350 
EDITORIAL. 
The competition between the retailers in the country towns, brought 
about by the people buying on the cheap principle, induced them to 
urge the city druggists to send them drugs and chemicals that they 
could sell at a stated price. The druggist writes to the manufacturing 
, chemist that his customer wants nitrate of silver, blue mass, mercurial 
ointment, etc., at a certain price, and queries if he can make them at a 
figure low enough for him to get a profit. We believe that this state of 
things exists amongst us, and is largely the cause of the very importations 
against which the Act is levelled. In our country villages, both east 
and west of the AUeghanies, a large amount of medicines are sold by 
country store keepers who know as much about bark, rhubarb, and 
opium, as they do about algebra or conic sections. They bring the 
same r'ule to bear on these important remedies as they apply in pur-- 
chasing mustard and spices, and are treated accordingly. There are 
hundreds of persons who are nominally apothecaries, over the country 
and towns, who are little better; and in coming eastward to make their 
purchases have a tariff of prices to hold up to the druggist who may ex- 
' » pect their patronage. Unfortunately, competition is so great that ma- 
ny are compelled to forego all profit, or sell bad articles, a temptation 
sorely trying to men who have families to support. 
In reference to the working of the Act, much will deperrd on the 
ability and the integrity of the officers in whose hands the government 
commits it for enforcemerrt ; as well as on the principles adopted in 
the inspection. We believe it is highly important that these gentle- 
men should act with the most perfect rmanimity in their exami- 
nations; that the standard for New York, should correspond with those 
of Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore, else there will be no certainty in 
the result. In view of this, a frequent correspondence between these 
officers would be productive of advantage, and it is very desirable that 
they should see the importance of keeping such full and lucid records 
of drug importations, both in reference to weight and value, that their 
registei-s will be an invaluable statistical table. 
We understand that Dr. Baily has the appointment for New York, 
and Dr. David Stewart that of Baltimore, whilst in this city our col- 
league, Alfi-ed B. Taylor, is the incumbent. We have not hear-dof the 
appointments for the olher ports, but have reason to be satisfied with 
the gentlemen above named. They will have an onerous and perplex- 
ing duty to perform until the standard for judging certain drugs and 
chemicals is definitely settled by experience, and whilst we urge them 
to adopt a fair and safe ratio of strength, would recommend that every 
facility, consistent with a conscientious discharge of duty, be conceded to 
