hundred British sick and wounded. She then left for Nagasaki, where the Americans were transferred to the United States hospital ship Relief. On reaching Yokohama, the British invalids were placed in the British hospital there.

While at Yokohama, Mr. Spotts endeavored to get some insight into Japanese pharmacy. He entered He entered

the establishment of a Japanese practitioner, removing his shoes, according to the prevailing etiquette, but owing to the fact that the pharmacist could not speak English, while Mr. Spotts was equally ignorant of Japanese, not much progress was made. His general impression, however, was that the practice of the craft in the land of the chrysanthemum did not greatly differ from English or American methods. With the exception of the absence of carboys the appearance of the pharmacies was much the same, with bottles and drawers, as at home, these being, of course, labeled with Japanese characters. The Chinese pharmacist, in contradistinction, is very conservative; his receptacles are unlabeled, and his drugs are almost entirely solids; these he dispenses in paper, a preparation from which the patient brews his own medicine, which often contains twenty or more ingredients.

Mr. Spotts declares that he has enjoyed good health during the whole period; he certainly looks well at present, and has taken on "the shadowed livery of the burnished sun" very perceptibly. He has appreciated very much the opportunity of seeing other lands than the States, and as, in addition, the promoters of the undertaking treated him very liberally, he will always look back on his work on board the Maine with pleasure.

Mr. Spotts is at this writing in America, having reached here last month. Either now, or at the beginning of the next school year, he will begin a course in medicine at the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

I have been interested in the "Business Hints" of the BULLETIN, especially the window decorating, and will give one or two windows of my own which have proved attractive and have been trade winners.

FOR EASTER.

I was fortunate in having a friend who has made a large and varied collection of eggs. These were used in the following manner: The window floor was covered with sawdust and chips, and was raised at the back to give a sloping effect, and over this different mosses and dull-colored excelsior-brown, gray, and green-were so arranged as to represent nests. In each nest was placed the proper number of eggs found in brooding nests of the different species. Cards were printed giving the names of each kind. In the center was a mounted humming-birds' nest and pair of birds. At the rear and above the display announcements in regard to egg dyes

were placed: "These were colored by nature. We sell you dyes to match them."

This window was commented on by the local press, and people from distant parts of the town came to see the eggs. We were kept busy answering questions, but were nearly always able to sell something to those who came in for information.

AN INGENIOUS SCHEME.

Another window which can be used very nicely in the winter time is one I had a few weeks ago, and which created more interest than any I have used in some time. Best of all it proved that old things are not of necessity old to all. The first night of a cold wave I had the window cleaned and the upper part covered with a solution of magnesium sulphate and some ale, taking care to bring the frosted effect down below the center of the window and to make a formation as near like icicles

as possible. This was made to come down at each side and across the bottom in a strip about six inches wide. The window was then draped in white, and ebony goods were displayed. About nine out of every ten people stopped and put their fingers on the glass, and while doing so were attracted by the goods in the background. Every person that came in the store had some remark to make, and many came in to inquire how we kept the frost on the south window and in such pretty shape when the west window was clear. This display also sold the goods!

FOR MAY.

Cover the floor of the window with sod. If it can be secured from a well-kept lawn it will be much better. Have a large mirror in the center, and scatter gravel

and small rocks around the border. Then arrange a good-sized pile of newly broken stones to represent a bluff. Running in several directions we placed sand to represent a road, and we had a rail fence enclosing a small farm, in which several toy animals were placed. At the other end of the window brownies were arranged to represent a May - pole party, ribbons being used in abundance.

The window with us was used to advertise several lines of goods, and could be used for many lines-dyes for silks and ribbons, flower seeds, plant foods, etc., etc. The grass should be sprinkled every morning, and some parts should be cut close and others allowed to grow. Cards can be placed to represent the signboards so frequently seen through the country.

Minor E. Keyes, a Detroit druggist who combines successfully the qualities of thorough professional training with a large degree of business ability, recently evolved and carried out with surprising results one of the best advertising plans we have seen executed in many a day. It was employed during the last holiday season, but with some modification it can be used at any time of the year, though doubtless the interest felt in it, and the degree of its success, would be somewhat greater during the season to which it was applied by Mr. Keyes.

THE SCHEME ITSELF

was simply this: Small voting cards were distributed among the boys and girls of the neighborhood. The children were directed to write their names in the blank spaces left for the purpose, and then to give the cards to their friends, whom they were to ask to make purchases at Mr. Keyes's store, leaving a card each time. Everything was considered a purchase except postagestamps, and every card presented counted as one vote for the boy or girl whose name appeared on it. To the little girl who should succeed in this way in getting the largest number of votes during the four weeks or more of the campaign a large and beautiful bisque doll worth $10 was offered; and an archarena board, upon which thirty-two games may be played, together with 100 variations," was offered under the same conditions to the most successful boy. And in order that every boy or girl who entered into the contest might be reasonably sure to get something at least, and that they all might thus be stimulated to work energetically,

a pound box of candy was promised to every one who succeeded in getting 25 votes. The doll, the gameboard, and the boxes of candy, together with the conditions of the offer, were kept displayed in one of the store windows throughout the period; they attracted constant attention and interest, and the youngsters were stimulated to renewed efforts by having the tempting prizes constantly held up before their eyes.

