Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-17
CHANCE FOR US.
IN DRUG MAKING
German Supply Cut Off and
Prices Here Rise to I'm
heard of Figures.
SOME ARE NOT TO BE HAD
William UIIemeyer, Rock Island Phar-
mscist, Points to Chance for
Profitable Industry.

Rock Island, Aug. 17.-Editor The
Argus: There may not be sufficient
excuse for advancing the cost of food
to the present high prices, but there
certainly is for the advance in drugs
and the drug line. The war in Europe
is playing havoc with the prices in the
drug line. and all prices have been
Withdrawn by the American importer
and jobber. Prices are only quoted
from day to day. Already over 700
products have greatly advanced, many
having doubled in price. Some have
reached record figures, and the end is
not in sight until definite prices are
again established.
Many drugs cannot be had at any
price. for they are of the market en-
tirely and importations have ceased.
The American drug jobbers are an
ticipating to sell in only the smallest
possible quantities to the retailers I'M
til the stocks are exhausted. After
that we may have TO 90 to digging our
own roots. gathering leaves. barks,
stems, flowers, fruit, etc. This is not
to be taken as a joke, but may be a
near future possibility.
Called Into the Army.
A vast army of German people were
engaged in the drug and chemical in
dustry in the fatherland, and about 80
per cent of these are now or will be
soon in the field as fighting soldiers.
In consideration Of such facts, one can
form a faint idea of how the market
will be affected for a long time in re-
gard to the products originating in
Germany Other European countries
are affected the same way, though pos
sibly in a lesser degree.
The drug trade is completely demon
allied. Not since the civil war in our
own country has the cost of war been
so evident in the drug market as at the
present time Enormous advances are
are on citric acid, CASTLE soap, olive
oil. opium and all its by-products, es-
sential oil. imported perfumes and all
high grade toilet articles from France
and Germany. medical products OF or
ganic chemistry. such as asperin be- |
ing the chief one. the consumption OF
which is enormous in this country, II I
having largely taken the place of qui- /
nine of recent years. All coal tar prod /
ucts have advanced. These are pre- !
scribed very much by American ply |
sicians
BIames Patent Laws.
Our patent laws need revising that /
will emancipate the American druggist .
from the servitude OF the German gas
plant. Germany does not grant letters
patent on it's own products of scien-
tifc research.
IL this day of wars there is an OPP
portunity to build an American manu-
featuring organic chemical industry.
There is an opportunity to give en-
ployment 10 hundreds OF people In the
OF drug crops. There Is an
to popularize the growing
n medicinal plants. The resources or
his country in the crude drug material
ror th. organic chemical industry are
as great as IL not greater than those
lf any other country. and the oppor-
-unities are just as good in this line
IS the building OF an export trade anu
merchant marine. This Is OF particu-
ar interest TO the drug industry OF the
United States. VIII the eyes OF the
irug trade be opened To the direness OF
u straits. and may it recognize the
liter folly OF relying upon foreign
,ources for botanical drugs and me
iicinaI products OF organic chemical
industry. as with the building OF an
.xport trade and merchant marine?
Iow is the time to prevent their pass
ng ungrasped. This is the greatest
in American pharmacy.
WILLIAM WHENEVER.
The Sewing Machine.