July 16, 1870.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
59 
On the principle that “ one fact is worth a hundred argu¬ 
ments,” and that “example is better than precept,” a few 
samples of chemists’ English, copied verbatim from a couple 
of circulars which have casually fallen into the writer’s hands, 
are appended, in illustration of the above remarks.* They 
may serve to show the practical value of some acquaintance 
with English composition in compiling an ordinary trade 
circular. 
Circular No. 1 (issued by A. B.) is remarkable rather for 
the peculiarity of its diction than for anything positively un¬ 
grammatical. Under the heading “ Family Medicines,” the 
first article named is described as follows:— 
“ A. B.’s Family or, Antibilious Pills. 
“ For obviating habitual costiveness, removing giddiness, 
sick headache, loss of appetite, indigestion, flatulency, heart¬ 
burn, nausea, nervousness, etc., arising from biliary derange¬ 
ment, visceral obstructions, etc. 
“ They are compounded entirely from the vegetable materia 
medica, therefore require no keeping in the house. . . . By 
taking two or three doses of these pills, all the above symp¬ 
toms are speedily removed; an unusual degree of serenity 
pervades the mind . . . .” 
And well it may after such a wholesale exorcism of almost 
“all the ills that flesh is heir to” as is here suggested. The 
ludicrous inequality of cause and effect clearly shows that the 
laws regulating the action of physic have (in this case at 
least) no relation to those of physics. Another marvellous 
remedy is— 
“A. B.’s Pectoral Cough Mixture. 
“ This invaluable Medicine has the extraordinary (?) pro¬ 
perty of immediately relieving Coughs, Colds, Hoarseness, 
Difficulty of Breathing, etc. It immediately allays the tickling 
which provokes coughing, and removes the unpleasant sensa¬ 
tion of wheezing, by dissolving the congealed phlegm, and 
freeing the vessels of the lungs from acrimonious humours .” 
Towards the close of the circular the public are informed 
that “ Leeches and Medicines, or any article of necessity, 
may be had on Sundays,” etc.; and this curious production 
ends thus: “Every advice given respecting the uses and 
proper doses of Medicines. Although many of the most use¬ 
ful remedies have not received notice in the above List, it is 
not for the want of appreciation of their value or usefulness, 
but simply from their number being impossible to enumerate 
all, but all Medicines in general use, and the more recently 
introduced Scientific Remedies are kept in stock, or will be 
procured upon the shortest notice.” 
Circular No. 1 is, however, perspicuity itself compared with 
Circular No. 2, issued by C. D. The preamble strongly re¬ 
minds one of the incoherent evidence of an old woman in a 
police court; it reads thus:—i 
“ C. D. respectfully presents this List of Articles, soliciting 
pour favours, and assuring you that no exertion shall be 
omitted to merit your patronage and recommendation. 
“ Personal attention is paid to the Compounding of Physi- 
finished their apprenticeship, or even to apprentices who have 
been two or three years in the trade, it is clear that some 
period must be put to this sort of concession, or the object of 
increased stringency will not be attained. There will always 
be the same inducements for masters in country places to take 
lads of imperfect education, and keep them at “porter’s 
work” from morning to night. True, there is, in such cases, 
neither time nor inclination for study; but whose fault is 
this ? Is it not partly the masters’ ? And is it not a legiti¬ 
mate effect of the more stringent Preliminary Examination 
to compel employers to take no apprentices who have not had 
the requisite schooling, and to allow them some tijne at least 
for study ? This is quite as incumbent on employers in 
the country as in London, for, though there may be more 
rough work in the provinces, country chemists have duties to 
perform quite as responsible as those falling to the lot of their 
London brethren. As a practical suggestion, it might be 
worth consideration whether, in time, it could not be made 
compulsory for every intending apprentice to a chemist to 
pass the Preliminary before his indentures were signed. 
Given a suitable education, this is no doubt the period when 
it would be most easily passod ; and, where necessary, it 
would be better to wait a few months before entering on the 
apprenticeship, than to do so without having passed it. 
