258  Druggist  and  Veterinarian.  {Am'j'i™r iSf™" 
in  the  absence  of  a  veterinarian,  play  safe.  Don't  give  opiates. 
Cannabis  with  spt.  seth.  comp.  and  camphor  will  usually  serve  your 
turn  and  will  not  interfere  with  the  veterinarian's  treatment  after 
he  reaches  the  case. 
Don't  put  euphorbium  or  sulphuric  acid  in  a  blister  unless  on 
prescription ;  you  may  permanently  blemish  a  good  horse. 
In  closing  let  me  outline  my  ideas  regarding  the  relations  be- 
tween the  medical,  veterinary,  and  pharmaceutic  branches  of  the 
science  and  art  of  medicine. 
If  every  physician  and  veterinarian  were  compelled  to  take  a 
course  in  pharmacy  as  a  requirement  for  matriculation  it  would  be 
better  for  all  concerned,  and  I  would  rather  have  the  pharmacy  de- 
gree than  the  degree  of  A.B.  as  an  introduction  to  the  study  of 
medicine. 
It  is  to  me  a  matter  of  deep  regret  that  the  druggist  feels  that  he 
is  being  sidetracked  by  the  physician  and  veterinarian,  but,  speaking 
for  myself,  I  assure  you  that  I  prefer  to  prescribe  whenever  possible, 
if  for  no  other  than  financial  reasons.  Most  of  the  drugs  I  furnish 
must  be  charged  to  profit  and  loss,  as  I  rarely  get  direct  pay  for 
them,  and  no  doubt  most  of  my  veterinary  confreres  are  in  like  fix. 
However,  it  is  rarely  possible  to  prescribe  in  country  practice,  and, 
while  I  realize  that  my  patients  might  fare  a  little  better  if  I  could 
sit  down  and  prescribe  such  remedies  as  seem  best  suited  to  the 
case  in  hand,  circumstances  forbid. 
There  is,  however,  no  reason  why  a  local  druggist  cannot  supply 
most  of  the  drugs  used  by  physicians  or  veterinarians  if  he  is  satis- 
fied with  the  differential  discount,  and  if  he  is  not  content  with  his 
share,  he  is  not  entitled  to  kick.  If  I  come  into  your  store  offering 
cash  or  good  credit,  and  you  decline  to  meet  my  reasonable  price  re- 
quirements, you  should  not  take  it  ill  if  I  take  care  of  myself.  Neither 
my  diploma  nor  your  diploma  conveys  any  profit  privileges. 
We  must  meet  the  conditions  of  our  day  successfully  or  be  side- 
tracked. If  I  cannot  render  my  services  at  a  reasonable  rate  and  in  a 
satisfactory  manner,  some  one  else  will  do  so,  and  if  you  think 
that  the  profit  you  can  get  through  dealing  with  me  is  insufficient, 
let  it  go. 
Neither  of  us  is  entitled  to  howl  under  the  conditions  outlined, 
and  if  either  of  us  takes  for  our  motto  the  quotation  from  Carlyle: 
"  What  is  my  share  of  the  Universal  Swine  Trough?  Whatever  I 
can  get  without  being  transported  or  sent  to  the  hulks."    "  Y\  hat 
