THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. 



By George VV. Hague, Ph. G., Freeport, N. Y. 



TO KEEP FLIES AWAY FROM FOUNTAIN. 



As every pharmacist knows, the way to keep flies away from the 

 soda fountain is to keep the same perfectly clean, but mignonette 

 - plants around the fountain will also keep flies away. This plant has 

 a raspberry odor which flies dislike. 



TO CUT WAX, PARAFFINE AND COCOA BUTTER. 



The usual way to cut these is with an axe or hatchet, which usually 

 wastes too much. After much exasperation the writer discovered 

 that a No. O steel guitar wire is the proper thing. Heat the wire 

 over a flame and draw across the wax. 



KEEPING INSECTS OUT OF CRUDE DRUGS. 



The old method of dropping chloroform in crude drugs to keep out 

 insects is very good, but the writer knows of a cheaper one, namely, 

 "sassafras bark." A few small pieces of this bark placed into a can 

 of crude drugs will last almost indefinitely. 



TO CLEAN SIEVES. 



Cleaning the drug store sieves is rather a difficult task, for using 

 soap and water only causes them to rust. Rubbing the sieve with a 

 towel does not dense it and not only rubs holes in the towel, but fills 

 the towel with rust. After trying several ordinary methods I selected 

 a stifl- clothes brush and now have no difficulty. 



MAKING SYRUP OF TAR U. S. P. 



Weighing out and manipulating the tar in manufacturing this syrup 

 is rather troublesome. The tar usually sticks to the paper that it is 

 weighed out on, and also results in a loss of tar in the syrup. To 

 overcome this difficulty proceed as follows: ,Weigh out the required 

 amount of gravel on a piece of paper — any kind of paper will answer — 

 being careful to use no more or no less gravel than the United States 

 Pharmacopoeia directs; next leave the gravel on the scale pan and 

 weigh the tar on top of the said gravel. The two can be placed into 

 a mortar without sticking to the paper, or without using a spatula, as 

 the tar does not even touch the paper that it is weighed on. 



Meyer Brothers Druggist. 



QUITE A FEAT. 



"Yes, my views shocked the civilized world," 

 "Yoii seem elated." 



"Why not? It takes a good bit to shock the civilized world 

 these days." — Kansas City Journal. 



