The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-03-18
TRICKS IN DRUGS.
A Druggist Reveals Some Very Interestin
Trade Secrets.

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A Druggist Reveals Some Very Interesting
Trade Secrets.
'.Do you know that lady who just left
the storeP" said the proprietor of one
of our elegant drug stores last evening
rs a reporter lit his cigar.
81 have seen her, but do not know
her name. !"
"That lady has one secret known only
to herself, her maid and me. Not even
my clerks know it. She has been prom
inent in society here for some years.
Seven years ago she came from New
York, and has resided ever since in one
or another of our leading hotels. Prior
TO her coming she had bleaehed her
hair, and during all these seven years
she has purchased her favorite French
preparation at my store. All her friends
here believe she is blonde. Every
week, as her hair grows out, her maid
renews the application.
81 suppose your customers for that
line of goods are not as numerous as
they were some years ago?
''I think they are more so."
"What class of ladies purchase their
hair preparationsp''
s'Single ladies mostly. Shop girls
and copyists are our chief customers. y
'.But is it not expensive?"
''It sells for about two dollars and
fifty cents per bottle of four ounces. II
requires from one to four bottles to
convert head of black or brown hair
into blonde, depending on the depth
of black. After this weekly applica-
hon is made"
''The original transformation, then,
costs from three to ten dollars?''
s.Yes, and the girls who use it most
must frequently starve themselves in
order to save enough money to pur-
chase the preparations. 1t takes about
two weeks to make the change in the
first place."
s.Is the use of it injurious?"
..Itis injurious to the hair and scalp
alike"
ationp''
II can answer that by asking you
why you like blondes better than bru-
nettes.'
Because I DON'T
..Most people do. At any rate, the
ladies think men like blondes better
They think they look prettier with
blonde hair than with black. | do
not mean that all ladies have thai
freak
"You call this French preparation
Are there no American goods of thil
| characterp''
ave never undertook to sell but ont
brand of American goods. 1t was 8
failure, and was afterwards discovered
to be good for sore throat. 1t is nov
used for that disease.
s.But, say! want to tell you some
thing. / learned secret to-day abou
opium. There is one man in this cit,
who grinds opium for all the WHOLESALE
druggists of the city. He told me to
day that nearly half his customer
adulterate the drug. One man take
seven pounds Of licorice with every tel
pounds of opium. Others make
mixture of four pounds of hcorice ant
ten of opium. Then, you know, ther
are many grades of opium, anyway
One brand costs sixteen dollars pc
pound, while others cost four dollar
per pound. 1t is unnecessary to sa
that many druggists use the four-dolla
goods. I"
"Well, have you any more drug rev
elations to makep'
"Yes, I could talk all night if yo
would listen, and you would find on
that our trade has tricks as well a
others. We don't often tell each other
games, though. Nearly every prescrir
ton contains 'Squibbs' ergot.' Every
body thinks he gets that manufacture
| can tell you that no ten druggists i
the city have Squibbs' ergot. The,
have other makes that cost just abou
half as much. 1t is a matter of grav
importance, very often, too. OF course
cheap manufactures have not th
strength and consequently not tn
| effect
i "Anything elsep"
..When prescription is sent to
druggist calling for four per cen
solution of cocaine it generally gets br
two per cent. A prescription contain
/ ing quinine often gets cinchonida il
stead. The latter is much cheaper, bt
| is different drug. Then there
another drug used by class of peopl'
Oil Of sandalwood is purchased muc
in all large cities. A genuine artic
costs eighteen dollars per pound.
am positive there is not a stol
in the city that has half pound I
pure oil. That commonly used
about twenty per cent. pure. I'll
balance is olive oil. O, yes, there
much trickery In the drug busines