the Registrar-General’s return of mortality would be reduced to _nil_.
For, in addition to the swarms of doctors, male and female, in London,
licensed to kill or cure, a vaunted remedy for almost every disease
flesh is heir to may be bought in nearly every street. Addison said of
doctors:--“This body of men may be described like the British army in
Cæsar’s time. Some of them slay in chariots and some on foot. If the
infantry do less execution than the charioteers, it is because they
cannot be carried so soon into all the quarters of the town and despatch
so much business in so short a time.”
But in our days the vendors of “certain cures” do their business much
more easily by staying at home and allowing customers to come to them.
They do not even trouble to emulate Cotgrave’s poor doctor of physic,
Pulsefeel, who was accustomed to harangue the public that he could
“clarifie your blood, surfle your cheeks, perfume your skin, tinct your
hair, enliven your eye, and heighten your appetite.” Doubtless vendors
of medicines, patent or not patented, find it a profitable business. For
one of the characteristics of the true-born Briton is an innate love of
physic. Often the most nauseous is esteemed the best, although it may be
admitted that the taste for nasty medicine is rather dying out. “To
quack of universal cures” has ever been a facile path to public
approbation and fortune. Brown wrote:--“Saltimbancoes, quacksalvers, and
charlatans deceive the vulgar;” and Burton said, “Many poor country
vicars, for want of means, are driven to their shifts to turn
mountebanks, quacksalvers and empyricks.” Civilization and progress,
instead of leading to a diminution of medicines not recognized in the
Pharmacopœia of the Royal College of Physicians, has resulted in an
opposite effect. For a number of maladies, or, perhaps, it should be
said, names of maladies, have been called into existence unknown to our
sturdy forefathers. For instance, we have half-a-dozen new designations
for what our great grandmothers would have called a “fit of the spleen.”
And for every new name which is devised by the ingenuity of nosologists
at least half-a-dozen remedies appear with mushroom rapidity. Even the
medical journals teem with advertisements of so-called remedies not
admitted into the Pharmacopœia. Bromidia, “the hynotic which does not
lock up the secretions;” elixir of cascara, “laxative, palatable,
reliable;” pumiline, “for bronchitis, throat and chest affections, fully
recognized by over 500 testimonials;” vinolia, “which will relieve the
intensest itching from any cause whatever;” liquor cascara suavis,
“registered,” are a few among many similar articles advertised in a
recent medical journal. Now when orthodox medical journals insert
advertisements of the kind they might with grace refrain from, as they
sometimes do, calling the lay press to account for the insertion of
advertisements of patent medicines. For to the lay mind there really
does not appear very much difference between the advertisement of
medicated bonbons, “protected by Royal letters patent,” in a medical
journal, and advertisements of a like character in a daily newspaper.
It is, however, of shop-window cures we now discourse. So profitable
does this branch of business seem to have become, that it has overflowed
its legitimate position in the chemist’s and druggist’s mart, and
invaded the premises of other tradespeople. Every vendor of sweets, and
many grocers, seems to find it profitable to have a special medical
agent for sale. In a climate such as this, where coughs, colds, throat
and chest affections so prevail, all who sell anything in the way of
medicines have certain cures for such prevalent maladies. The number of
so-called remedies is legion, and consists of pills, syrups, emulsions,
mixtures, tinctures, lotions and potions _ad nauseam_. But there is one
called “cough balsam,” unblushingly described as the “only known cure
for cough, asthma and consumption.” Now as cough may depend upon at
least fifty different causes, and as consumption kills thousands
annually, this must be a very wonderful medicine indeed, and doctors
should hide their diminished heads. It is really very stupid of people
to go on coughing when they can precure a remedy for a few pence; and
quite unnecessary for asthmatics or consumptives to go to the Riviera in
the winter when they have a remedy at home. So say the vendors of chest
affection cures. The giver of good advice rarely receives his due,
otherwise we might say “Don’t” to anyone disposed to trust these cures.
