Part 1

CANADIAN DRUGGIST.

VOL. I. TORONTO AND STRATHROY, AUGUST, 1889. NO. 2.

THE CANADIAN DRUGGIST,

5 Jordan Street, Toronto, Ont. And Strathroy, Ont.

WILLIAM J. DYAS, Editor and Publisher.

Subscription, $1 per Year, in Advance.

Advertising Rates on Application.

The Canadian Druggist is issued on the 15th of each month, and all matter for insertion should reach us by the 5th of the month.

All cheques or drafts, and matter intended for the editor, to be addressed to Box 438, Strathroy, Ont.

New advertisements or changes to be addressed

CANADIAN DRUGGIST, 5 JORDAN STREET, TORONTO.

FIRST RESULTS.

In our first issue we spoke confidently of the future prospects of this journal, as to its filling a want in Pharmaceutical journalism in Canada, of a certain recognition by druggists as THE organ of the profession and of encouraging words from Pharmaceutical friends. We are glad to say that we have not been mistaken in our expectations. From the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and British Columbia we have already received congratulatory letters as well as subscriptions, one and all virtually agreeing in the verdict, “Just what we needed.” Appended are extracts from a few of the letters received:

“Allow me to congratulate you on its make up, which I consider good.”

“Congratulate you on your first number and do not doubt your success.”

“Very complete and well calculated to find favour with every Canadian chemist.”

“Congratulate you on the make up and contents of the CANADIAN DRUGGIST, and wish you success in your enterprise.”

“Was pleased with the first issue of your journal and found a number of items that would be of interest and use to the druggists of this Province; trust that you may have the success that your enterprise most assuredly entitles you to.”

“Find the CANADIAN DRUGGIST the most interesting paper for druggists in the Dominion. I wish you success.”

One of our advertisers says that within two weeks after the publication of the first number, he had business enquiries from two druggists in Prince Edward Island and one in British Columbia, the extreme easterly and westerly Provinces of our Dominion, mentioning the advertisement which appeared in the CANADIAN DRUGGIST leading to the transaction of business with them.

INSURANCE OF DRUG STOCKS.

By mutual consent of all fire insurance companies (and when will they not agree to increase their own profits by raising rates), the rate on ordinary drug stock is higher than ordinary merchandise rates, claiming the greater risk on the former class. That this is not the case is shown time and again from statistics which clearly prove that although drug stock may and does include goods which are of a particularly inflammable nature, yet the precautions taken, the description of containers in which these goods are kept and the usually small proportion of them in a retail store has reduced the number of fires originating in such premises to a very small percentage of the total fire losses.

In Philadelphia a “Druggists’ Mutual Fire Insurance Company” has been formed, and has issued a large number of policies. Would it not be well for the druggists of Canada to consider the question either of concerted action on their part to compel the insurance companies to give us more reasonable rates, or failing in this to establish a company on somewhat the same lines as the Philadelphia company? We append some extracts from the Druggists’ Circular, showing the feeling which exists in the United States in this matter:

At the annual meeting of the Ohio Pharmaceutical Association, held in 1888, a committee was appointed to investigate the subject of mutual fire insurance. This committee has recently made public the results of its work from which it appears that the druggists of that State pay pretty dearly for their insurance. It is estimated by the committee, from all that they can learn, that druggists by protecting themselves on the mutual plan can save from one-half to three-quarters of the money now expended for premiums.

There has long been an exceedingly strong suspicion in the minds of druggists everywhere that the rates usually charged them for insurance against fire were extravagant. When protesting against these charges they have been confronted with pictures of the terribly dangerous character of their stocks--how their stores were magazines of highly inflammable substances, which by the breaking of a bottle, might in a moment be involved in destruction.

To show that a pharmacy is in fact a rather safe place, so far as fire is concerned, we may quote from the report above referred to that in Cleveland the loss to retail druggists from that cause during a period of eighteen years amounted to only $5,500; and in Cincinnati the loss in eight years was but $3,000.

PHARMACISTS’ AIDS.