At the outset Mr. Keyes had 3000 of the voting cards printed. These he thought would be sufficient. To start the scheme, he went one morning to two or three grammar schools in the neighborhood during recess, explained the offer, and distributed about one-third of his stock of voting cards, together with circulars describing the plan in greater detail. This was all the "pushing" that was required. School was no sooner out that day than children began to come to the store in swarms for voting cards. The scheme caught like wildfire. Long before the day had closed-the first day-all the cards had been given out to the eager and enthusiastic youngsters. A telephone order was that night given to the printer for 3000 more voting cards. They were delivered the next morning, and in turn exhausted before night. Renewed orders were given until, finally, 23,000 cards had been distributed during the five weeks or so in which the plan was in operation.

ITS REMARKABLE RESULTS.

The effect upon Mr. Keyes's trade was immediate and surprising. People whom he had never seen before began to drop into his store and buy goods of him. One woman whose husband, as Mr. Keyes found out after

wards, was a chronic invalid, and who lived several blocks away, came in every three or four days for medicines in order to help one of her little friends to win the beautiful doll displayed in the window. A man whom Mr. Keyes had noticed walking by his store every day now began to drop in at noon and buy a quarter's worth of cigars-of course leaving a voting card each time with his nephew's name written on it. These were but two instances. Suffice it to say there were many similar ones. Almost from the very beginning, each day's business was increased 30 per cent on an average, and this rather remarkable increase remained undiminished throughout the entire four weeks of the plan. Nor was this all. Mr. Keyes can put his fingers on a considerable number of regular customers gained; and these permanent results are what after all determine the chief success of any advertising plan.

Whereas 23,000 voting cards were given out, only about 2800 (or something over 12 per cent) were received back at the store as votes. This percentage of returns, however, while apparently disappointing, is upon second thought greater than would be expected. The cards were of course distributed lavishly and without discrimination by the children, and naturally most of them fell upon unproductive soil. But doubtless even these, while they seemingly brought no direct returns, were not without results; for at least Mr. Keyes's name was brought to the attention of everybody in his section of the city.

In addition to the two main prizes, about 50 pounds of candy was distributed to the children. This might

seem at first like a considerable expense, but in reality Mr. Keyes would have preferred to give out more than this; for every box of candy meant at least 25 additional sales on which the profits were many times more than enough to offset the cost of the candy. Paradoxical as it may seem, the more money spent in prizes, the more profit yielded!

IT SHOULD COMMEND ITSELF.

The success of the plan lay in the fact that every boy or girl is dear to the hearts of a considerable number of persons who will gladly go out of their way to help the child win a prize or achieve any other success upon which his ambition is set. Mr. Keyes was clever enough to make capital out of this condition of human nature. It is to be hoped that his excellent plan will commend itself to the readers of the BULLETIN and that they will not be slow to carry it into execution. It may be objected by the ultra-conservative that it is "unprofessional," and not consistent with the calling of the pharmacist. But Mr. Keyes is a man of professional training and taste; a man who caters to the patronage of physicians and succeeds in getting it; and he found no inconsistency in the plan, nor did he find it to work harm to him in any way. Certainly it succeeded, and in an unusual degree. It not only brought a large temporary increase of trade; it brought also what is in the end of greater value-a considerable number of permanent customers. And it made the name of Keyes a familiar one in nearly every house within the radius of a mile or more about his store.

[With this instalment comes to a close the valuable discussion which has been held in these columns concerning the inadequate preliminary requirements demanded of students by colleges of pharmacy, and which was called forth by an editorial published in the BULLETIN of last November. Reforms can be accomplished only through agitation and the development of sentiment; and in bringing this subject so conspicuously to the attention of the pharmacists of the country, and in eliciting vigorous and inspiring responses from so many leaders in the various branches of the calling, we feel sure that we have at least brought somewhat nearer the day

when a greater degree of general education will be de manded of all prospective pharmacists. That this will be of great benefit to the profession of pharmacy, viewed from whatever point, scarcely needs to be said.—THE EDITORS.]

ALBERT E. EBERT, Ph.M., Ph.D., Ex-President A. Ph. A.; Ex-member Illinois Board of Pharmacy; Trustee, Illinois College of Pharmacy.

In commending your editorial in the November BULLETIN OF PHARMACY, entitled "This is the Least that Colleges Owe to Pharmacy," I admit the force of your