Corns and bunions demand a good deal of attention. There are many kinds
of corn plasters and several “miraculous cures,” which are all
“painless, simple and speedy,” and which secure “ease, comfort and good
temper.” One proprietor of a miraculous cure is so enthusiastic that he
breaks out into doggerel--
If corn or bunion trouble you, of this you may be sure,
That free from pain you soon will be by using ----’s cure.
After this the man who merely advertises a corn rubber is nowhere. We
were, however, under the impression that corns originated from pressure
or friction, and that the only radical cure was removing that pressure
or friction after the corn, if very large, had been taken out.
Toothache, being so common, has, of course, a number of cures. A
sufferer would dare a good deal to appease the hideous throes of
toothache, and when plaintively asked, “Why sutler from toothache when
you can cure it by using the toothache pencil?” would certainly try
this, that or the other remedy before facing the dentist. But, alas!
the dentist’s chair is the ultimate fate of the person with an aching
tooth, and he may be happy if on leaving the dentist he carries his
tooth--in his jaw--along with him. Nervous debility seems almost as
responsible as toothache or corns for certain cures. Among the hundreds
o’ medicines devoted to nervous debility there are “best brain tonics,”
“botanic pick-me-ups,” “golden medical discoveries,” “damiana wafers,”
and “syrups” of all kinds. Liver complaints and digestive imperfections
are also well supplied. “Candies” and “jujubes,” _cum multis aliis_, are
all very good for liver and digestion--at least so say the proprietors.
There is one advertiser who, having announced, “Remove the cause and the
effect will cease,” soars boldly above his compeers, and announces,
“Head, stomach and liver pills!” It is, however, in the domains of
surgery that shop-window cures are most pronounced. “Another leg saved!”
“Another hand saved!” “Another toe saved!” by a certain ointment and
pills is boldly announced. If all is correctly stated with reference to
this new ointment and pills, Professor Holloway is outdone. Cancers are
exhibited, diseased bone is shown, and corns are produced, all cured by
this wonderful ointment. Bills are also distributed purporting to be the
history of cures. One begins, “A boy threw a stone and hit him on the
finger over six years ago.” The remainder of the account may be
transferred into, “Affliction sore long time he bore, physicians were in
vain,” until he was cured by the pills and ointment. Now this was
evidently a case of scrofulous disease of the bones, always most
tedious, and recovery _post_ is not _propter_. We close the list by
mentioning first “Oriental pills.” Why they are called Oriental pills we
do not know, and what they are for we cannot ascertain. The name is
curious, for pills in the East, unless introduced by Europeans, are as
rare as snakes in Iceland. And, secondly, a cure for chilblains called
“Chimethloplastron!” What it means we do not know. And we do not take to
it--for the word does not come trippingly from the tongue like the
blessed Mesopotamia.
It has been said that faith in the doctor is half the battle.
Shop-window cures, however, require more than faith; they demand
credulity. Nothing catches a man more than a pretended confidence; and
of this among vendors of medicines, patent or not patented, there is no
lack. It is astonishing how one is able to persuade oneself into a
belief in accordance with one’s wishes. Barnum’s definition of a humbug
was, “A man who gives you your money’s worth, but induces you to deal
with him by some plausible tale connected with his goods.” Shakespeare
asked, “Can’st thou not cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff
which bears upon the heart?” This is not to be done by nostrums, and
not always by doctors. Notwithstanding the vigorous declarations of
vendors of nostrums, they do not appear quite sure of themselves. For
the names of eminent medical men are freely used--among others, those of
Brodie, Blundell, Jenner, Clark. This recalls to mind an anecdote of the
Duke of Wellington and Dr. Locock. Meeting one day the Duke said,
“Confound you, Locock! I’ve almost poisoned myself by taking your
pulmonic wafers!” “Ah!” answered Locock, “and I have lamed myself by
wearing Wellington boots!”--_Globe in C. and D._
CANADIAN TARIFF CHANGES.
