November 9, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
379 
the day; but through the consideration of the medical men, 
and a little wise arrangement on our part, the Sunday work 
(although still requiring some one to be in attendance) became 
a mere bagatelle before I had been there two years, to the 
manifest comfort of us all, and without loss or inconvenience 
to any. 
Nearly twelve years since I entered upon my present business 
(established by my predecessor more than fifty years before), 
and so satisfied was I with the result of past experience, and 
so firm in my convictions, that I determined from the very 
first that the shop should be closed on the Sunday, notwith¬ 
standing that most of the neighbouring chemists took down 
their shutters on that day. 
I had a notice placed on one of the door shutters stating 
the hours when medicines could be obtained. Medical men 
and patients seemed to see the reasonableness of such ar¬ 
rangement, and I do not know that in all these years there has 
been three complaints as to any inconvenience; whilst the 
■comfort to myself has been so great, that although we may, 
perhaps, have lost the sale for some few quantities of hair- 
oil, cigars, vinegar, and other such like pharmaceutical 
articles, which would doubtless have been asked for had the 
shutters been down, nothing would induce me to alter our 
present course. 
Another very satisfactory feature ought to be mentioned, 
which is, that although my business increases, the amount of 
■even legitimate Sunday work has gradually decreased, and is 
now a mere nothing. When I came here first, the majority 
of the trade took their shutters down. Now, out of about 
forty chemists in a city of considerable importance, with about 
six physicians, there is not altogether three chemists who 
keep their shutters down, and these not dispensing esta¬ 
blishments. 
The fact is, the Sunday trade, as too generally carried on, 
is not done out of necessity, but for the mere sake of a little 
paltry gain. 
The following is a copy of a label which we place on our 
bottles, now modified in accordance with the improved state 
■nf things in this city. 
"In common with most others in the city, this establishment 
is closed on Sundays. 
Attendance will be given for the sujojplg of Medicines :— 
Morning.9 until 10. 
Afternoon.• . . 1 until 2. 
Evening.5, and 8 until 10. 
We all know that patients must have their necessary medi¬ 
cines supplied, be the call when it may; but if, instead of 
.arranging for this, we seek to put forth the exigencies of our 
business as an excuse for doing a seventh-day’s trade, we shall 
neither gain the regard of those in our employ, nor even the 
respect of those for whom we cater. 
ONE WHO HAS KNOWN THE DRUG TRADE MORE THAN 
Thirty Years. 
Creasote and Carbolic Acid. 
Sir,—Mr. Enno Sander, of St. Louis, reported to a meeting 
of the American Pharmaceutical Association that he had 
tested several specimens of creasote, and had found only one 
to reply to the glycerine test. This confirms my statement 
made at the British Pharmaceutical Conference, and published 
an the Pharm. Journ. of the 21st September. Since these 
observations were made, we have examined numerous im¬ 
ported specimens, and have found only one, that produced 
by Mr. Trommsdorff, to be the genuine creasote of Reiclien- 
bach. All the others were phenic acid, or a mixture of that 
.acid in large proportion. 
I have no doubt that creasote may be obtained by the dis¬ 
tillation of various resins. The interesting remarks on 
Guaiaeol made by Mr. Williams at the Brighton meeting 
prove, at all events, that it may be prepared from Gum 
Guaiacum. T. N. R. Morson. 
Patent Medicine Licence. 
Sir,—As a London druggist, allow me strongly to repudiate 
the idea put forth both by ‘An old Country Pharmacist’ and Mr. 
