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THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[January 21,1871. 
done a considerable amount of contract dispensing, perhaps I 
cannot do better than give a little of my own experience. 
Some years ago, I entered into an engagement with a 
medical firm to do their dispensing, which still continues, 
and I am not aware that I am taking any undue advantage 
of my brethren; I am on friendly terms with all of them that 
are likely to be affected by it. I have reason to believe that 
if I were to discontinue the contract, two or three of my im¬ 
mediate neighbours would be willing to take it. But sup¬ 
posing none of us would have it, -would the dispensing fall 
to us in the regular way of prescriptions ? No; the firm 
would at once do as they did formerly, employ a dispenser 
in their own surgery,—although they assure me they would 
only be too glad to give up dispensing altogether. But the 
custom of the town would not admit of it. They believe, and 
so do I, that my supplying the medicines instead of them 
is a step in the right, and not in the wrong, direction. It 
familiarizes the public with the practice, and induces the be¬ 
lief that the chemist, and not the medical man, is the proper 
person to apply to for medicines. I find that through such 
arrangements we often get opportunity of dispensing on our 
own account, which would not fall to us if the prescribers 
sent the medicines from their own surgeries. Eor instance, 
the patients will frequently say, “ So-and-so is not my che¬ 
mist; can't I get my medicines elsewhere?” and the reply 
is, “ Certainly you can,” and a prescription is at once given, 
which, of course, the patients have to pay for in the regular 
way. Altogether, from one cause or other, I feel sure that a 
very large number of prescriptions are given to the patients 
to get prepared where they may think proper, that "would not 
be given them at all if the medicines were sent out by the 
doctors themselves. 
I have recently had an interview with a chemist in a neigh¬ 
bouring town,—a gentleman who occupies a high position in 
the Pharmaceutical Society,—in reference to contract dispen¬ 
sing. I have given him a full account of the whole matter as 
far as concerns myself; and he is of opinion that such 
alliances are desirable in the interests of pharmacy, as at pre¬ 
sent constituted in this country. 
Of course, we all know that it would be better to have the 
supply of medicines entirely in our own hands ; at the same 
time, we are equally certain that at present we cannot have 
it so. E. E. 
Spiritus Chloralis. 
Sir,—In a paper read before the Liverpool Chemists’ Asso¬ 
ciation by Mr. A. H. Mason, and reported in your last num¬ 
ber, occurs the following passage, which may lead to erroneous 
conclusions:— 
“ Spiritus chloralis is made by Savory and Moore. It has 
a very agreeable taste and smeli, but I was not able to obtain 
any deposit upon evaporating a little.” 
A deduction likely to be drawn from this would be that 
the spiritus chloralis does not contain the pure German hy¬ 
drate, which it does in the proportion of ten grains in the 
fluid drachm. 
We know chloral hydrate easily crystallizes from some 
simple menstruums, such as spirit or water, but our prepara¬ 
tion, as we state on the label, is a compound spirit, and the 
presence of volatile oils, glycerine, etc., in it prevents the 
crystallization of the chloral. 
If the alkaline tests are applied to the spiritus chloralis, the 
chloroform will be seen forming and settling in a layer at the 
bottom, and if the alcohol present be estimated for what is 
dissolved again, or the alcohol carefully driven off at a very 
low temperature, the chloral may be estimated as chloroform. 
Savory and Moore. 
143, Neiv Bond Street, Jan. 7th, 1871. 
[*** We can only suppose the deduction feared by our cor¬ 
respondents to be possible in the case of persons ignorant of 
the fact that chloral hydrate is volatile below the boiling- 
point of water. We may state, however, that the sample of 
their spiritus chloralis sent here evidently contained a consi¬ 
derable amount of chloral, and on treatment with alkalies it 
yielded a quantity of chloroform corresponding with the spe¬ 
cified strength of the preparation.—E d. Ph. Jouen.] 