Alizarine, blood albumen, arseniate, bi-arseniate, chlorate and stannate
of soda, tannic acid, tartar emetic, chlorate of potash crystals, gum
gedda, gum barberry, grey tartar, fustic extract and quercitron or
extract of oak bark, when imported by the manufacturers of cotton and
woolen goods for use in their own factories only; and grey tartar,
fustic extract, and quercitron or extract of oak bark, for the
manufacture of colours, are admitted free of Customs duty until the end
of the next session of Parliament.
Sulphate of alumina and alum cake, used as a substitute for alum by
paper-makers, are placed on the list of articles that may be imported
into Canada free of Customs duty.
Sumac, when imported to be used for dyeing or tanning purposes, i.e.,
manufacturing purposes, not further manufactured than crushed or ground,
is placed on the list of articles that may be imported into Canada free.
Camwood, when imported to be used for dyeing or tanning purposes, i.e.,
manufacturing purposes, not further manufactured than crushed or ground,
is also placed on the list of free articles.
A HANDSOME DRUG STORE.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever, and we hope Mr. E. D. Martin, of
Ottawa, will long enjoy a successful business in the new premises he has
just removed to at the corner of Rideau and Cumberland Streets.
Mr. Martin is one of Ottawa’s most enterprising and successful druggists
and in the fitting up of his new store he has displayed great taste.
The front store is 50×30 and has two entrances and is lighted by three
large plate-glass windows; the ceiling is of polished wood, the floor of
granolithic tiles of mosaic pattern; the fixtures are walnut; the
counters, two in number, each eighteen feet long, are embellished with
show cases, and the handsome show cases on tables occupy positions in
the centre of the store. At the further end of the store standing in the
centre of an arch ten feet wide is a very fine dispensing case behind
which is the dispensing room fitted up with two sets of dispensing
scales and in duplicate all the appurtenances necessary for the carrying
on of this important part of his business, and though we did not see any
of Dr. Brown Sequard’s Elixir of Life, we can imagine the grim “Old
Reaper” giving his scythe an extra whet when he sees Mr. Bray, the
genial assistant, hand out a bottle of medicine to an invalid on whom he
has fixed his eye.
Adjoining the dispensing room is Mr. Martin’s private office where he
deliberates over his books--day, ledger, bank, and wants,--and we hope
the two last will always be in a state of congestion. It is here, too,
he has a vacant chair, not always vacant, however. I notice it is a
little worn already, for the ubiquitous traveller in search for orders
he always welcomes cordially, and as his trade is a large one, he
usually has the satisfaction of seeing a grateful smile suffuse the
countenance of that “noble Bohemian” as he wishes him good-bye.
ON TIME.
A want of punctuality is a fault in a business man that cannot be offset
by any other good qualities. It will be constantly causing serious loss
of time, money and temper to those who deal with him, and will naturally
lead them to look elsewhere for their supplies. Nothing short of an
utter impossibility should cause one to neglect the fulfilment of an
engagement, or to be behindhand in filling an order.
When the great warehouses of an extensive provision merchant were
smoking in ruins, he at once made out a circular and sent it to all who
were expecting orders filled, stating that a fire on the premises had
caused a delay, but that the next day they expected to dispatch all the
goods ordered. It required all the energies of a masterly mind to
accomplish the task, and all the hands he could bring to bear upon the
business, but it was done, and his many customers had the inconvenience
of but a day’s delay. It was a part of the man’s religion, as well as
his business science, to keep no one waiting. That was but one of his
many strong points, but they were all of the same reliable character. No
wonder he rose to a true and substantial greatness in his chosen line.
It is very hard turning over a new leaf in this particular, so it is a
good plan to begin right. Prompt, punctual boys are apt to make the same
kind of men, and vice versa.
