STRAY ITEMS AND COMMENTS.

"The Galen Lodge of Free Masons” is the name of a blue lodge in London. The pharmacists of that city find time not only for work but also for refresh

ments.

Faith Healing was given as the cause for action in a suit for divorce entered by a Chicago ex-congressman. It is probable that the disagreement over the method of treating the members of the family when sick was the immediate cause of the action for divorce.

Artificial Corks must come in the course of time, as the supply of cork is gradually diminishing. Up to the present time no satisfactory substitute has been found. The writer has a number of bottle stoppers made of roots, for use in the drug trade of Mexico. They are, however, a poor substitute for even a poor quality of cork.

Consulting Surgeons at the seat of war in South Africa, who have been sent to the front by the British government, receive a salary of $25,000 per year. No doubt our English readers regret that there is no demand for the pharmacists. In fact, the pharmacists who enlist in the British army receive a very small and insignificant remuneration.

Alcohol is an antidote for carbolic acid-at least so says a New York physician. This will furnish another excuse for the use of alcoholic beverages. If

alcohol is serviceable as an antidote for this poison, whiskey will answer the same purpose if taken in sufficient quantity. No doubt many people will cultivate the same fear of carbolic acid poison as they have of snake bites.

Berlin druggists upon their good judgment in carrying out their plan without giving attention to the one dissenting voice. Our experience has been, in this country, when one druggist objects the others give up the plan.

Patent Medicines in Germany.-The Reichs Anzeiger says:

"The following is a resume of the law now before the German Federal Council for sanction, regulating the sale of patent and secret medicines:

These are not (1) substances and preparations contained in and sold under the names given in the German Pharmacopoeia; (2) substances recognized by medical science and practice as effecting cures; (3) all substances stated to be disinfectants, perfumes, food and condiments, and all strengthening preparations. The public advertising of secret medicines is prohibited; the bottles or receptacles containing the substance and covers must distinctly show the name of the article, and that of the maker, with his address, as well as that of the firm which sells it, and the price. It is prohibited to put on the bottles, or to wrap them in papers setting forth recommendations, certificates or any mention of cases in which the medicine effects a cure or has a preventive effect. Any secret medicine which the druggist is doubtful about being safe to sell may be given only on a doctor's prescription, and in such case the bottle must bear the words "May only be given on a prescription." Secret medicines which are injurious to health, or by means of which swindling is evident, are not allowed. Those considered as such will be named by the respective governments of each German

State

The Soda Industry of China.-A special report of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, from a correspondent in China, says:

"The presence of this article enroute to Pekin puzzled me considerably, and I, therefore, took pains to make inquiries on the subject while in Kalgan, with the following results:

"The soda industry is a government monopoly, but the refining of the crude article was farmed out, some 200 years ago, to ten firms whose descendants still carry on the process and amass large fortunes from it. I made the acquaintance of the head of one of these firms, who, in addition to the soda business, is one of the largest grain dealers and millers in Kalgan. I learned from this Chinese gentleman that, during the present year, 9,000 carts of crude soda (each cart bringing 600 caddies-a caddy is one and

The Scarcity of Soap Among the Boers is attracting much attention in the lay press of England. Truth, of London, points out that too great importance is attached to this feature of Boer life. The editor claims that the rough clothing worn next to the skin by the Boers answers the hygienic purposes of soap. He calls attention to the fact that Napoleon used bran in place of soap, and that French ladies have discarded soap for vaseline.

The Early Closing Movement is by no means confined to the United States. The druggists of West Berlin, with one exception, close their establishments at nine o'clock on Sundays and holidays. The Chemist and Druggist says that up to date no complaints have been made by customers. We congratulate the

a district 200 miles north of Kalgan.

"This crude soda, laid down in Kalgan, costs the firms about four taels (or $2.80 in gold) per cart load of 600 caddies. Two cart loads (or 1,200 caddies) refine down to 750 caddies, and it takes two camels to transport this amount to Pekin, enroute to Tientsia. The minimum price for 750 caddies of refined soda, in Tientsin, is 25 taels (or $17.50 in gold). It generally commands a high price in the market.