* Both these circulars emanated from shops within the 
London postal district, A. B. styling himself (though not on 
the circular) pharmaceutical chemist. 
cians’ Prescriptions and Family Recipes, and forwarded with 
the least possible delay, combined with the greatest care in 
dispensing and economy in charges.” 
The following extracts speak for themselves 
“Digestive Dinner Pills. 
“ Composed of Rhubarb, Ginger, Camomile, etc. 
“ They not only aid the Digestive Organs in performing 
their duty, but will also, if persevered with, restore them to 
their original strength.” 
“Succus Taraxaci. 
“ The expressed Juice of the Dandelion. 
“ Recommended for morbid conditions of the Liver and 
Organs, subservient to Digestion, and promoting a healthy 
secretion of bile.” 
[C. D. does not inform his customers what organs dande¬ 
lion is good for, whether barrel or chamber; but as they are 
spoken of in close connection with a liver, probably the 
latter.] . 
The circular appeal's to reach its climax, however, in the 
annexed unambiguous description of the symptoms indicating 
the use of a familiar pill:— 
“Compound Rhubarb Pills. 
“ Prepared in accordance with the British Pharmacopoeia, 
from the choicest Drugs. A mild and cordial Aperient, par¬ 
ticularly adapted to persons of sedentary habits, whose con- 
finement produces Dyspepsia and confined bowels .” 
"We are then informed that “broken Chilblains, Chapped 
Hands and Lips, or any Irritation of the Face and Skin, are 
cured” by “ Camphorated Cream,”—as the blackbeetles are 
said to be destroyed by the phosphorous paste,— “in one 
night;” also that “ Arnicated Chilblain Liniment, if used as 
soon as the itching sensation is felt, will relieve on the,/irs£ 
application,” and that“ Gout and Rheumatic Drops” always 
relieve. 
The antithesis in the following is remarkably abrupt and 
striking:—• 
“Rosemary and Cantharidine Hair Wash. 
“For preserving, cleansing, and preventing the Hair falling 
off- 
“ Confidently recommended for producing a new Growth 
of Hair.” 
Ttoo heads (though only one wash) are evidently referred 
to here, one on which there is merely decadence- of growth 
and one absolutely bald ; otherwise there would be a redun¬ 
dancy of properties in this wonderful wash, since by “ pre¬ 
venting the Hair falling off,” its power to “ produce a new 
growth ” would not be called into requisition;—unless (nappy 
thought!) the meaning is that where there is hair it keeps it 
on, and where there isn't hair it puts it on. C. D. is clearly 
another Rowland, if he does not out-Rowland Rowland. 
Although the above extracts thus irresistibly provoke a 
somewhat humorous treatment, they are not quoted in any 
sinister spirit, but as illustrations of the practical value of 
preliminary studies. 
Perhaps the chemists in question did not compile these 
circulars; iu that case, however, their dependence on others 
is a virtual confession of ignorance, while the fact that the 
circulars bear their names amoimts to an indorsement of their 
contents. With reference to trade interests, it will probably 
be admitted that if people do read circulars (and it is useless 
issuing them if they do not), the perusal of such as those here 
alluded to (especially the latter), by persons of fair education, 
would so tend to depreciate their opinion of the intelligence 
and capability of the chemists issuing them, as to render such 
very unwilling to trust them with the preparation of their 
medicines. It is true, the inference may be unsound, since 
many a man mixes medicines correctly who makes a frightful 
hodge-podge of the composition of words and phrases; yet it 
is a very natural one, and in the main correct. As a rule, it 
would not be either safe or reasonable, in cases where know¬ 
ledge is required, to infer a special, apart from a general ca¬ 
pability. Under these circumstances, therefore, a chemist 
practically acquainted with his business might possibly suffer 
quite unjustly; so that, rather than send out an ill-worded 
circular, it is far better to issue none at all. 
Nor are the above remarks by any means intended as a 
slur upon the trade as a whole. It is most gratifying to 
know that it includes men of acknowledged scientific standing, 
and that, both amongst pharmaceutists and chemists and 
druggists, there is a goodly number possessing a high educa¬ 
tional as well as commercial status, and that this number is 
daily increasing. At the same time, it must be acknowledged 
that specimens of chemists’ English little better, in point of 