There can be no doubt of the fact, that two of the most rapidly increasing demands upon the ability of the pharmacist of to-day, are analytical chemistry and microscopy. The former includes that class of demands that so frequently apply to the druggist for analysis of some special compound or even more often for an analysis of urine. These are not limited to the “ignorant (?) laity,” but are decidedly common requests from physicians themselves. It has only been a few years since these subjects became so important in the diagnosis of disease, and therefore only the decidedly studious or recent graduate appreciates or investigates the utility of their possibilities. Referring especially to the matter of urine analysis, for every druggist should be posted on analytical chemistry, we know that very few of our best pharmacists have made any special study of this specialty and the following is an ordinary result. The doctor, often for lack of time, quite as often for lack of information, applies to the pharmacist for an analysis of urine--presuming, the pharmacist cannot do it, naturally enough the doctor goes elsewhere, but does he ever return for any more such work? Does he ever refer anyone else to that store for it? No--all references in this line are to that pharmacist who is capable thereof. How many prescriptions, how much trade is thereby lost, transferred? Just because the first pharmacist could not do a little chemical analysis that would not have required more than twenty minutes of his time, for which, also, he would be paid. On the other hand, presuming, he says, “Yes, I will analyse it for you,” the doctor not only has reason to go there again for such work, not only refers other doctors, as also his patients, there, but trade, prescriptions, etc., are necessarily increased.

We know a pharmacist who, as a result of this one department of analytical chemistry, took in two hundred dollars for the work itself in one year, to say nothing of the increase of trade thus induced. In other words, we believe that a pharmacist should not only be a druggist, but a chemist. He need not delve in the minute depths of the subject, but there are many of its minor branches like the one referred to--that require but little study or time, that not only add to his business, but give a scientific touch to his reputation that the public decidedly admire. As regards the microscope in pharmacy, the many and increasing articles in our different journals commending its value and use are but growing proofs of the fact that the pharmacist of the future will and must be a microscopist.

Here we have another of the many minor studies, that are not only easily learned but quite as easily applied.

The value of a microscope is illustrated readily by the fact that while every crystal, root, rhizome, leaf, powder, starch, etc., have distinctive and individual peculiarities, yet very few of these are distinguishable by the naked eye, while all are easily resolved and can be identified by aid of a microscope and a little experience. When we think of the fact that England, France, Germany and other foreign countries make a business of manufacturing especial “adulterants for the American trade” we can comprehend the necessity of individual analysis. Of course the microscope can only apply to a part of these things, and many pharmacists have but few occasions to use its powers. Nevertheless if one possesses the knowledge to detect anise in conium, or vice versa, starch, sugar, etc., in quinine and antipyrine or powdered ipeac, to say nothing of coffee, pepper and many more drugs that are so commonly adulterated, he could save the price of his instrument in a comparatively short time, and while enjoying the pleasure of this delightful and instructive work would also know that he is conscientious in supplying pure articles to his customers.

It is encouraging to know that microscopy has been gaining in importance in many of our pharmacy schools. Usually starting with small proportions and inefficient supplies--it, as a study, gradually works its way and proves its utility until to-day a number of the leading colleges require the work as one of the necessities for graduation. In many medical schools of the United States and Europe not only is microscopy applied temporarily but much stress is being laid on photomicrography, by which means its valuable investigations are easily preserved. It is evident that microscopy is one of the pharmaceutical advancements of the day. It has rapidly pressed its needs upon the scientific part of the profession. It is growing in demand. It is a comparatively new field and presents grand opportunities for observation, investigation and original work.

As the time must surely come when a part of the pharmacist’s armament will be a microscope and microscopy, we wish to direct attention to the subject in the belief that those who would be progressive may be led to investigate its value.--[N. E. Druggist.

CUTTING PRICES.

In connection with this subject of cutting, the following interview of an Era reporter with Mr. Alexander Hudnut, the proprietor of the great cut rate store of Hegeman & Co., New York, will be read with interest. Mr. Hudnut said:--

The rebate plan, or any other system of artificial bolstering, is as futile as it would be to try and dam Niagara. Legislation on the subject is unnecessary and superfluous. The matter carries its own death warrant with it.

Some six years ago the drug trade got together and formed a most beautiful plan for maintaining prices. Where is that beautiful plan now? The rebate system is probably its legitimate offspring. Come to me some years hence and I expect to be able to point to a string of lineal descendants of the rebate plan, each of them as helpless to perform what is expected as the other. The world ought to be wise enough by this time to recognize the fixity of the laws which govern commerce.

