THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS, 
859 
April 20, 1872.] 
rather loo tight, I have given way to a desire to make a few 
remarks on the subject. 
When a man takes an apprentice, he undertakes to teach 
him the business he himself follows, in the way he himself 
conducts it, whether the business be that of a pharmaceutical 
chemist or a tailor ; and I hold, that neither in law nor logic is 
there any other obligation upon him, unless specially stipu¬ 
lated. No man can teach what he does not know; and 
comparatively few people know the abstract principles of 
their own business. By way of illustration I will take the 
tailor. lie shows his apprentice how to sew and to make 
clothes, but he does not enter upon a discussion, every day 
or so, on the abstract principles of symmetry or of fashion. 
Then how is the young man to get to know this ? Well, 
by the application of his own thoughts to the subject, by 
observation and by practice, both of which his master gives 
him the opportunity to exercise. 
Does the medical practitioner teach his pupils anatomy, 
or physiology, or the abstract principles of medicine? 
Are not all medical pupils much in the same position as 
our own, when their articles expire ? 
Are the articled pupils of solicitors in any different posi¬ 
tion ? 
There are many businesses where two or three assistants, 
and one or two apprentices are employed. The principal of 
such an establishment is probably busy all day long, either 
in the shop or out of it, with business—domestic, social, or 
municipal. How is it possible such a person can give oral 
instruction to his apprentices ? 
We have in our own profession [?] men who are highly culti¬ 
vated, and follow some branch of science in connection with their 
business, either for love or profit. The subject may be mi¬ 
croscopy, chemistry, or botany. Is such a one bound by any 
consideration to teach this to his pupil ? 
I don’t think it necessary to continue these remarks further, 
to enforce the moral or the conclusion. To do that which has 
often been suggested by writers on this subject, is neither 
practicable nor beneficial. It is the duty of theapprentice to en¬ 
deavour to acquire a knowledge of those branches of science 
that are necessary to enable him to pass the examination he 
knows he must pass, as well as to enable him to conduct his 
business satisfactorily. lie can do this, by reading during his 
apprenticeship, to a great extent. If he has the opportunity 
of attending lectures, so much the better. But in these days 
of luxury and ease, we are constantly hearing the remark 
“ How can it be expected that young men can begin to study 
at night after business hours ? ” I can only say in answer, 
that “ Where there’s a will, there’s a way; ” and it would be 
much to their benefit if young men would try to find both. 
The subjection of the will, and the bending of the mind, to 
the attainment of this object, would be a discipline well 
worth submitting to. 
F. M. Rimmington. 
Bradford, April 2nd, 1872. 
Pharmacy in the Shop. 
Sir,—There is no denying the fact that the practice of 
pharmacy has not in time past, and does not even now, 
obtain from chemists and druggists the consideration it 
deserves, either in an educational or economical point of 
view. As regards the past, the reason is tolerably plain, 
for with our predecessors the absence of the requisite skill 
and knowledge was as general as the possession of it 
ultimately will be with our successors. Formerly, the trade of 
a druggist (I think we may here sink the “ chemist ”) was, 
generally speaking, nearly as mechanical as any other; 
I say generally, for with the exception of a small minority of 
clever, practical men, who were chemists indeed, as well as 
druggists, and who have left behind them an example for all 
times, the trade was by no means in an advanced position. 
As regards the present, it is in a transition state, and the 
druggist of the past is being gradually replaced by the more 
accomplished pharmacist of the present, so that before long, 
as a matter of necessity, the practice of pharmacy and the 
science of chemistry will hold a far stronger position than 
heretofore, the advantages of which are too patent to call for 
remark. This communication is more immediately con¬ 
cerned with the present, and especially with the practice of 
“ Pharmacy in the Shop,” as distinct from “ pharmacy in the 
Laboratory,” so ably treated by a well-known contributor to 
this Journal, in a recent number. Years ago, when I was a 
novice in the mysteries of the drug trade, the question fre¬ 
quently occurred to my mind, why certain preparations, 
easily made, were almost invariably bought instead; this 
question when framed into words, received, also as an 
invariable reply, “ It. does not pay.” Well, granted that, under 
the then existent circumstances, this excuse in a great 
measure held good, still it cannot apply with equal force 
now, though many think it does, when we consider the 
vastly superior education obtained by our present race of 
pharmacists; and especially since the publication of the 
present edition of the “ Pharmacopoeia,” which, to a very great 
extent, has simplified and improved the different processes, 
thus making the practice of pharmacy intelligible to any one 
who has the requisite desire, and will take the trouble to make 
himself acquainted with it. 