"The largest amount of crude soda that ever came into Kalgan in one year was 30,000 cart loads. The Tientsin representative of the Kalgan firm, whose proprietor I met in Kalgan, is soon to call upon me at this office and bring me samples of the soda, which samples I will forward to the museum, to be shown to those who wish to make further inquiries on this subject.”

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS.

Mississippi Board of Pharmacy.

Applied Pharmacy, Posology and Toxicology.-1. Give common names of the following: Phenol, phenylic alcohol, sodium chloride, hydrogen protoxide, hydrargyrum ammoniatum, calx chlorata, calcium sulphate, liquor ferri subsulphatis, liquor iodi co., syrupi scillæ co.

2. Give official title of the following: Glauber salts, blue stone, sugar of lead, citrine ointment, blistering liquid, gray powder, blue ointment, Lugol's solution, Carron oil, Basham's mixture.

3. Name ten powerful poisons and state antidote for each. 4. Criticise the following:

R Quin. sulph....

Ac. sulph. arom..

Potass. iod..

Aqua ad..

gr. xvi.

q. s.

9 i.

f3 ii.

R ft.; M.; aa.; ad.; t. i. d.; coch.; parv.; mitte.; tales; q. s. 8. Give ordinary adult dose of the following: Fowler's solution; Donovan's solution; Lugol's solution; spiritus mindererus; carbolic acid; tr. hyosciamus; wine opium; tr. belladonna; strychnine.

9. Give dose and medical properties of the following: Acetanilid, sulfonal, phenacetine; antifebrine, antipyrine, resorcin gallic acid, tannin, zinc sulphate, bismuth subgallate.

10 State relative doses by mouth, by enema, hypodermically. State relative doses for children and adults.

Materia Medica.-1. What is Kino? How obtained? Principal constituent. Effect of acid on its solution; effect of alkali on its solution; effect of age on its tincture; official preparations; medicinal properties; doses.

2. Arnica-Botanical name; part of plant used; country from which obtained; medical properties; effect of overdose; official preparations.

3 Creasota-How obtained? Appearance. Form best for medicinal use; effect of acid on it; with what sometimes adulterated, and how detected; medicinal properties; dose.

4. Glycerin-What is it? How prepared; appearance; specific gravity; some impurities found in it, and tests; some official preparations it enters into; medicinal properties.

5. Carbolic Acid-From what obtained; how; appearance; melting point; does it unite with water; effect of pure acid on the skin; how distinguished from creosote; medical properties; dose; antidote.

6. Tannic Acid-From what obtained? How? How detected in solution; effect on solutions of starch, albumen and gelatin; medical properties; official preparations; doses of each.

7. Anisum-Part of plant used; description of it; principal constituent; how obtained; important tincture it enters into; medical properties; dose.

8. Give mode of preparing and doses and strength of the following preparations: Aqueous ext. opium, tincture opium, tincture opium deod., tincture opium camph., acetum opii, vinim opii, morphine. Give antidote for opium poisoning.

9. Name several medicinal plants found in Mississippi; state properties, doses and official preparations of each.

10. State sources, official preparations and properties of each of the following: Cantharides, musk, inspissated galls, pepsin, pancreatin.

Pharmacy.-1. What branches of science constitute a knowledge of pharmacy? Briefly outline laws governing the practice of pharmacy and the sale of poisons in Mississippi. What book is the standard of quality for drugs and medicinal preparations? 2. What is weight? What is the relative weight of substances compared with a given standard termed? What is this standard for liquids and solids? What systems of weights are commonly used by druggists? What in filling prescriptions? In buying and selling? What is recognized by the U. S. P?