You know that you “boys” are to be the future merchants of the land,
however small the chances seem for it now. “The posts of time run
swift,” and soon one and another will be dropping a line to this
department, telling of their small start in business on their own hook.
They will be sure of congratulations and good wishes all around, which
will be cheering and inspiring, and so far real help to the worker. The
habits he is forming while a clerk will, however, decide more than
anything else his future success or failure.
If one has fallen into careless, unmethodical habits in any of his
affairs, the only safe course is to “right about face.” The earlier, the
easier. Self-interest alone would prompt such a course as well as
honesty towards his employer.--[American Grocer.
NECESSITY FOR DISCRETION.
Though occasionally it might prove to be of value for the commercial
traveller to hint in an off-hand way that he has received orders from
other firms in the same town, still it would be the height of stupidity
to tell the fact right out, as many of the brotherhood are in the habit
of doing, that Mr. John Smith, for example, has to-day bought goods at
such or such a price, and mentioning all the particulars of the sale,
with the addition that the man solicited, if he will give the order,
shall get the same article at a much lower rate. Any one who has an eye
to business can in a moment see what this talk means. Besides, the
commercial traveller who adopts such mistaken measures in his attempt to
do business, will certainly lose the confidence of the man addressed,
for no sensible person can think otherwise than that the agent would say
exactly the same thing to a third and fourth customer as to the first
and second. Without doubt a customer has the right to feel sure that the
amount of his order and the price he paid for goods will not be made
known to any business competitor, and he certainly would be little
disposed to give his orders to an agent who shows a readiness to gossip
about the affairs of neighboring merchants.
The commercial traveller who is wise will either avoid talk about
purchases made of him in the place where he is doing business, or will
say very little, always avoiding in this case the mention of details.
And this even when questions are asked about them, for, though they may
be pleased for the moment at having their curiosity satisfied, people
will, as a rule, look with suspicion upon the imprudent discloser of
other people’s business, believing, and not unjustly, that such a man
would manifest the same willingness to reveal their secrets to others.
Discretion in business matters will probably have its reward in the
esteem of others, which readily develops into their confidence.
“Your Committee appointed to examine the claims of W. R. Austin and
others to apprenticeship registration under the Pharmacy Act of 1884,
recommends that their request be granted, and that all similar requests
addressed to the Registrar be similarly treated.”
Mr. A. Jeffrey moved, and Mr. McGregor seconded,--
“That in any case where the presence of the Executive or other members
of this Council is required in Toronto or elsewhere to attend upon the
work of the College, that they be paid their actual expenses out of the
funds of the College.”--Carried.
The Principal of the College sent a communication acknowledging receipt
of a quantity of apparatus and books from Henry Watters, Esq., Ottawa.
On the motion of Mr. J. J. Hall, seconded by Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Watters
was thanked for the donation.
The Council adjourned at 4.15 until 10 a.m. Thursday morning.
Thursday Morning.
The Council met at 10.30, Mr. John A. Clark in the chair.
A representative of the CANADIAN DRUGGIST, who was present, lodged with
the registrar an application on behalf of Mr. Dyas, proprietor of that
paper, for access to the various reports made at the semiannual meeting.
The chairman stated the request to the meeting, and after a brief
discussion the following resolution was, on the motion of Mr. A. B.
Petrie, seconded by Mr. McKee, unanimously passed:--
“That the request of Mr. Dyas, of the CANADIAN DRUGGIST, to be allowed
to obtain full reports of this meeting, be granted.”
The report of the By-laws and Legislation Committee was read, and, on
the motion of Mr. Hall, seconded by Mr. McGregor, they were received.
The meeting adjourned at 11.30, until three o’clock.
Thursday Afternoon.
The Council met at 3.45, Mr. John A. Clark in the chair. All were
present except Mr. G. S. Hobart. The Council went into committee of the
whole on the motion of Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. McKee, on the report
of the By-laws and Legislation Committee, Mr. Lawrence in the chair.
