f    WAV  2  idwi  ^ 
THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY. 
MAY,  i89i. 
REMARKS   ON   THE   MERCANTILE  ASPECTS  OF  THE 
BUSINESS  OF  PHARMACY— ELICITED  BY  A  QUERY 
PROPOSED  FOR  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL 
MEETING. 
By  William  B.  Thompson. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  April  16. 
Every  individual  affected  by  the  conditions,  which  at  present 
disturb  the  trade  interests  of  the  Apothecary,  has  been  compelled, 
it  may  be  said,  to  seriously  consider  the  effect,  and  to  form  some 
conclusions  from  the  causes.  There  are  those  who  seem  willing 
to  abide  the  slower  processes  of  time,  and  circumstances  to  produce 
favorable  change,  but  such  are  regarded  as  anti-progressive, 
whilst  he  who  can,  or  believes  that  he  can,  by  some  reasonable 
and  practical  method,  arrest  the  result,  by  thwarting,  or  checking 
the  operations  of  that  cause,  is  the  man  for  the  emergency. 
One  whose  business  life  has  extended  over  the  average  experience 
has  certainly  been  afforded  opportunity  to  acquire  business  wisdom. 
It  is  not  uncommon,  however,  to  observe  instances  of  management 
marked  by  the  absence  of  the  simplest  precepts  of  mercantile  rule, 
and  unfortunately  for  the  credit  and  the  welfare  of  our  craft  these 
instances  are  to  be  found  largely  in  the  establishments  of  the 
Apothecary's. 
The  present  general  condition  is  not,  however,  the  result,  so 
much  of  individual  omission  as  it  is  that  of  other  circumstances 
which  may  be  considered.  There  was  a  better  day  than  the  present 
for  the  trade  of  the  Apothecary.  This  was  before  the  era  of  ranks 
overcrowded  and  of  relentless  competitive  struggle.    It  was  a  daj 
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