The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
Election of officers and Other Business. withan
Interesting Paper on How Southern Drug
gists Fared During the Civil War.
The Banquet at Which Good Feeling
Made All Akin with Cheer Of Feasting.
Speeches Expressing Sentiments That Won
Rapturous Applause in Response to Elo-
quence and Humor-Breakfast to Ladies.
BUSINESS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

Came Up in Order.
At the morning sessioo of the National
Wholesale Druggists Association. at Bren-
neke's Hall, yesterday. considerable bust
ness was dispatched bearing chiefly upon
the relations of the wholesale to the retail
dealers. The following officers were there
after elected forethe ensuing year:
Preside Van Setback, Chicago.
Observation-Disclosures Stewart, indianapolis;
John McKesson, jr, New York; M. @, Peter,
Louisville; J. L Lyon. New Orleans; F. ".
secretary-A. B. Merriam. Minneapolis.
Treasurer-S. NJ. Strong. Cleveland
Board OF Control-N. "A. Rust, BOston: A. VI.
Andrus, New York: ID. Meyers. cleveland; ]. (.
Davis, Detroit; 4. L. Brown, Memphis.
During the afternoon session. in the line
of miscellaneous business, Mr. Brown, of
Kansas, moved the appointment of a COM
mittee of three to attend the meeting at
Washington for the revision of the pharma-
copeia. The motion was adopted, and the
committee will be named by the president.
AS the N. W. d. A. is not an Incorporated
body. the gentlemen named as such CON-
mittee will not go as delegates, but merely
in an advisory capacity.
J.. Fl. Zeilin. of Philadelphia, who. during
the war. was a druggist at Macon, Ga,
relieved the tedium Of business detail by
t tSe drug b business was conducted south Of
Mason and Dixon's line during the re-
beIhon. cit may be Interestingly said Mr..
Zeilin, in his paper, ito explain why drug
gists pursued their business without inter
ference from the conscript officers. After
Mr. LincOln's proclamation declaring medi-
cines contraband of war. indignation was
very great, and, TO counteracr this, the con-
script act exempted druggists In the pro-
portion of one to each establishment. The
cOnfp6Qrate QOVernmanf also Qa We every
encouragement to any who would con-
tribute towards the succOr and remedies
for the sick and suffering, for in the niala-
rious climate medicine was as essential as
bread and meat, especially to women and
children. IL certain districtsdruggists were
appointed by the State authorities to sup
ply medicine, and details could also be Sc
cured from the army for medical purposes.
privileged aud envied person. Efforts were
made especially to keep up the supply of
adhesive p~lasters. The government held
out inducements In the way of large orders
and liberal offers to have them made, but
the materials became exhausted. Substi-
tutes for lsinglass, gums. ETC., to form the
p~lasters, then silk to spread them on and
boxes to hold them became an ingenious
study, and was solved by. necessity. the
mother of invention. Muslin was used in
the place of silk, which proved to be q val
liable discovery, for the use of a thin,
porous material allowed morbid matter to
pass through the pores of the plaster, and
could be removed without redressing. This
highly was this plaster esteemed that in
Sherman's march to the sea the field sur
geons n orders issued to have this plaster
Before planting" continued Mr.. Zeilin,
lit was a universal custom South to soak
seed-whcat in a solution OF bluestone to
prevent rust.s This, as q matter of
course. caused bluestone to be- in de-
r.nvA 1tar1nn tho uor nt a hlnh VpInA
and almost exhausted the supply. which
was averted by persons working the copper
mines near Cleveland, Tenn. They began
the manufacture of bluestone and turned
out about ten thousand pounds per week,
which was all taken and readily sold. This
supply was not allowed to reach the mar
kets regularly, however, as the confederate
government often seized the shipments for
stone soon advanced its price to SIS a pound
IN trade. which was the only way it could
be bought, and il was quite the custom to
exchange with the farmer one pound of
bluestone for one bushel of wheat. With
this wheat IN hand, the druggist could pur-
chase anything hat could be had; SO that
it may be literally said the druggist lived
on bluest0ne. Farmers got alarmed as to
the value OF money. and would not sell
had nothing to barter. provisions were diff
ticult to secure. The taking of the one
tenth of everything by the government as
tithes made the farmers avoid marketing
citizens to the edge of despair, and some
times starvation looked the best people in
the face. The government was also re-
duced to great straits to feed the army as
well as prisoners. This taking of ,tithes
was necessitated, and if tho farmers did not
come to town the plantations were visited
and the tithes demanded.
AT times requisition would be made
upon the druggists stock. and many articles
ageneral thing. they were respected in their
rights. Guards were stationed at the cor
ners of the streets in cities to deman your
papers, and IN explanation why you were
not at the front. Woe to him who had lost
or mislaid his druggist exemption papers.
Sometimes it happened when u big sale at
tracted q crowd to Charleston flor in
s~tanceI, an order would be issued that no
able-bodied man should leave the city. and
many laughable instances could be related
scriptions: Clothing, shoes. etc.. were all
made by the ladies of the family. Linseed
oil was very scarce, and mostly consumed
i, shoes. making s,es o giiiterp aDS solo. slSth ue e1s
rubbed into thick sheeting and answered
for leather. and he was doubly lucky who
got an alligator's skin. although only rough
and partly tanned. Under-clothing. and
heavy cotton sheeting. unbleached, and
dyed with walnut bulls and copperas.
This many Southern factories were able to
produce roughly. yet it was very scarce and
was sold as a charity by the factories for So
per yard. Only seven yards was sold to
any one member of q family. Thursday
was the appointed distributing day. when
some member of the family would nave to
stand in line and draw his ration of cloth.
THE straits which druggists were
driven many. Tupelo wood
was use svrks, and rough glass
bottles ws4- mad in Richmond. The
earth of the smoke-house was percolated
for salt. and saltpeter and cold water werc
soon the only remedy for healing Wounds
The newly-elected officers, after the read
ing of this paper. were installed, President
elect Van Setback. of Chicago, being es-
corted 10 the platform by James Richard
son. of st. Louis. and Arthur Peter, of
Louisville. Mr.. Van Schaack's remarks
were somewhat humorous. and he did not
fail to advertise TO the convention that
Chicago expected the worlds fair to DO
held within her borders. Remarks were
made by others of the incoming officers
elect. and the retiring president. Mr..
Kelley, spoke briefly. James Richardson.
of IT. Louis. who has recently retired from
active business, was then called npon for a
speech. He spoke at some length. and. in
concluding. said: Il can call on you by
name. and there is not a man among you
but VIII say that you have worked Tor too
small profits. Now, in the name Of all that
isdecent. of all that is honest. in the name
OF wisdom why do you go ont i am out OF
II. In forty minutes l lost nearly $60.-
600 of that kind OF stuff in which