3. How many grains in an avoirdupois pound? In one gram? How many cubic centimeters in 14 fl. ounces? What is the supposed capacity of the following: Teaspoonful, dessertspoonful, tablespoonful, wineglassful, teacupful. Is the measuring of liquids by drops accurate? State relative value of drops in some different liquids.

4. What is meant by solution? Name classes of official solutions. Name an alcoholic solution. An aqueous solution. Are any tinctures simple solutions? Name them.

5. Define the following terms: Tincture, fluid extracts, spirits, aqua, ointment, cerate, glycerite infusion, decoration, oleate. 6. Briefly describe the following processes: Percolation, infusion, crystallization, emulsification, filtration.

7. What is meant by solubility? State the amount of each of the following, soluble in a fluid ounce of water: Potass. acet., potass. iod., potass. bromid., potass. chlorate.

8. State ingredients and mode of preparing the following: Pulv. creta, co., pulv. ipec. co., pulv. jalap co. lotio nigra, linimentum calcis.

9. How is the measure of temperature reckoned? What is the freezing point of the Fahrenheit scale? The boiling point? What is the unit of the Centigrade scale? The boiling point?

10. Outline process for preparing deodorized tincture opium. State object of each procedure. What is the percentage of opium in this preparation? How does it compare in strength with tincture opium? Why is it supposed to be superior?

Chemistry.-1. Define chemistry. Define an element. An atom. A molecule.

2. What are chemical symbols? What do the figures written before the letters of the symbols indicate? What the figures to the right and below?

3. Define the theory of atomic weight.

4. What is the definition of an acid? What is an Alkali?

5. Give the distinguishing difference between metals and nonmetals.

6. What is nitrogen? Give its properties, source and process for obtaining it.

7. Give formula and process for manufacture of sulphuric acid. 8. Give symbol for arsenic. Name preparations in common use. Give antidote and tests for same.

9. Define the difference between organic and inorganic compounds.

10. What is alcohol? How is it made? Describe its properties and its effect on the human system.

In Dublin. -Mike: And what was the result of the post-mortem? Dan-And in faith they cut the man open and made a careful examination, but were unable to discover whether or not the man was living at the time of his death.-[Spatula.

PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS.

Read This Before You Write.

Contributions on subjects of interest to the pharmaceutical profession are always welcome. Write upon but one side of the sheet and spell out in full the names of medicines; never use abbreviations. The editor pays no attention to anonymous communications.

Wants a Better Illinois Pharmacy Law.—Is it not about time to call a halt and have our pharmacy laws corrected or amended, or enforce the ones we have? In this immediate neighborhood there are five little stations, and in each place there is some farmer-merchant vending any and all patent medicines and a few of the more common staple drugs; and I am informed they have permits to do so from our State Board of Pharmacy. If there is any law granting such permits it should be repealed so as to make the pharmacy laws consistent within themselves. We know the pharmacy laws compel and require a man to be a registered pharmacist before he can sell a patent medicine or any drug whatever, and he is forbidden the privilege of recommending them; and a registered assistant can sell them only under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. Yet, we can go out into the country to a little burg of only one or two stores and see some farmer standing up selling and recommending this or that patent medicine with impunity; and again, in this town, we find three doctor's offices which are virtually and to all intents and purposes small drug stores. They never write prescriptions, and it is

said you

can buy from some of them anything they keep in the drug line, in any quantity, plain or compounded; it is strongly intimated that some of them sell liquor without even a government license. In the light of all these facts, is it strange that the average retail druggist is compelled to sell more or less liquor? His profession and legitimate trade is being swallowed up by every Tom, Dick and Harry who chooses to make war on him, and yet, according to our pharmacy laws, or their enforcement, at least, we are restrained and restricted in our actions, and we pay $1.50 each year to be held in subjection while our adversaries go free and unrestricted. In conclusion I again say, is it not time to call a halt? I should like to hear from others on the subject.-[JUSTICE.

