The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-08
DRUG TRADE SUFFERS
KEENLY FROM WAR
Prices Of All Chemicals and ES-
scntial Oils Jump From
90 to 100 Per Cent.
PRESENT SUPPLY Is SHORT
Many Lines on Which Germany
Holds Monopoly Will Be
Out Of the Market.
PRESENT SUPPLY Is SHORT

Probably the trade which has received
the hardest blow from the war Is that OF
the drug and chemical dealers These
dealers and also manufacturers, whose
very existence depends upon uninterrupted
trade with foreign countries. have been
caught short and are now scrambing 20
coyer In tho last few days prices OF ALL
drugs, chemicals and essential oils have
Jumped from % 20 100 per cent
In many instances the situation Is made
even worse by tho fact that drug brokers
and importers refuse 20 quote fat rates
They will give nominal figures, but will
not guarantee delivery. There is hardly
an industry that will not feel the i'm
mediate effect OF the scarcity and rise In
price and not until :here is some SEM
ton be relieved.
stocks are also abnormally low. be
cause trade conditions for the past six
months have been so unsettled that
dealers and brokers have hesitatcd to keep
on hand even the small normal supply.
Every one thought the tendency OF prices
was downward and held off bu, Ing
The large drug and chemical houses
r conserving what supplies they have
and doing them out 70 meet immediate
, demands
Morphine went Nm - cents an ounce
yesterday and opium had advanced 5,
an ounce since the war began. with cor.
, responding rises IN It's derivatives. Tn,
supply OF herbs from Egypt has been ru'
off, with resultant rises Qunine. fo-
which Hamburg Ia the centre. has eon,
mp 10 cents and IL now 30 cent.
an ounce Cod llver oil from NORWAY
sells at s2S a barrel, m advance % Sll
The shutting off Of the supply OF Ger
man chemicals has been most importan
in demoralizing the trade The worIC
depends upon her for most OF the raw
aud manufactured chemical supplies
. Chloride of barium used I'm the prepare
! ion of peroxide of hydrogen. has advanced
nearly roo per cent. aud even Al tina
price is hardly obtainahic Carbolir aci,
crystals are up from 10 cents to q
I n pound
Trade from the Far East has not heel
seriously affected, but nevertheless!
camphor has gone from 40 70 iS cents re
Gently.
Prices in retail drug stores have ad
vanced accordingly One large syudicat
made fiat advance OF % per cent yestar
day on imported perfumes
The European war has halted Gather
ing and shipping ope ratons abroad at
| time when - per cert. of the EurOpea
botanical drug crops were being harveste
and when Asiatic and African drug crop
were generally awaiting shipment throug
the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea.
Glycerine. potash, saltpeter and carboll
acid cannot be shipped under any eli
cumstancos, as they are deemed contra
, band Of war" The prices of these an
maiy other chemicals have been SO muc
affected by the war that no quotation
, are made on them at all. Most Of ~
German synthetic preparations have az
vanced In price and all quotations ~
, made subject 70 change without notice
The United States. as the largest dru
. consuming though the smallest drug pr,
duclng country Of the world, is NATURAL
suffering more than any other COUNT
. from this cessation Of shipments.