Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1880. 
Indexing  for  Pharmacists. 
543 
longer  of  value — the  chaff  from  the  wheat.  It  is  capable  of  indefinite 
expansion  or  contraction — unlike  a  book,  it  can  be  added  to  or  taken 
from  without  interfering  with  its  true  alphabetical  arrangement. 
For  a  number  of  years  I  have  been  in  the  habit,  when  reading  my 
pharmaceutical  or  other  journals,  of  checking  off  with  the  initials  of  my 
name  on  the  margin  of  the  page  (if  borrowed  on  a  piece  of  paper)  such 
articles  or  items  as  I  wished  to  bear  in  mind  for  possible  future  use  ;  on 
ifinishing  the  magazine  I  would  go  over  it  again,  pen  in  hand,  and  index 
them.  In  checking  I  have  used  a  red  pencil,  as  I  found  that  it  more 
readily  catches  the  eye  when  running  the  leaves  between  the  fingeis. 
The  mark  of  a  black  lead  pencil  will  often  escape  observation. 
I  always  carry  a  supply  of  blank  cards  around  with  me  in  a  pocket  ; 
when  I  run  against  an  item  or  fact  that  I  want  to  preserve  I  jot  it  down 
with  a  stylographic  pen,  with  an  appropriate  catch-word  on  the  upper 
edge  and  reference  at  the  bottom,  and  when  I  get  home,  instead  of 
copying  it  into  a  book  and  burying  it  forever,  I  just  slip  it  into  its  proper 
place  in  the  index,  and  I  know  where  to  put  my  finger  on  it  when  it 
is  wanted. 
To  facilitate  reference  I  have  some  of  the  cards  cut  about  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  higher  than  the  others,  with  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  or 
some  catch-word  upon  the  part  that  projects  above.  There  are  zinc 
guides  made  for  the  purpose,  but  they  cost  several  cents  a  piece,  and 
as  I  like  to  use  as  many  as  possible  I  find  that  the  paper  ones  are  good 
enough  for  a  private  index  that  is  not  to  be  handled  by  every  one. 
Fine  calendered  paper,  demy,  and  twenty-three  pounds  to  the  ream, 
is  about  the  right  thing  to  use  for  the  index  cards,  and  a  quire  will  cut 
about  500.  I  buy  mine  ready-cut  and  pay  $1.50  a  thousand.  In  a 
small  way  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  get  a  tinsmith  to  cut  out  of  good 
heavy  tin  a  piece  the  size  and  shape  of  a  postal  card,  by  means  of  this 
one  could  cut  or  tear  pieces  of  paper  of  the  right  size,  and  business 
notes,  memoranda,  etc.,  may  also  be  rapidly  torn  or  folded  to  a  shape 
to  fill  in  an  index  of  their  own, 
I  have  just  made  a  most  convenient  little  paper  weight  to  hold  a 
book  open  when  copying,  or  paper  in  place  when  writing  upon  it.  I 
took  a  piece  of  square  brass  tubing,  |  inch  in  diameter  by  6  inches 
long,  filled  it  with  tvpe  metal,  polished  it  with  emery  paper  and  gave  it 
a  coat  of  shellac.  It  weighs  20  ounces,  and  is  the  most  convenient 
thing  on  my  writing  table. 
September,  1880. 