Hospital Stewards (Pharmacists) in the Marine Hospital Service. The present status of the pharmacist in the Marine Hospital Service is not enough to put in print-his rank is so far down on the scale of order and precedence that it is just above the scrubber, carpenter, and ambulance driver. He is in no position to demand any social relations with the medical officers, and, as a consequence, he lives a life within himself only to find friendship outside of the reservation. Your being a gentleman counts for nothing save your own satisfaction. But you can say -"It has taken just as much of my time, money and brains to educate myself as it has these medical officers who seem to find a certain pride in making you feel that they rank you."

The interne (no salary) dons his uniform as soon as the father, mother, sister or aunt sends him enough cash to purchase one, and struts about the wards of the hospital before the poor unsuspecting sailor patients.

Now, this self-same interne, just fresh from a medical college-no experience and no compensation, save all he can eat, laundry and a bed—is appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury for a period of one year, steps in and ranks a hospital steward of five, ten, fifteen, or twenty years' experience!

I have known of an instance when a good and loving mother discovered that her daughter was entertaining a man who had the title of hospital steward and for bade her permitting him pass their threshold, for the reason that he was a cook! Ye gods and innocent angels! She had a right to; for a steward was a cook on her husband's fishing smack-why not one in anything that had Marine to it? Every hospital steward in the service to-day will vouch for the many embarrassments he has encountered on account of this misleading title. Ninety per cent of the public think exactly as this mother, and the average medical officer takes pride in terming a pharmacist as "his steward" -verily, a body-guard.

One hundred and ninety-nine small details (no, that is an exaggeration; it is nearer one hundred and ninety-eight)-care and account of public property, inspecting all hospital supplies, making all reports by the day, month and year, discipline of attendants (if the medical officer supports him), compounding medicine and disinfectants, supervision of everything that goes on from day to day-all this and plenty more the pharmacist has to do, and is directly responsible for it to the medical officer; and in turn the medical officer quietly signs his pay roll for three times the amount the hospital steward receives. Is this justice? Is it equity? If Uncle Sam (the emblem of the free, created equal) could be a Pinkerton detective for six months at any Marine Hospital, he would go to Congress with tears in his eyes and apologize to the "powers that be" for the oppression, injustice, and humiliation that his graduates in pharmacy have had to contend with. I hear the prosperous one say (what the medical officer has already said): "If you don't like it, why don't you get out?" Well, we got in because we had to; we were on our last pegs (the same condition that 75% of all government employes were, including the medical officers) and we are too poor yet to get out; we have devoted the best part of our lives to this branch of the public service, and now we are practically unfit to begin any other class of work; there is nothing outside that we are especially adapted for; we are a sort of "Jack of all trades;" the position of hospital steward demands that a man know something about everything-a condition that cannot be expected in hardly any other department, either in civil or public employment.

Now, Mr. Civil Service Commissioner, haven't you been having trouble obtaining suitable candidates, and does not your requirements demand a first-class man in every particular to pass your examinations? Are

the best men applying? If not-why? The answer will soon follow.

Now, Mr. Secretary of the Treasury, you are the "happy medium.” If the supervising Surgeon. General recommends our advancement after we have run the gantlet of the Civil Service, can't you help us out of the mire? Or do you wish the hospital steward of this government to continue to be regarded as a hotel "super"?

Mr. Congress, last but not least, now what do you really know about us? Has any one ever told you the real truth? Has it not been all a one-sided affair so far? Our bill is read before your honorable body and it goes the route of the carrier pigeon-to the traditional hole! If you appoint a committee to inquire about us, send them where they can find out the facts. True, we have regulations-are they theoretical? Yes, so far as the hospital steward is concerned, for he has about twice as much to do as the regulations specify. Then, you say, why do you do it? Firstwe are subordinates, and that implies to do what you are told; that makes a good soldier, in the eyes of a commander, even if you do have to hop on a wooden leg (which you pay for out of your pocket) the rest of your life. Second-if you question an order, woe be unto you! You are insubordinate, and that is an offence. For policy's sake alone, as subordinate as we are, we cannot afford to be "antagonistic," and once a medical officer "gets it in" for you the chances are your name is "mud," and might be called "dust" for short, and of the explosive variety. The regulations require us to be graduates in pharmacy—it is a professional requirement, and you do not reward it accordingly on a comparative basis, viz.: with the "M. D." My advice to any pharmacist is to keep aloof from the government service until a status is given, and until you can be treated as, and demand the courtesy due, a professional man.

