Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-22
In A DRUG STORE.
THE CARE REQUIRED TO AVOID FA-
TAI MISTAKES.
The Best Way to Avoid Making Mistakes
The Worst Possible Habit for
Druggist to Acquire-ShouId
Never Gossip
New York Trihnne. |

Behind a neat prescription counter the
iruggist sat smoking a cigar and talking
with friend on a moist evening when bgsl-
ness in the drug store was les brisk than
1,ual Complex vet faint odors from the
hundreds of carefully labeled jars and bottles
On the shelves mingled with the fragrance
of tocacco smoke, ard seemed 20 impart a
mysterious charm TO the conversation. Il
have made it point for thirty wears said
the druggist, "to pay strict attention to n
prescription while | am compromising 1t, and
ten to drop il out Of my mind entirely.
That is the best way to avoid making mis-
takes
A girl with a shawl over her head came in
and presented bottle and piece OF paper
ON which her mother hal written: Please
send cents with orinka for sore throte
The druggist quietly poured some arnica
into the bottle, TASTED on a label, took the
proffered nickel and sat down to resume his
talk.
As was saying, l always forget a pre-
scription as soon as l have filed il. OF
course it is numbered and preserved for
future reference, but if one OF my regular
customers should ask me to put up some
more medicine same as last you know l
would have TO send him home for the bottle
which had the number of the pr scription
on it II attempted TO remember all the
medicines / mix, would soon be insane. A
druggist ought to feel that when he fills a
physicians order he holds the life of some
person in his hand. To mistake one drug for
another at such time may cost life. Such
mistakes result from carelessne as a rule,
not from ignorance, as most people think
"Dai wants poor house blister" said a
q ai
What does he want it for!'
TO put on mas side where he--where it
pains 'er!'
do you mean porous plasterg
,"Ohl yessir.'
ain nine cases out of ten. believe" the
druggist said, when be hai opportunity to
take up the thread of his discourse again,
@carelessness and not ignorance is the cause
0; druggists mistakes A druggist who
knows that he is not proficient in the busi-
ness will look carefully at every jsr or bottle
which he uses in compounding an oriar An
experienced druggist, unless he is a careful
man, will sometimes mistake one drug for
smother which has similar appearance, be-
cause be neglects TO look at tie label. Such
errors happen more easily waen a man per-
mits his counter to become itterei with
drugs not wanted for immsdiate use.
1t Is safer TO clear the counter after
each order is filed The worst possible
habit for a druggist, however, is TO remem-
Der prescriptions already compounded.
When a man attempts the feat OF thinking
about an old pre- cription while he is work
ing on new one, he is in a fair way Of COM
mitting murderous blunier."
Good evening, doctJr."
A man with e long, thin nose, who had en-
tertd softly, waited until the druggist had
walked from the prescription counter to the
front before he inquired in a low tone:
as there any sickness in Mr.. Pillbox's
familyi see his boy came in here a while
ago"
If YOU wish to know about Mr. Pillboxs
family you had better go and ask him. l do
not make practice of retailing gossip about
my customers"
"Ahi Good evening"
There is another reason why a druggist
should forget his work when it is finished,
said the compounder after the mquisitive
man had departed. SUCH practice
enables man TO keep the confidence Of Gus
toners without trouble. Nothing is more
fatal TO the business of a druggist than a
well-founded belief among his neighborl
that he will gossip about persons who buy
drugs from him. It is surprising how many
persons make attempts TO get information
from druggists about their neighbors.
have given blunt answers in such cases, and,
ruriously enough, many of the persons who
have appeared to be most offended at my
refusals to give Information have become
regular customers of mine. In such cases
the golden rule can be followed with profit
IS well as with pleasure