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THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
PHARMACY IN COUNTRY AND TOWN. 
By “ Pila.” 
After years of pestle and mortar work in the old country, it has been my good 
fortune to visit Victoria — not only the city of Melbourne, but many country 
towns and remote settlements. I am not, after the manner of travellers in 
general, going to pester you, Mr. Editor, with a cut and dried opinion about this 
country and the “wonderful future that lies before it,” nor will I hazard an 
estimate of the probable population when the year 2000 is reached. But 
wherever I have gone I have always had the curiosity to interview the local man, 
or men, in order to find out if the condition of the pharmacist in general at this 
side of the world is better or worse than in England. 
Experience No. 1 was obtained in a town pleasantly situated, bearing 
a somewhat scriptural name, if my memory serves me. Feeling a little feverish 
the morning after my arrival, I steered for the main street, on the look out for 
the “leading chemist.” “Sir, can you give me a box of your best Seidlitz 
powders p” I queried. The man of medicine gave me a reproachful look for 
disturbing him whilst in the enjoyment of his Melbourne paper, folded it, placed 
it within easy reach, and then retired behind his counter. Drawers were pulled 
out, cases opened, but not a Seidlitz was forthcoming. Then came the cool 
information, “I find I am out of Seidlitz powders, but I can recommend Eno’s 
fruit salt; it’s a very good thing indeed!” “But, I remonstrated, “you charge 
4s. 6d. for Eno, and I can get a box of Seidlitz for Is. 6d.” No Seidlitz was 
to be had, however, so it was Eno or nothing. 
Experience No. 2 was with a man of another stamp, and in a much smaller 
town. This gentleman indulged a decided antipathy to the patent medicine 
trade. He was a little bright-eyed man, with a decided manner, short and 
abrupt, so, when I asked for a small box of “ Highcockalorum’s pills,” he at 
once put in a protest. To this I listened with patience, more especially as it 
bore a family likeness to the arguments I had been in the habit of using when 
trying to dispose of my own infallible antibilious preparation instead of the 
aforesaid Highcockalorum’s. When he had finished I replied that, personally, I 
had the greatest confidence in his pharmaceutical skill, but that in this particular 
instance I was only executing a commission for a member of my family who* 
from constant perusal of advertisements under the heading “ Medical,” had come 
to the conclusion that the pill in question was a panacea for all present and 
future ills, and that no chemist (I concealed my own connection with drugs) 
apothecary, or doctor was a “circumstance” upon the advertiser of them. 
With a smile of pity for allowing myself to be so meanly “ bossed,” he 
handed over the pills, charging me a price that left him as good a profit as if 
he had sold me his own compound. Whilst waiting in this pharmacy, the value 
of which— lock, stock, and barrel— did not exceed £100, a selector rode up to 
consult the chemist and obtain some medicine for his sick wife, no doctor 
being accessible under a nine-mile ride. A mixture and liniment were handed 
over the miniature counter in a trice, and 9s. received in exchange, which I» 
with a knowledge of the amount of work expected in the old country for that 
sum, thought extremely good. 
After this we chatted, and the little fellow told me his expenses were 
small, profits good, but the returns and business very irregular. Of course the 
place was supremely dull, but, as he could afford to keep a good horse, his 
recreation was to ride about and visit the neighbouring selectors, locking up the 
establishment meanwhile. Better this, I thought, than the weary round of 
drudgery gone through by many a poor pill-maker at home. 