It is obvious that the best class of pharmacists have begun to seek positions in civil life, well knowing, by | what has been written and published, that the life is an unpleasant one at best.

Whenever there is a medical congress or an association meeting of any importance in the United States or abroad, one of the medical officers of the service is invariably detailed to "represent the service." But how about a pharmaceutical meeting? Are any of the hospital stewards sent to represent their part of the profession? Never!

In the winter season the hospital steward wears a uniform which looks like that of a street car conductor on some "bum" line; and in the summer season, one of white material that would be mistaken for a suit of the late Colonel Waring's street-cleaning "gang."

If the pharmacist of the United States will completely ignore all efforts of the Civil Service Commission to obtain applicants, thus creating a greater demand, they will wake up to the fact that "something is rotten in Denmark."

eyes of the laity by the standard that the government recognizes its pharmacists. Do this and it will be the straw that indicates the way the wind is blowing. Justice has been hoodwinked long enough.

All hospital stewards are subject to a change of station to any clime. One is now in the Philippines, at Manila, one in Havana, Cuba, and one in San Juan, Puerto Rico; scattered at stations all over these United States, from Fort Stanton, N. M., to Portland, Ore., and Maine; serving in the several capacities at quarantine stations, exposed to infectious diseases such as yellow fever, cholera, etc., just as much as the commissioned medical officer; and if you die from a disease contracted at this duty your widow and children receive no pension or allowance of any kind, save the amount that is due you for services from the first of the month to the date you die, and that is not worth swearing for.

The duties and responsibilities of the hospital steward and commanding officers are closely allied, so much so that Surgeon-General Wyman, in one of his reports (1890, pages 122-124-125), states:

"In a marine hospital the steward more nearly fulfills the requirements of an executive officer than can a past assistant surgeon, who, with this added title, cannot lift any responsibility from the surgeon in charge. *** The duties of hospital steward are set forth with great care and detail, and in these paragraphs may be found the key to the internal administration of the hospital as desired by the department. The writer cannot too strongly urge that every steward be made to feel that no function of his office is more important than that of domestic oversight and management. There is no other one upon whom this can properly devolve. The general principles governing medical officers should, so far as practicable, govern also the stewards."

Comment is unnecessary; the facts therein speak for themselves so far as duty is concerned, but as to rank and pay-ah, "there's the rub!" The medical officers have all that to themselves, and it would seem that there is none left.

In the name of justice, the hospital steward should be a commissioned officer in the Marine Hospital Service, with all the perquisites allowed that rank; he deserves to be placed in order with the assistant surgeons. In many instances his services are worth more than those of the assistant surgeon as pertains to economy in expenditure of public funds, etc.

It is under the domain of the hospital steward's judgment and ability to exercise economy for the government's welfare, but at his present standard he receives no encouragement and is given no credit for the careful performance of his office. The pharmacists of the United States should unite in putting forth every effort possible for the better status of pharmacists in the government employ-write to their congressmen, to the president, the secretary of the treasury and the supervising surgeon-general, inviting attention to our case. Other periodicals in sym

DRUGGIST. [PHARMACIST.

QUIZ DEPARTMENT.

Read This Before You Ask a Question.

Many questions are thrown in the waste basket each month on account of the correspondents failing to give name and address. The editor has a large basket for such questions. Write questions on separate sheets and on but one side of the paper. No questions will be answered by mail. Spell out in full every word; never abbreviate the names of medicines.

Microcosmic Salt (56) is the ammonio-sodium phosphate.

