16 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. -Tax. 1, 1887 
CoiTcspaubcnce. 
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Write on oneside of the jmjyer only, and write early. 
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“ Speak freely what you think .'’ — Shakespeare. 
THE PATENT MEDICINE TEADE. 
A Bold Proposal. 
To the Editor of The Chemist and Dmgfist of Australasia. 
Sir, — Now that my allegations regarding the favour shown 
to grocers by the wholesale houses at the expense of the retail 
chemists, have been confirmed by the silence of those houses, 
may I be permitted to bring before the chemists of Australasia 
a proposition for combating the evil which appears to me to be 
the only feasible one, since no move is likely to be made in the 
direction of obtaining legislation for the purpose of suppres- I 
sing our unqualified competitors. It is that an offer, signed 
by all the chemists in each colony, should be made to the 
proprietors of patent medicines, Ac., to pay a slightly higher 
rate for tlieir goods, provided they gave us a monopoly of their 
sale to the exclusion of co-operative stores, grocers, and 
others. Supposing the article cost the wholesale houses 10/6 
and they sell to the retailers at 12/6, the prices might be j 
advanced to 11/- and 13/- and the retail price might then readily 
be maintained at 18/-. Such an arrangement would make no 
difference to the wholesale houses since they would sell as 
much one way as the other. It would positively benefit the 
proprietors and also the retailers, for the former would get 
more for what they sold, and would have no falling off in 
their sales, since chemists find that it is very seldom that they 
can substitute another proprietary in place of the one they are 
asked for if they happen not to have it in stock, and the stores 
would have even less facilities for substitution than chemists, 
while the increased profits would take away from the latter 
any temptation to substitute, which they have atjjresent, and, 
lastly, the retailers would have the satisfaction of not only 
making better profit on what they did sell, but of vastly in- 
creasing their sales, and of crushing their enemies at the 
same time. 
As to the modus operandi, I would suggest that where trade 
associations exist they should take the matter up, and send 
round circulars for signature at once, and that, where there is 
no sucli body, a meeting should be called in the capitals and 
a committee appointed for the puipose. 
The great advantage of the plan is that while it promises 
the maximum of effect it will require only a minimum of co- 
operation, the thing of all others which experience has taught 
me is the most difficult to secure amongst chemists, and I 
look forward with hope to early practical results. Thanking 
you for the courtesy you have always shown me in inserting 
my letters — I remain, yours, &c., ° 
Victoria. “ YTTRIUM.” 
HOW TO MEET COMPETITION. 
To the Editor of The Chemist and Druggist of Australasia. 
Sir, — I have been expecting some of the brighter members 
of our trade to dilate on the subject of our grievances which 
formed a theme for Mr. Barker at Violet Town, and some one 
writing under the name of an Element. I think we chemists 
in Victoria are beginning to feel the baneful effects of store 
competition, and unfair treatment by wholesale houses. I 
don’t think, as the law now stands, w^e can fairly expect to 
prevent grocers and others from stocking pills, Ac. Have 
they not a right to do as much trade as they can ? And surely 
they can do the Patent Medicine business as well as we, seeing 
there’s no more intellect required to wrap up a box of Cockle 
than a pound of sugar, and, if they choose, to cut the prices 
below those of the local chemists. Well, the latter are fools 
if they don t cut too. I have a firm of grocers here whose 
ambition seems to be most laudable, viz., to do as big a busi- 
ness as they can. They have reduced the Is. l^d. patents to 
(former price. Is. 6d.), and hoped, thereby, to get 
ci^dit for being cheap not only in phvsic, but also in groceries, 
I have followed suit, and though I’ve not doubled my sale of 
patents, still, I think, I have retained the sale of ninety-nine 
articles obtainable in these grocer-cum-needle and anchor 
shops met with up-country. Sure its pretty sound reasoning 
to conclude that if a person’s “ reasonable ” in one thing he 
is in another. And the public are like ourselves when out 
buying — they buy where they can get things cheapest. I have 
also been pushing the sale of Cr. Tart., ac. Tart., Sod. Bicarb 
(Coml.) Ess. Lemon, Senna Leaves, Ac., and w’ithsome effect, 
I sell them at the prices charged by my friends round me, 
and have them done up ready, with appropriate labels. I was 
rather disgusted when an ancient dame expressed surpise at a 
chemist selling Cr. Tartar, “ but asj’ou are reasonable in price, 
I’ll take a packet, which I shall expect to find superior.” 
