The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

this especial business that some years since
it was confidently predicted that they
would soon drive from the field the men
who have for so long, in peaceful and I'M
disputed possession of pestle, mortar,
scales and graduated glasses, put up our
prescriptions. Oddly enough, though, in
spite of all that has been said in favor of
feminine invasion into the kingdom of
drugs, pharmacy is the one profess
sion which has, so far, held close to its
old conservative way. Though the colleges
of pharmacy throughout the civilized
world number among their students many
women and girls who have faith enough in
their own abilities, and in the ultimate ap-
probation thereof by the general public,
to take up the study in earnest, the drug
stores that employ women as clerks are
far from being numerous
Even here in California where, under the
act of 1891 some forty women are registered
as pharmacists and assistant pharmacists,
the woman prescription clerk is rarely
seen, ana, when seen, is looked upon as q
curiosity. There are quite number of
drugstores in the State owned by women,
but in the great majority of cases a male
manager and male clerks are employed
therein, and the lady proprietor does none
of the practical work.
In the small country places the wife or
daughter of the resident physician often
with few exceptions, in Difference to popu-
lar prejudice the putting UP of any but the
simplest prescriptions is left to the medi-
cal gentleman himself.
Here in San Francisco we have three
drugstores managed by women, Mrs. J. B.
McElroy, Mrs. A. E. Scott and Mrs. Nc
Dermott each being the proprietor and
practical superintendent of an establish
ment which will not suffer by comparison
with any under masculine control and
supervision.
At st. Joseph Hospital also there is
woman in charge of the drug department,
and never yet has pious Sister NJ. Hya-
cintha made mistake in the work in
trusted to her or given any cause for COM
plant. In Sacramento there are two such
stores under feminine control, and Los
Angeles and San Diego also have within
their borders women druggists pursuing
their chosen calling.
Little by little the barriers are being
broken down, but it is slow work to com
bat prejudice and change public opinion,
and prejudice and public opinion seem, so
far, very much against the innovation.
Mrs. Ella Higginson, the well-known and
brilliant writer of New Whatcom, Wash,
is a practical pharmacist, and for some
years conducted drugstore in that pleas
ant town. At first she met with not
little opposition-silent and other
new then, and among its citizens
were MANY who had little faith
in the reliability and business capacity of
twimmen folks Before long, however,
she demonstrated her fitness for her posi-
ton so decidedly that she won her way
into public confidence and favor, and when
she retired from the cares of business to de-
vote herself exclusively to literary work, in
which line she has achieved such signal
success, her retirement was most sincerely
regretted by the whole community.
Like nearly all women who have had
practical experience, Mrs. Higginson is a
firm believer in pharmacy as profession
for her sex, but she is fully convinced
that almost every woman who attempts
to enter it will find it uphill work
at first Adverse public opinion, she says,
is great and most serious obstacle, and
close and thorough study of the subject has
forced her to believe that in regard to this
matter such opinion is far stronger and
it is in the East.
Mrs. Higgnson is also of the conviction
that pharmacy is the one profession which
men, as a rule, are jealously defending
against the encroachment of their sisters,
and that only in rare and exceptional
cases do established druggists look upon
the addition of women to their ranks with
favor. The fact that in many cases it is
almost impossible for girl or woman to
obtain admission behind the counters of a
| pharmacy in order to gain the necessary
| four years experience which is neces-
| sity for graduation from our college OF
pharmacy does indeed show that there is