On clause 1, Mr. Watters moved that the name of J. W. McEachern be
inserted as employer.--Agreed. Clauses 2 and 3, dealing with
applications, were passed without discussion. Clause 4 having been
reached, the chairman read several letters from George B. Dingman,
Buffalo, asking what had been done regarding his application for a
diploma. In his first try Mr. Dingman had been successful in all
subjects except dispensing, but had since passed in that subject. Mr.
Sanders, at whose request the correspondence was read, thought the
explanations made sufficient, and the clause was passed.
Discussion arose over clause 5, from the fact that the applicant, Mr. A.
W. Caton, admitted having been out of business since 1887. Mr.
D’Avignon thought Mr. Caton wanted to set his wife up in business, and
by saying that on paying up his arrears he would be admitted was
paramount to saying that his wife would not. The clause was passed.
Clauses 6 and 7 were passed. On clause 8 Registrar Lewis stated that
recently he had an application from an apprentice of Hargreaves Bros.,
of whom one member had not paid fees. Four dollars was still claimed for
one of their branches.
Mr. Sanders thought the precedent in McGregor & Parks’ case should not
rule.
It was explained that three of the Hargreaves had interest in one store
and only two in another, and when they made this application they had
three businesses.
After further discussion progress was reported, and, on the motion of
Mr. Hall, the report, as also the report of the Committee on By-laws,
was referred back for amendment. The following is the gist of the
reports as finally adopted:--
“Your Committee on By-laws and Legislation make the following
recommendations: (1) Referring to the two letters of A. L. Foster,
of Ottawa, advise that the registrar be instructed to write him,
that there being no evidence before the committee that the
apprentice did indenture himself as stated it would be necessary
for him to send affidavits, duly sworn to by the apprentice and his
employer, Mr. J. W. McEachern, proving his cases, and that when
received we feel disposed to comply with the request. (2) In the
matter of Alfred Wilson, of Radcliffe Infirmary, and the
corroborative letter of Richard Bremridge, we recommend the
registrar be instructed to write to Mr. Wilson that if he can
produce to this Council satisfactory evidence that he is a
pharmaceutical chemist of Great Britain, he may register. (3) In
the case of W. S. McClintock, of Galva, Ill., we advise that the
registrar be instructed to write him that our by-laws prevent the
Council recognising his claim for registration, as he has failed to
pass on the subject of chemistry, and that at present there is no
arrangement for exchange of diplomas with the State Board of
Pharmacy of Illinois. (4) In the case of George B. Dingman, of
Buffalo, we find by the evidence submitted to your committee that
he is entitled to registration. (6) In the matter of A. W. Caton,
Owassa, Mich., we recommend the registrar be instructed to write
him that on payment of arrears due to this Council he may be
registered. (6) We recommend that the registrar be instructed to
notify Mr. Geo. M. Everist that his claim, made on behalf of R. E.
Sinclair, cannot be recognised, as Dr. G. M. Eastern is not a
registered pharmaceutical chemist. (7) The claim of Malcolm C. Rose
of six months’ service with Mr. Hazelton cannot be entertained, as
Mr. Rose’s apprenticeship contract was not registered. (8) In the
matter of W. A. Hargreaves, of Toronto, your committee would
recommend that the precedents established in similar cases are
according to the Act, and that we cannot comply with Mr.
Hargreaves’ request. (9) In the matter of J. H. Emery we are of
opinion that his apprenticeship, served in New York State, under E.
G. Watts, who is a regularly qualified pharmaceutical chemist of
Ontario, though resident in New York State, will count in the same
way as if served in Ontario. (10) We have examined the claims of
Mr. J. C. Nicholls, largely based on the same grounds as others
referred to in the report of the Education Committee of last
February, and that like them Mr. Nicholls’ claim cannot be
entertained. (11) We recommend the application of J. J. Watson, of
Toronto, be granted, and that he be credited with the time from
January 7 to August 13, 1888, served with Mr. J. C. Hazelton.