November 4,1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
363 
afford me some topics of interest, but these must be 
reserved for another opportunity. 
I embrace the present opportunity of introducing 
to the notice of the Society some carefully prepared 
botanical specimens of the valuable variety of Cin¬ 
chona officinalis, known as the lanceolate variety. 
It Avas tirst pointed out by Mr. Broughton, the able 
chemist in charge at Ootacamund, in a report dated 
17 th August, 1868, and Avas subsequently (in 1869) 
slioAvn to contain “ the unprecedently large propor¬ 
tion of 11'10 per cent, of alkaloids and 9 - 75 of qui¬ 
nine.” * My OAA’n ' examination of a small sample 
forwarded by Mr. Broughton confirmed, as to its 
main features, this extraordinary report; and as 
orders Avere issued and resolutions taken to increase 
this most A r aluable species, it seems to me that Ave 
should soon hear more about the success of its cul¬ 
tivation. 
The same remark applies to the Pitayo species, 
first raised about the same time from seed, sent by 
Mr. Robert Cross. I hope that this A r aluable sort is 
not neglected. 
In August, 1868, mention is also made by Mr. 
Broughton of the variety Amarillo, del rey of the C. 
officinalis. If this proves still to exist, it would be 
Avell worth while to send over a selected and care¬ 
fully prepared specimen of the bark. I studied this 
kind in conjunction Avith Dr. Pereira, and know 
that it is rich in quinine and altogether a most 
valuable article of the materia medica. Moreover, it 
used to fetch ('as H O croAvn) a deservedly very high 
price in the market. Now it is impossible to pro¬ 
cure either this or any other crown or Loja barks of 
the genuine sort in this country, and I have had 
difficulty in obtaining even a feAV ounces for a col¬ 
lection of specimens. 
It is by devoting attention to such points, by en¬ 
couraging the best species and by high cultivation, 
that the undertaking of Indian acclimatization Avill 
become one of pecuniary profit. I am glad to think 
that all tilings seem to promise an abundant return 
to the careful cultivator, and that the pecuniary re¬ 
sult is beginning to be realized from shipments sent 
home to Europe. There can be no doubt that on 
the Avliole this great experiment is a success. 
PHARMACY IN NORTH GERMANY AND 
AUSTRIA.! 
BY THOMAS GEEENISH, F.C.S. 
In the early part of September I left England for 
a month’s holiday in North Germany and Austria. 
Tavo days found me among the pharmacies of Ham¬ 
burg. It Avas no easy matter to discover them. 
Every other shop had the usual outward aspect pe¬ 
culiar to the same trade in England ; but, had it not 
been for the one word “Apotheke” over the door, 
there would have been nothing in the external ap¬ 
pearance to denote the existence of a pharmacy 
within. The shop AvindoAvs were little, if anything, 
larger than those of a private house ; and there was 
nothing displayed in them either to attract the atten¬ 
tion of the public or to bring “ grist to the mill.” 
It is rarely that you enter directly from the street 
into the shop ; the outer door is open, but the true 
* Return, No. 432, p. 221. 
t Read at the Evening Meeting of the Pharmaceutical 
Society of Great Britain, Nov. 1, 1871. 
shop door generally remains closed. There is usually 
one counter for retail, and another behind it for dis¬ 
pensing. Once inside, it is evident at a glance that 
the business is mainly one of prescriptions ; there is 
an entire absence of patent medicines and proprietary 
preparations ; counter bills recommending specifics 
are not seen ; and all the etcetera that go to make up 
the retail of an English pharmacist find no place there. 
Even the ubiquitous feeding-bottle is not alloAved 
standing-room, and one wonders hoAV the “budding 
Germans ” get on Avitliout them, Avlien such a variety 
and so many are required in England. 
The Avliole* shop has the appearance of being one 
dispensing department; the pots on the shelves have 
their labels burnt in, those on the bottles are done 
in oil colour and varnished; Avliile the dispensing - 
counter, with its marble top and neat dispensing 
scales,—for CA r ery ingredient in a prescription, ex¬ 
cepting drops, is Aveighed, graduated glasses being 
unknown,—convey to the mind an appearance of 
“ Avell to do,” which subsequent observation tends to 
confirm. This quiet dignity and professional air 
contrast strongly AA r ith the very pronounced cha¬ 
racter of many of our English pharmacies. Fly 
labels are used exclusively, and the bottle rolled up 
in a piece of paper, Avhich is tAA r isted at the neck, is, 
with the prescription loose, given into the hands of 
the patient. To a British pharmacist this mode of 
sending out medicines would appear somewhat 
“slip-shod.” Prescription Avrappers are seldom 
seen, and the neatness considered so essential in 
England is unknoAvn here. In one instance I ob- 
served a servant leaA r e a pharmacy Avith a bottle of 
medicine in her hand ; it Avas rolled in paper, but the 
label Avas outside, and as, just at that time, heavy 
rain Avas falling, it would be difficult to say liow 
much of the direction Avas delivered Avith the medi¬ 
cine. 
The prescriptions, Avliicli are Avritten in Latin, 
with the directions in German, are, as a rule, more 
simple than those to Avliicli we are accustomed; the 
meagre slips of paper Avliicli contain them seem 
scarcely sufficient for anything very complex. The 
competition Avhich prevails in England is unknoAATt 
here. The practice of pharmacy is a Government 
concession, and the number of establishments cannot 
be increased Avitliout the Government permission, 
AA r liich is never granted unless proof be adduced that 
there exists a necessity for it in the increase of po¬ 
pulation. Application is then made to the minister 
of the medical department, and the prayer must be 
supported by the “ Kreis Bhysicus,” or Government 
medical officer for the district. This limitation of 
pharmacies, coupled Avith the fact that no class of 
the medical profession sends out its oayh medicine, 
tliroAvs a great number of prescriptions into the hands 
of the pharmacist. As a counterpoise to this privi¬ 
lege, he is supplied Avith an “ Arznei-taxe,” or taxed 
list of prices for medicine, Avhich he may charge, but 
which he is not alloAved to exceed. There is also an 
“ Arznei-Mitteln,” compiled by Messrs. Schacht 
and Laux, of Berlin ; it contains the prices of those 
preparations Avhich, although in general use, are not- 
in the Pharmacopoeia. It is Avitliout legal authority,, 
yet it is accepted by the trade, and is in general use 
throughout North Germany. 
In addition to the price of each article in the pre¬ 
scription, charged in accordance Avith the “ Arznei- 
! taxe,” the pharmacist can also add a small item 
each for weighing, dissolving and mixing the ingre- 
