EDITORIAL.  475 
duties  of  our  profession,  that  immunity  from  business  which  almost  the  whole 
community  enjoys  on  the  Sabbath,  and  having  obtained  the  written  concur- 
rence of  so  large  a  number  of  the  leading  pharmaceutists  of  this  city  as  to  make 
the  movement  a  general  one,  we  have  resolved  to  close  our  stores,  after  the 
first  of  August  next,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  except  at  the  following 
hours,  fixed  with  special  reference  to  the  known  requirements  of  physicians 
and  the  public : 
In  the  morning  until  9£ o'clock, 
In  the  afternoon  from  1  to  3  o'clock, 
In  the  evening  from  9  to  10  o'clock. 
We  trust  that  this  arrangement,  which  for  a  few  months  will  necessarily 
partake  of  the  nature  of  an  experiment,  will  be  acceptable  to  all  concerned,  and 
that  it  will  be  cordially  entered  into  in  good  faith  by  pharmaceutists  generally. 
In  order  to  secure  its  success,  and  that  no  disadvantage  may  result  to  our 
customers,  we  request  all  to  procure  in  advance  those  medicines  they  are  most 
liable  to  require  during  the  short  intervals  in  which  the  stores  will  be  closed, 
and  as  far  as  possible  to  accommodate  themselves  to  the  hours  above  indi- 
cated ;  and  to  remove  still  further  the  possible  disadvantages  of  the  arrange- 
ment and  acquit  ourselves  of  any  desire  to  escape  the  necessary  duties  of  our 
profession,  we  invite  customers  in  cases  of  urgent  necessity  which  are  liable, 
though  very  rarely,  to  occur,  to  make  application  at  the  residence  of  their 
Pharmaceutist,  or  during  the  appropriate  hours,  to  seek  him,  as  is  sometimes 
necessary  in  the  case  of  Physicians,  at  the  place  of  worship  to  which  he 
resorts. 
To  medical  practitioners  we  confidently  appeal  for  encouragement  in  this 
reform.  Their  unremitting  labors  in  a  profession  kindred  in  its  objects  to  our 
own,  make  them  acquainted  with  the  peculiar  difficulties  and  dangers  which 
beset  our  laborious  and  confining  pursuit,  and  we  trust  that  they  will  willingly 
aid  this  effort  to  test  the  practicability  of  a  measure  designed  to  promote  the 
physical  and  moral  well  being  of  those  to  whom  are  entrusted  so  important  a 
department  of  the  healing  art. 
Finally  fellow  citizens,  having  based  this  movement  mainly  upon  the 
grounds  of  justice  and  expediency,  claiming  only  a  share  in  that  day  of  rest 
provided  by  the  beneficent  laws  of  our  State  for  "the  ease  of  creation,"  we 
cannot  forget  that  there  are  many  who  place  the  obligation  to  abstain  from 
unnecessary  secular  employment  on  this  day,  on  the  ground  of  paramount 
religious  duty  ;  and  on  behalf  of  these  we  claim  a  still  higher  consideration 
and  willing  acquiescence  in  the  full  exercise  of  conscientious  convictions, 
which,  regardless  of  theological  differences,  all  are  bound  to  respect. 
Edward  Parrish,  No.  800  Arch  street. 
J.  C.  Turnpenny  &  Co.,  10th  and  Spruce  sts. 
Fred'k  Brown,  Jr.,  9th  and  Chestnut  sts. 
J.  P.  Curran,  6th  and  Gr.  T.  Avenue. 
Geo.  C.  Bower,  6th  and  Vine  street. 
Wm.  M.  Reillt,  cor.  2d  and  Wharton  sts. 
Henry  Mullen,  Market  and  33d  streets. 
Wilson  H.  Pile,  Catharine  and  Pass.  Av. 
Committee. 
The  importance  of  this  movement  is  not  to  be  doubted  ;  the  necessity  of 
some  reform  in  the  old  arrangement  will  hardly  be  questioned  ;  yet  we  do  not 
believe  the  plan  adopted  is  the  best  one,  or  that  it  will  succeed  finally,  after 
a  trial  at  all  seasons.  We  believe  that  the  periods  of  closing  will 
eventually  have  to  be  decided  by  an  understanding  between  physicians 
and  apothecaries,  because  it  really  depends  on  the  co-operation  of 
the  former,  whether  the  times  set  for  keeping  open  will  meet  the  influx 
of  prescriptions  after  their   morning  and  evening  visits.     We  believe 