The Payment of Assistants. 
Sir,—I have watched with deep interest the controversies 
carried on by our different pharmaceutical brethren upon the 
questions of obscure prescriptions, druggists’ charges, the stor¬ 
ing and keeping of poisons, and a multitude of other items, but 
there is one which has failed to attract attention. I am sure 
I speak the minds of my fellow-assistants when I say that our 
average salaries are less than those of any other class of assist¬ 
ants, without taking into consideration our extra outlay for 
study, books, etc. According to the present requirements of 
our Society, it would be vain for any one who wished to revel 
in the mysteries of our profession to make the attempt unless 
he could command at least £100 for premium, and he must 
also allot a similar sum for books, studies, clothes, etc. When 
he has terminated this monotonous stage of his life, and 
passed his examination, he rests with the comfortable assur¬ 
ance that his title will now secure to him a fair remunera¬ 
tion; but he finds that, while Pharmaceutical Chemists 
would undoubtedly prefer his services, they cannot see their 
way clear to give more than £40 and a free kit, as there 
are unqualified assistants that suit them equally well. He 
then sees his folly in wasting money which in many in¬ 
stances would give him a fair start in life. In support of my 
argument, and by way of conclusion, I may mention that I 
had occasion to visit one of our wealthy midland towns some 
twelve months ago. During my conversation with a friend 
of mine, it transpired that a Mr. I. required an assistant. 
Being at the time disengaged, I ventured to call upon him; 
and, after several questions having passed between us, as is 
customary, he asked me what salary I should require. I told 
him that my last stipend was £30, and that I did not care 
to engage under that sum (being then twenty-four years of 
age). He seemed completely bewildered, and, after duly star¬ 
ing me in the face, exclaimed, “ What, £30! Then you must 
have had some considerable experience.” As I did not care 
to engage for much less, and as these terms did not seem at 
all compatible, I retraced my steps, quite shocked, I can assure 
you. I omitted to mention that the gentleman in question 
was a member by examination, as set forth by divers di¬ 
plomas exhibited in the windows. 
Jamiary 7th, 1871. Euissem. 
A Suggestion. 
Sir,—I shall feel obliged by your kindly allowing me, 
through the medium of your Journal, to suggest that whole¬ 
sale druggists should not supply citrate of magnesia, glycerine, 
cochia pills, “ et hoe genus omne,” to any but those who are 
duly registered as chemists. 
A brisk trade in these articles is carried on bv hucksters in 
every village, to the injury of the legitimate chemist. They 
manage things better in France, where the pharmacien holds 
his proper position as determined by law. 
D. Carroll, LL.B., Registered Chemist (Exam.). 
Cerne Alias. 
JR. G. (Slough).—We believe it is the custom in such cases 
to use the sp. chloroformi, B. P. 
It. J. S .—We are unable to furnish you with the address 
applied for. 
W. C. Tryon (Portsea).—The black colour is the result of a 
decomposition, of which an explanation will be found in any 
elementary work on chemistry. 
S. Dean and G. 31 .—It may easily be obtained from any 
new or second-hand bookseller. 
“ Xenophon ” has omitted to furnish his name. 
W. G. (Wimborne).—Bentley’s ‘Manual of Botany’ 
(Churchills) and Henfrey’s ‘ Elementary Course of Botany ’ 
(Van Yoorst). 
*%* In answer to several correspondents, we are able to 
announce that arrangements have been made for the issue of 
reading-cases, in sizes suited for holding three months’ and 
six months’ numbers of the Pharmaceutical"'Journal. 
Particulars will be announced next week. 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received from 
Mr. W. W. Stoddart (Bristol), Mr. W. D. Boon (Lynn), Mr. 
H. A. Williamson (Scarborough), Mr. P. L. Simmonds, Soda- 
water,” “ Justitia,” R. J. S. (Alfreton), M. S. P. (Swindon), 
G. M. 