.George Brown, of Sandown, namely, that it is for the benefit 
of London members that the Patent Medicine Licence should 
be altered. Above all things, whatever is done for the coun¬ 
try, let the London licence remain as at present. Chemists 
do not seem to sufficiently look at the actual circumstances of 
the case. A chemist is compelled to have the licence, for not 
only does everybody expect him to keep patent medicines, but 
without it he could make no single proprietary medicine of 
his own, and he would soon be fined for selling something he 
little expected. The Act not only forbids the sale of stamped 
medicines without a licence, but also those chargeable with 
the duty, whether they are stamped or not. So it is quite a 
mistake to suppose an unlicensed person can tear off the stamp 
and sell as many or as few as he likes. I remember a case 
where a chemist at Sandown w'as fined (having imprudently 
allowed his licence to lapse without renewal) for selling a 
bottle of essence of ginger which was recommended for wind 
and spasms. He was fined for both offences ; first, for not 
stamping the bottle; and, secondly, for not having a licence. 
With the outsider it is mere speculation. He sees that to 
deal in Patent Medicines is the easiest thing in creation, and 
it is only a question shall he make it pay. Five shillings is 
such an insignificant sum, that dozens give it a successful 
trial who would not risk one or two pounds, and thus do the 
chemist far more harm than the extra cost of the licence 
would. The idea of their selling more of Dinneford’s, Con- 
dy’s, or Goddard’s, because they do not keep the stamped 
articles, seems to me purely imaginary. Fancy a customer 
who came for Holloway’s Pills being persuaded to try Con- 
dy’s Fluid, or one for Clark’s Blood Mixture being recom¬ 
mended Goddard’s Plate Powder. I certainly hold an opposite 
opinion. I believe the man who keeps the whole round of 
patent and proprietary medicines will do more in each parti¬ 
cular one than a tradesman who keeps but a few special 
articles. The public do not readily understand the difference 
between stamped and unstamped, and I think a customer is 
more likely to go where he is certain of getting all he wants, 
than to a place where he has been told before to come only tor 
unstamped preparations. 
I would suggest £2 for London, and £1 for the country, as 
many of our country friends are so timorous. 
Wm. G. Taplin. 
75 , Hampstead Hoad, London, N.W., Nov. oth, 1872. 
The Supply op Assistants. 
Sir,—Mr. J. M. Fairlie is, perhaps, correct -when he says 
“ assistants of the right sort are not to be had,” but I think 
the reasons he gives for their scarcity are entirely wrong. 
Does he think that assistants well-up in their business can be 
had for salaries of £50 per annum (out-door), salaries only too 
common in Glasgow ? 
There is no doubt but that the underpaid assistants in 
Scotland must feel the Examination Fees press upon them 
rather hardly ; but of all I have met with (and I have met 
not a few) I have never heard one complain of the fees being 
excessive. It surely cannot be a fee of three guineas which is 
driving some to sacrifice both time and money to gain the 
higher profession of physician, as Mr. Fairlie points out. 
The cry for reduction of fees seems to me, Sir, to come entirely 
from the wrong quarter. The fact of assistants becoming 
scarce, which I am very glad to learn, seems to point to a 
better future for 
An Underpaid Assistant. 
Specimen op Commercial Morality. 
Sir,—Will you permit us through your columns to make 
public a very pretty specimen of commercial morality ? 
We have just been weighing over two cases of sponge, with 
the following result;— 
No. 1. 
Invoice Weights. 
Heal Weights. 
Gross. 98 lb. 
. . 97 1b. 
Tare. 16 lb. 
. . 18$ lb. 
Allowance for sand 16 lb. 
. . 571b. (1!) 
Net weight of sponge 65 lb. 
. . 20 lb. 13 oz. (!! 
No. 2. 
Invoice Weights. 
Heal Weights. 
Gross.128 lb. 
. . 85J lb. 
Tare. 20 lb. 
. . 20 lb. 
Allowance for sand 27 lb. 
. . 45* lb. (1!) 
Net weight of sponge 80 lb. 
. . 20 1b. (! !) 
In No. 1 there is the enormous deficiency of 451b. in a 
weight of 65 lb.; in No. 2 a deficiency of 60 lb. in 801b., 
and yet the parties from whom we purchased them say, in 