I regard the principle of cutting as a settled policy in the drug business, and I shall pursue that steadily. Hegemann & Co. have done a business of about $325,000 annually. I expect to increase it to half a million dollars. In London the immense stores of the Army & Navy, and of the Civil Service have worked a revolution in the drug trade, by buying at first hands in immense quantities, and selling on close margin. They have even cut the rates on prescription business. The result has been that the chemists, as they call them there, have been compelled to come down in their prices, and a process of elimination has steadily gone on--the weak have had to go to the wall. The result is the “survival of the fittest.” These conditions apply to New York, and I venture to say that there are not over ten drug stores in the city of New York that are making their owners more than a living. With the rest it is simply a process of more or less rapid rusting out.

An absence of cut prices, and general prosperity marks the retail drug trade of Cleveland. The Cleveland Pharmaceutical Association is clannish and its dues are so moderate that almost the entire trade is within the Association. This gives rise to a brotherly feeling which makes doing business a pleasure; and prevents cuts and insures prosperity. The drug trade in many cities suffers from wholesale slashing of prices from the lack of such an Association as exists in Cleveland. The Association is thoroughly organized, and the two wholesale houses in Cleveland do everything in their power to help the retail trade along, and decline to sell at retail in

OPIUM.

In Opium the reduced estimates of the probable yield from the current crop, coupled with advices of higher prices in London and the primary market, have caused a much firmer feeling here. The bulk of the spot supply is controlled by three dealers who it is said are working in harmony to raise prices, in which effort they have already made considerable progress, it would appear, since at the close there was very little standardized to be had at $3.10, the general quotation being $3.15. Natural was held at $3.20 to $3.50. While there were no large buyers in the market, the demand for single cases and broken lots was very good. Powdered has advanced to $4.20 to $4.30 as to seller and test. We have received the following from Smyrna under date of July 13th: “There is no longer doubt that if the yield of 5,000 baskets is to be reached by the new crop (including the 1,250 baskets from Salonica) the fields on the high grounds must yield much more than the lower fields have shown up to the present moment--arrivals of 117 baskets against 570 in 1888, which certainly is a poor showing. It is true that in Constantinople, where they got the opium from the districts where the gathering was made in advance of the others this season, they had received 45 baskets against 125 last year, which is somewhat better than we can show, but is still awfully poor. Holders are very sanguine and will not sell their goods unless they get higher prices, and as they now have increased facilities for depositing their goods with banks at reasonable rates of interest, it is most probable that buyers will have to accept their terms. The stocks abroad were large, but as they have been kept all along at lower rates than what opium could be bought at in the primary markets, they have gradually melted down to reasonable quantities. London has hardly 1,000 cases, the greater part of which is Persian and high grade Turkish, not suitable for the American market. New York has about 500 cases which could be called ‘in the market.’ The balance is held by outsiders who would not part with their opium unless they get much higher prices for it. But all this is a matter of little consideration to the native merchant in Turkey; he holds on to his opium when he sees a small crop, and buyers will have either to live on the European and New York stocks or pay them something better than the starving prices they paid for the last few years.” Since this was written, some cables advise crop estimates reduced to 4,500 baskets (including Salonica), and prices in Smyrna from 9s. 3d. to 9s. 9d.

ADVANTAGES OF TRADE JOURNALS.

Trade journals have become an established institution, and the fact that they have come to stay cannot longer be doubted. Their advantage, to both the buyer as well as the seller, is manifested every day in the change which has been wrought in the present manner of transacting business. A few years ago, before these journals were established, if a party desired to purchase a certain line of goods, the first thing he would do would be to supply himself with the necessary funds, pack up his grip and start out upon a tour of observation and inspection; and after traveling over a large amount of territory and spending considerable money, would finally succeed in finding the goods sought for. The manufacturer who was desirous of introducing to the public any new line of goods, was obliged to resort to the slow, expensive and uncertain method of mailing out printed circulars, at the rate of ten dollars per thousand for postage, besides the expense of printing, folding and directing them; and perhaps eight out of every ten thus sent out, if received at all by the parties to whom directed, would find their way to the waste-paper basket without ever being opened. It being impossible to reach every one by this method, the chances for striking one who might be in want of the article named therein was often not one in five hundred, while perhaps a hundred others might be omitted who might be in want of it.

Advertising in a general way in the papers of the day was not a profitable investment. Those papers having a very large circulation, such as the “Scientific American,” the “Iron Age,” and others which might be named, were valuable papers and probably were the best mediums at that time; but their circulation, although very large, was general, and while the advertiser was charged for the space occupied at a rate based upon a circulation of 40,000 or 50,000 copies, yet in many instances but very few of the trades interested and to whom it was desirable to introduce the goods, were ever reached. For instance, the “Iron Age” circulated principally among hardware and iron dealers, who formed a considerable portion of its circulation, very few of whom had any interest whatever in saw-mill or planing-mill machinery, and so on with all other trades, and as before stated, while they were paying exorbitant rates for advertising based upon the large circulation of those journals, they were really deriving less benefit from it than they would have received from a medium of one-quarter the circulation, but devoted exclusively to this particular trade and circulated exclusively among them.

