362        Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association.     { Am iSsf1110' 
we  could  move  the  pharmaceutical  world.  Until  some  such  organization  is 
effected,  we  shall  drift  along  tossed  by  every  wind  and  current  that  affects 
trade.  Instead  of  controlling  circumstances,  we  shall  be  controlled  by  them. 
Not  being  a  member  of  the  National  Wholesale  Druggists'  Association,  I  can 
the  better  refer  to  it  as  one  worthy  of  emulation.  Through  their  various  com- 
mittees they  act  as  one  man,  and  usually  get  from  proprietors  and  legislators 
whatever  they  ask  for  in  fairness.  As  an  illustration  of  thorough  organization 
and  united  action,  let  me  remind  you  that  in  1893  the  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Ken- 
tucky Wholesale  Druggists'  Association,  an  organization  within  the  National 
Association,  resolved  not  to  handle  a  certain  proprietary  preparation  because 
the  manufacturers  would  not  enter  into  the  rebate  agreement,  and  they  were 
compelled  to  handle  it  at  a  loss.  It  was  not  long  before  the  manufacturers, 
realizing  that  the  jobbers  were  the  natural  distributors  of  their  goods,  promptly 
announced  a  change  in  their  prices.  They  advanced  their  goods  10  per  cent., 
and  made  a  rebate  of  10  per  cent,  to  the  jobbers,  thus  compelling  the  retailers 
to  pay  their  obligation  to  the  trade.  A  few  months  ago  the  Paris  Green  Asso- 
ciation announced  a  price  of  16  cents  a  pound  for  green,  allowing  the  jobber 
a  rebate  of  1  l/2  cents  a  pound  in  largest  quantities.  The  jobbers,  through  their 
committee,  notified  the  Paris  Green  Association  that  they  could  not  afford  to 
handle  the  green  on  so  small  a  margin.  In  compliance  with  their  demand  for 
a  larger  rebate,  the  Paris  Green  Association  announced  a  rebate  of  2^  cents  a 
pound,  but  advanced  the  price  1  cent  a  pound,  thus  making  the  retailer  pay  the 
rebate  and  the  profit  of  the  jobber.  Had  there  been  a  thoroughly  organized  and 
compact  retail  association,  which  could  have  made  demands  and  enforced  them, 
the  manufacturers  in  these  two,  and  many  more  instances,  would  not  have 
placed  the  payment  of  their  concessions  to  the  jobber  on  the  retailers,  but 
would  have  paid  it  themselves. 
"  While  I  do  not  want  to  touch  on  the  hackneyed  theme  of  cut  prices,  I  am 
convinced  that  until  we  have  a  thorough  organization  of  the  retail  trade,  which 
will  act  as  one  person  through  its  various  committees,  we  will  continue  to  have 
demoralization  in  trade,  and  proprietary  goods  will  continue  to  be  sold  at  a  loss. 
The  moment  the  manufacturers  realize  that  the  retail  trade  have  combined  and 
are  acting  unitedly,  they  will  devise  some  scheme  whereby  better  prices  will  be 
obtained,  for  they  are  fertile  in  resources.  But,  perhaps,  these  ideas  are 
entirely  too  Utopian,  since  the  average  retailer,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  drug 
business,  is  but  little  less  than  foolish,  as  each  is  trying  to  see  how  little  he  can 
get  for  his  goods,  and  any  attempt  to  legislate,  or  by  organization  make  him 
wise,  would  be  useless. 
"  I  am  pleased  to  note  that  our  relations  with  the  Pennsylvania  State  Medical 
Society  are  of  the  most  fraternal  kind.  The  only  delegate  present  at  the  late  meet- 
ing of  the  Society  was  our  distinguished  ex-president,  Charles  A.  Heinitsh,  and 
unusual  honors  were  accorded  him,  he  being  invited  to  a  seat  on  the  platform 
with  the  officers  of  the  Society.  We  have  been  most  fortunate  in  the  selection 
of  delegates  to  the  meetings  of  the  Society,  and  especially  are  the  efforts  of 
last  year's  work  bearing  fruit,  if  we  may  judge  by  the  tone  of  the  contributions 
to,  and  the  editorial  pages  of,  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  Journal,  the  official 
organ  of  the  Society.  One  writer,  in  an  article  of  some  length,  condemns  the 
use  of  a  class  of  proprietary  preparations  intended  specially  for  physicians,  and 
urges  that  'physicians  so  inform  themselves  concerning  official  and  National 