Apart from the hard and fast question of “ Will it pay ? ” 
this science, as an educating power, is of much importance, 
and may be turned to advantage in the instruction of our 
juniors, as is evidenced by the interest they generally take in 
any pharmaceutical process out of the common way; this 
view of the subject has been so ably advocated by the writer 
before alluded to, that I can safely leave it where it is. The 
question I wish particularly to bring before my pharmaceutical 
brethren is, “ Does it pay ? ” I hope to be able to show that 
it does, while my own experience also answers in the affir¬ 
mative ; of course, I presume that the requisite skill and 
knowledge will always be brought to bear on the subject. In 
very few pharmacies indeed is there such a continual round 
of business as to leave no time for the manufacture of phar¬ 
macopoeia preparations other than the most simple; in most of 
them, there is some part of the day, or week, or season, when 
business is slacker than others, and it is by catching and 
utilizing these opportunities, that practical pharmacy becomes 
in one sense a paying occupation. Again, there are very few 
pharmaceutical preparations that require a long continuance 
of unremitting attention, so as to prevent the operator being 
otherwise engaged for even the shortest time; most of those 
in which I have been concerned, and they are not very few, 
have permitted me to attend to the requirements of customers 
and the necessities of dispensing, Avithout any unusual trouble. 
These operations have, with one exception, all been conducted 
in the shop, amidst the daily Avants of a middle-class phar¬ 
macy, giving occupation to many spare hours, and occasional 
rainy afternoons, besides proving profitable in more senses 
than the strictly commercial. Another advantage gained by 
the practical pharmacist is that he is enabled to guarantee 
the strength or purity of his oavu preparations when called 
on to do so. As examples of such as may be made in the 
shop, Avhile attending to ordinary business, I find in my 
laboratory book entries of the folloAving, v;hich I select, as 
being usually bought instead of made at home:— 
Liqs. Ferri Perchlor. and Persulph. 
Liqs. Potassae and Soda?. 
Acid. Hydrocyanic Dil. 
Antim. Tartrat. 
Ferri Phosphas. 
Syr. Ferri Iodidi., Ferri Phosph., and 
Syr. Ferri Phosph. tonic (Easton’s). 
Hydrarg. Cyanid., and Oxid. Bubr. 
Spts. Ether. Nitr., and Ammon. Arom. 
Ung. Hydrarg. Nitrat. 
Emp. Ammoniaci cum Hydrarg. 
Oxymel Scillce. 
Exts. Opii and Glycyrrhizoe. 
Adeps. ppt. and Benzoat. 
Concentrated Infusions, etc. 
My apparatus for the manufacture of the above consists 
of retorts, glass and tin plate, receivers, flasks, Liebig’s 
condenser, sp. gravity bottle, hydrometers, and thermometer, 
x’etort stand, Bunsen’s and ring gas furnaces, about one 
dozen evaporating basins or pans, and a few trifling acces¬ 
sories. Gas and Avater are laid on close at hand. Nothing 
very costly here, but all efficient and quite handy; no fixtures 
being used, the apparatus is put away when done with ; by the 
exercise of a little care the breakage is almost nil, and it may 
reasonably be expected that the skill and common sense of the 
operator Avould prevent such a catastrophe as a “blow up.’ 
The counter space occupied by the above is small, and the 
modus operandi is such that I can see all going on in the shop 
and attend to the processes at the same time. In the list ot 
preparations above, there is, as I have before stated, an 
exception: the Liq. Ferri Perchlor. has to be made in the 
kitchen; the gas furnace and basin being placed^ under the 
chimney, all the vapours are effectually carried off. I should 
