Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ") 
February,  1899.  J 
Pharmacopceial  Preparations. 
65 
ards ;  we  find  no  corresponding  increase  in  either  profits  or  sales,  to 
restore  the  equilibrium  thus  disturbed. 
Associations  are  being  formed,  of  members  of  the  different 
branches  of  the  drug  trade,  in  order  to  counteract  these  acknowl- 
edged evils,  but  no  satisfactory  way  has  yet  been  discovered  by 
which  prices  may  be  increased,  meanwhile  the  growing  number  of 
pharmacists  cuts  down  the  volume  of  business  to  a  point  where 
many  a  druggist  makes  little  if  any  more  than  his  head  clerk. 
A  recent  graduate  in  pharmacy,  who  had  high  ideals  when  he 
graduated  and  started  in  business  for  himself  a  few  years  ago,  lately 
gave  the  writer  some  new  ideas  regarding  "  pharmaceutical  econom- 
ics." 
Some  of  these  views  are  worthy  of  consideration,  and  will  be 
appreciated  by  many  pharmacists  whose  ideals  have  suffered  by 
coming  into  contact  with  practical  realities. 
"  If  a  pharmacist  makes  1,000  c.c.  of  any  one  of  the  opium  prepa- 
rations of  the  U.S.P.;  and  takes  100  c.c.  (or  10  per  cent.)  for  assay- 
ing the  same,  in  order  to  make  the  preparation  comply  with  the 
standard  requirements;  how  can  he  sell  it  in  competition  with  the 
druggist  on  the  next  corner,  who  makes  the  same  preparation  from 
the  '  gum '  opium  instead  of  the  powder  (using  the  same  weight 
also),  and  who  does  not  standardize  the  end  product  at  all  ? 
"  The  same  holds  true  with  regard  to  preparations  of  nux  vomica. 
"  If  a  conscientious  pharmacist  tests  all  of  the  goods  which  he  pur- 
chases, how  is  it  possible  for  him  to  make  up  for  the  loss  of  material 
used  in  testing  each  substance  ?  This  loss  is,  of  course,  a  fixed 
quantity,  whether  the  substance  is  purchased  by  the  ounce  or  by 
the  pound,  thus  making  the  heaviest  loss  fall  upon  the  purchaser  of 
the  smallest  quantities,  i.  e.,  the  pharmacist  who  has  just  started  in 
business  and  is  endeavoring  to  keep  down  expenses  at  first. 
"  That  this  is  no  light  matter  to  the  pharmacist,  whose  capital  is 
limited,  will  be  appreciated  by  glancing  over  the  following  list  of 
substances  with  the  approximate  amounts  used  in  complying  with 
the  U.S.P.  tests.    This  does  not  include  loss  of  substance  in  taking 
Sp.  Gr.  or  B.  Pt. : 
iEther   40  c.c. 
"     Acetic    25  c.c. 
Alcohol   80  c.c. 
"       Absolutum   80  c.c. 
"       Deodoratum     80  c.c. 