Liquid Sanitol (57).—We are unable to give you a formula for this preparation.

Marshmallow Linctus (58).-Can any of our readers furnish the formula?

Tilburg Fox's Calamine Lotion (59) is a preparation, the formula of which we are unable to give.

Re-registration in Missouri Not Necessary (60).The bill which you have in mind did not become a law.

Fumigating Tea (61).-Tea manufacturers are said to fumigate their tea before packing. A subscriber asks how this is done. Can any of our readers answer?

Quick Light (62).—We have been unable to procure a formula for the preparation of this material, which is used in touching off tableau lights. We suggest, however, that it can be made by wrapping gun powder in tough, thin paper after the fashion of fuse found in fire crackers.

Izaac's Paste for Acne (63).—The Journal de médicine de Paris for November 12, gives the following formula:

M. To be applied in the evening, and removed in the morning with a little tar water.

Compound Syrup of Iceland Moss (64).—Pour cold water on one-half ounce of Iceland Moss and let it stand twelve hours, then pour off and throw away. Boil horehound, one-half ounce; liverwort, one-half ounce, and the softened carrageen with one pint of water for twenty minutes or more, then strain twelve fluid ounces and dissolve in the liquid twenty-four ounces avoirdupois of sugar. This is an excellent demulcent cough syrup. Dose: A teaspoonful or more.-[Fenner's Complete Formulary, seventh edi

tion.

Sweet Castor Oil, or Emulsio Olei Ricini Glusi. data (65).—Castor oil, one fluid ounce; gum acacia, | in powder, 180 grains; essential oil of bitter almonds, two minims; oil of cloves, one minim; gluside (saccharin), one grain; distilled water, sufficient to make four fluid ounces. Rub the gluside (saccharin) with the gum and the essential oils in a mortar. Add onehalf ounce of the water at once. Add the castor oil by degrees, stirring, and the remainder of the water in the same manner. Dose, one-half to two fluid

Mix the gaduol with the glycerin and triturate with the Fuller's earth, add the fluid extracts and

syrup; shake well. Let stand for a day, agitating occasionally; filter, and to the filtrate add the syrup of hypophosphites and sufficient caramel to color.

Zinc Sulpho-Carbolate Not an Internal Medicine (67). "Why does the United States Dispensatory persist in saying sulpho-carbolate of zinc is not used internally? Are the authors a little repose?"

We submitted your query to Dr. H. C. Wood, one of the authors of the United States Dispensatory, who says:

"I did not know that there was anyone ignorant enough living to give sulpho-carbolate of zinc as internal medicine. If such a fossil remains on earth, if possible please secure him for the miocene-age department of the National Museum at Washington. Certainly, sulpho-carbolate of zinc in an internal medicine, and, in fact, in any medicine, is without value; any indications it might be used for can be met much better by other remedies."

Cement for Glass, Leather and Wood (68).—1. Make a solution of two parts shellac in two parts solution of camphor and six to eight parts alcohol.

2. The best cement is made by dissolving finelyscraped celluloid in spirit of wine.

3. Dissolve two parts shellac in two parts spirit of camphor, and add seven parts of strong alcohol. Apply warm.

4. Celluloid cement.-This formula is practically a trade secret. It can be obtained from the Celluloid Co., of New York.

Under the heading "Cement for Glass" we find the following:

....2 parts.

Powdered kaolin (passed through a

very fine sieve).. Before applying, the surface to be joined must be carefully heated.

To Kill Bugs in Drugs (69).-A writer in the Pharmaceutical Journal says: With regard to the remedies which may be applied, many antiseptics have been proposed. Many of the remedies are toxic, and are hence almost worse than the disease. The vapor of carbon bisulphide is fatal to insects in all stages except the egg stage. If the drugs are placed in a tightly stoppered vessel and a few drops of carbon bisulphide sufficient to charge the vessel with vapor, poured in, any larva or adult beetle will be killed.