New Britain herald., 1914-04-02
PARIS DRUG STORES s1
 DIFFER FROM OURS
French Government Proh bits Bargain Counters in ApotheCaries' Sh)ps.

New York, April 2.-Many Amer jeans who have passed along the Rue de la Paix, in Paris, have been struck by signs on one place of busi- ness which read, English Chemists and American Druggists Arthur F. Jewell, head of the firm which owns Roberts & Co.,, explained that while these were primarily the same thing, there were differences. MT. Jewell, who is making his first trip to the United States, has been studying conditions in the drug trade in this and other cities.
 ''The store of Roberts & Co.,, in Paris was established in 1920, dur ing the reign of Louis XVII, when Dr. Roberts, a London chemist, was invited to come over to Paris by the British Embassy, because, the French and English pharmacopeia being different, and it being at that time the fashion to sell impure drugs in Paris, the filling of physicians pre- scriptions was an unsatisfactory pro- cess,'' he said. We might perhaps have several establishments in Paris, but the French laws will not allow the same firm more than one place of business Chains of drug stores such as are familiar in New York, would for that reason be impossible to establish in Paris.
 No Bargain Counters.
 1T have found that a drug store ' here is not the same as drug store or chemists shop abroad. For in- stance, over there such an establish ment sells only drugs and medicines. We have no stationery bargain coun- ters, no piles of fine candies to at tract the visitor and perhaps induce him later to come back for some of our medicines. We have no cigar stands. We do not offer fine line of labor saving devices or luxuries of various kinds. Indeed, in entering some drug stores over here I have been amazed to find that the thing of least importance sold in the estab- lishment seemed to be drugs and medicines, and that they were rele- gated to- a small portion of the estab- lishment at the rear. Of course many of such esta blshments are palatial, but in Europe we have found that to be engaged in the serious business of dispensing drugs, we cannot do much with side lines,' if you call them such.
 And we do not have soda water fountains. Over here, I am informed, and my observation bears out what I have been told, drug store does not seem to be drug store unless it dis penses ice cream soda. Personally, have no prejudice against the soda water fountain. Indeed, if it pro- duced the revenue that it does in a drug store over here, I should be- come an ardent supporter of it, I fancy. But We have tried the soda l. water fountain, and it doesn't pay. Of course they have soda water foun- tains in London and Paris, and they are successful, but they are in other kinds of shops. People come to the drug stores for medicines, and they simply won't consider coming to them for drinks.
 Many Family Remedies.
 "In our Paris establishments we have to fill prescriptions for people of all nationalities, and I believe we have had to deal with those of every well known physician in the world One of the greatest French doctors always writes our name on his pre- scriptions in preference to that of French chemists. It has been our ex- perience that many Americans travel with their own prescriptions. Many of them have family remedies which their own physician has been pre- scribing for certain ailments.
 During this trip have visited a number of manufacturing chemists establishments in St. Louis and Chi cago. Armour & O., as you prob ably know, do a big pharmaceutical manufacturing business
 Coming over here, I have found is an education in itself. I was told that everybody was 'hesitating' here abouts. They don't show it in busi- ness. I have been impressed by the earnestness of the business people, Then have been struck by the com fort and convenience of the railway trains. It is wonderful-far superior to anything we have in the way of travelling accommodation in Europe
 Wife Is An American.
 My wife is an American, but it is not mere policy that makes me say that the women I have seen in the United States are the prettiest I have ever seen anywhere.
 ''In the drug stores, business goes much more swiftly than abroad. There is no lingering or loitering. People come in apparently knowing what they want, and having got it, get away to make room for the next customer. I have enjoyed the priv ileges of several clubs since I have been here It always makes an Eng lishman feel like an ungrateful dog that the club customs in London pre- vent a member from taking in a friend and pJlttinc him ,,p Yrofor