Every trade is now represented by a journal devoted to that trade exclusively, and a purchaser now, instead of spending large sums of money and much valuable time in roaming over the country in search of any particular line of goods, may sit down quietly in one corner of his office and consult his trade paper, in which he will find the goods of the most prominent and reliable manufacturers carefully described and fully illustrated by fine, artistic cuts, so that all that is required is to write to some of those houses, who will cheerfully answer all inquiries, or in most cases, send their travelling man, who will come prepared to give them all further information that may be required, and their purchases may be made then and there to just as good advantage as if they had spent $100 in travelling expenses, in order to visit the same house in person. If any house is neglected by not being represented in its own trade paper, it is its misfortune in not being represented, and not the fault of the journal.

Another change has been brought about, and one that trade journals have had more or less to do with: There is a different class of travelling men representing these houses at the present time from what there was a few years ago. Since buyers have abandoned the plan of visiting these houses in person prominent manufacturers have found it for their own interest to employ none but sober, competent and reliable men to represent them--men who are well posted in the business and who are competent to give intelligent and reliable information with regard to the goods which they represent, and the result is that the public has more confidence and is more ready to deal with them than formerly, while the “bums” that formerly represented, or misrepresented, these houses have disappeared from the road. Manufacturers find it to their advantage to have their goods thus represented in these journals, for the reason that while the rates are much lower than would be obtained in the former mediums, they are sure every copy that is sent out from the office of publication, whether the circulation be 1,000 or 10,000 per issue, will be sure to fall into the hands of some one who is interested in their particular line of goods.

The public has been benefited by trade journals in another manner which can not be omitted. Almost every journal representing any particular trade has secured the services of experienced and practical writers, who, from long experience in this particular line, have become experts in the business, and from whom much valuable information may be obtained by those who have not had the same experience and advantages. Many young men just starting out in life, either as proprietors or foremen in the various trades, have received many valuable hints from these sources, which have been of much benefit to them, and which might have required years of experience before they could have acquired the same information. And for this and other reasons which have been given, what was said at the commencement of this article may be repeated, viz., that the trade journals have come to stay.

No druggist can afford to do without his drug journal. Through the columns of the CANADIAN DRUGGIST he may keep himself posted on new remedies, approved appliances, fresh developments in the pharmaceutical and chemical worlds; he can, at a glance, note the fluctuations in prices of goods, and by careful perusal of the advertising columns (not by any means the least important part of the trade journal) will keep track of all specialties offered by our advertisers. Our advice is, Read your trade paper regularly, and support it liberally.

DIGNITY IN BUSINESS.

It is not a good plan to descend to sensationalism in the methods of conducting business. True enterprise is as far removed from the rowdy-dowdy style of procedure as is day from night. All men are not coarse and ignorant in their perceptions, and no business communication or business announcement should be sent forth that is not gentlemanly and delicate in both diction and sense. A contrary course will soon convince its author that he is making a great mistake in stooping to vulgarity and the small and unrefined side of men’s natures.

It is all very well to make a little noise occasionally, in order to stir up languishing trade. The more noise the better, in fact, provided it is only the right kind of noise, and not the discordant braying of commercial fish-horns. A red-hot campaign now and then is the best thing out, but it must be managed with skill and tact.

The most successful merchants of to-day recognize the fact that it does not pay to abuse competitors. If one’s competitors are dishonorable and tricky the public will find it out in the long run, whereas if they are straightforward and progressive, no amount of slander will hurt them. Praise your own wares truthfully and fearlessly, and let your neighbor’s alone--that is the best way. Brag and bluster may do for a season, but they don’t wear.

When a merchant advertises in the newspapers he is in great danger of saying too much--or rather, of clothing what he does say in the wrong terms. Slang should be avoided always. Never appeal to the passions and prejudices of your patrons. Most men nowadays happily think with their intellects. It is an error to suppose that we can either interest or instruct people by first assuring them that they are all but hopelessly ignorant. Human nature may be weak, but it is strong enough to resent such offensive presumption. The public knows more than many a merchant is willing to give it credit for.