Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
Juue,  1914. 
Efficiency  in  Drug  Stores. 
269 
are  the  umpires  at  a  professional  baseball  game,  the  directing  "  next  " 
of  a  porter  in  the  barber  shop,  and  the  train  despatcher. 
The  antithesis  to  despatching  is  procrastination. 
Procrastination  is  nearly  always  due  to  a  tired  body  or  brain ; 
again,  the  accusing  finger  points  to  the  long  hours.  How  can  a  man 
despatch  an  important  operation  or  communication  who  is  submerged 
by  multifarious  details?  A  train  despatcher  as  well  as  an  umpire 
must  be  up  and  above  the  thing  he  is  directing. 
Connie  Mack's  method  of  directing  from  the  bench  is  better 
than  the  old  style  of  directing  from  the  field. 
The  principle  of  despatching  is  a  simple  one.  It  means  that 
when  the  time  comes  to  do  a  thing  you  should  have  everything  on 
hand  and  prepared  to  do  it,  and  do  it. 
Standardising  conditions. 
This  is  the  fifth  principle  of  efficiency.  This  is  the  principle 
which  is  universally  misapplied  and  misconstrued  to  mean  efficiency. 
Mention  efficiency  to  the  average  druggist  and  he  will  tell  you  that 
he  has  the  most  efficient  store  in  town.  What  he  means  is  that  he 
has  systematized  his  store  from  a  certain  standpoint.  Efficiency 
implies  system,  but  system  does  not  by  any  means  imply  efficiency. 
YoU  can  do  a  thing  systematically  wrong. 
From  the  moment  the  first  principle  is  applied  you  began  re- 
arranging and  standardizing  conditions.  This  is  an  indication  of  the 
interdependence  of  the  thirteen  principles. 
By  learning  each  of  the  thirteen  principles  you  apply  the  fifth 
principle  consciously,  and,  therefore,  more  fully  and  effectively. 
There  must  be  a  place  for  everything,  but  that  place  can  only  be 
found  after  many  trial  conditions.  At  this  point  I  wish  to  call  your 
attention  to  the  greatest  loss  in  the  drug  business.  The  druggist 
finds  himself  doing  many  things  which  could  be  done  by  subordi- 
nates ;  such  as  dusting,  running  errands,  looking  up  phone  numbers, 
selling  stamps,  dispensing  soda  water,  etc.  While  learning  the 
business  he  did  not  mind  doing  it,  because  he  looked  forward  to  the 
time  when  he  would  take  on  larger  responsibilities.  The  time  came 
with  the  responsibilities,  but  the  menial  labor  remained  just  the  same. 
How  can  a  man,  who  fills  the  capacity  of  a  menial,  command  respect? 
Justice  to  all  includes  justice  to  self. 
There  are  thousands  of  five  and  ten  cent  sales  made  in  the  drug 
store.  You  cannot  afford  to  waste  energy  making  them.  They  must 
sell  themselves.    They  are  what  might  be  termed  trailers,  such  as 