I noticed in an Argus a few months back in an announce- 
ment of a sale of groceries that Senna Leaves were included — 
what the chemist is, I don’t know. 
I will leave this subject now, and hope other country che- 
mists will benefit by my experience, as the sale of the house- 
hold requisites. 
Much has been said about w'holesale chemists supplying 
private individuals at prices charged retail chemists. So far 
as I know, wholesalers invariably recommend these indi- 
viduals to the local chemist. However, I fancy ’twould be 
wise if the wholesale houses were a little more careful in the 
distribution of their price listc. A customer added a few more 
grey hairs to my noble head the other day by demanding a re- 
duction in trusses and Fellow’s Syr. He said they only cost 
me 2s, 6d. and 4s. 8d. each (handing a Melbourne price list), 
and I would have to come down as far as he was concerned. 
It is to our interests to burn old lists, and ask our wholesale 
firms to make out a separate list for brewers, cordial men, 
Ac. 
Then there are some upstart wholesale druggists who have 
a price for grocers, and higher one for chemists (but lower 
than our regular wholesalers), who kindly offer to put up our 
proprietaries for us. Retailers who support them only add 
another nail to their coffin, since it is plain that the more 
stuff they sell the larger buyers they will be, and, buying 
largely, they can supply the more cheaply to the stores, who, 
of course, will sell lower still. Anyway, we should not en- 
courage the existence of houses who sedulously cultivate the 
grocer trade. If things go on like this, we will only have the 
disj>ensing to do. One of these fellows tells his grocer cus- 
tomers that he is the smartest chemist in Australia, and by 
way of showing his smartness off, he told Sugarbags, that the 
chemists are dodgy, and up to all sorts of tricks, that his 01. 
Euc. is the genuine article from the tree, whilst oursis “cam- 
phor dissolved in ethereal spirit,” and similar stories. 
I shall have had a little more experience of the world in a 
few more months, and, spending my leisure in composition 
2 )ractice, I hope to put more facts before your readers in a 
better style. — Y'ours, Ac., 
BARAMBOGIE. 
Victoria, December 20, 1886. 
HOURS OF CLOSING. 
Oamaeu, November 24, 1886. 
To the Editor Chemist atul Druggist of Australasia. 
Dear Sir— Very few things have given me more satisfaction 
than the new Bill of Sir John Lubbock’s, for the purpose of 
regulating shop hours. I believe you havp something of the 
same kind in Victoria. I hope you have, and that it may 
also be introduced to New Zealand. I am surprised and 
pained to think that anyone engaged in this business should have 
the least objection to so reasonable a measure. Long hours 
embittered my life for many a year, being so unnecessary, 
and I think it great tyranny that any number of tradesmen 
should be compelled to keep their gas burning and shops 
wide open because, perhaps, one man only will not follow 
their example in closing at a reasonable hour. 
Why, Sir, are we not called at all hours of the night if 
urgently needed. If we closed at 6 or 8 instead of 10 or 11 
should we not be called all the same ? In this little town 
there are four of us vegetating, and although I have shown 
the way years ago for earlier hours none of the new-comers 
will follow my example, as for the sake of their own freedom 
I foolishly hoped they would. 
As in the natural order of life I cannot expect to see many 
more years my only reason for troubling you with this is the 
ardent wish I entertain of knowing that it will be less of a 
slavery for those that come after me.~Yours faithfully, 
EDWARD GEO. LANE. 
