The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-12-17
ONLY RICH CAN
AFFORD TO Be I'LL
Prices of Many Drugs Jump Sky
ward as Result Of European
War.

Carbolic acid for Johnnie's cuts,
and glycerine for sisters hands may
soon be missing from the family
medicine chest Father has quit car
rying quinine tablets in his pocket
to curb incipient colds. Mother
theatens to reinstate cream of tartar
and sulphur on the cupboard shelf
with which to dope the children be-
fore they start for school, The war
has knocked the top off the prices
of medicinal drugs and chemicals,
and the sky is the limit.
It may be before long that none
but the rich can afford to be sick, in
the opinion of local druggists. I'm
porters, chemical manufacturers and
wholesale druggists are said to be
unit in conserving their depleted
stocks, refusing offers for large guam
titles. Spectators in the East are
said to be aiming, apparently, to OBJ
tain control of those items in the drug
trade which are most in demand
among the warning nations.
Retailer Affected.
The prescription druggist is feeling
the effect of his situation, and SO far
as can be learned there are few in
Bemidji that don't have to explain to
many customers daily why they are
charging higher prices than before
the war.
Many Of the commonly used drugs
and chemicals have gone kiting,"
said one druggist today. Take gly-
.cerine, for instance. 1t is much used
in winter for chapped hands and lips,
and as part of many cough mixtures.
1t is the basis for the explosive, nj
troglycerine. Two thirds of the
American supplies of crude glycerine
have been imported from France and
England.
What has happened? These coun-
triles have placed an embargo on
crude glycerine. Many of the manu-
facturers of explosives in this coun-
try are producing large quantities
of nitroglycerine for export to
Europe, and it follows that high
prices prevail and still higher may
be expected.
Carbolic Acid Up.
There's carbolic acid, favorite
household antiseptic. 1t is largely
prescribed by physicians and enters
into many disinfectants which are
in steady demand by veterinarians
and others who have to do with live
stock. 1t is derivative of the coal
tar industry, and before the war all
the American supplies came from
England and Germany. How now?
England has placed an embargo
on it and we have to fall back on,
our own resources. One manufacture
er has built small plant and is pro-
ducing some quantity. Edison, also,
has been manufacturing for about a
year. turning out it is thought, be-
tween 5000 and 10000 pounds day,
but this is not enough even for the
ordinary trade in this country.
"Carbolic acid is the basic sub
stance from which are made salicylic
acid, sodium salicylate, artificial oil
of wintergreen and other medicinal
chemicals in wide use.
Quinine Top Notcher.
"Quinine is another illustration
4 few months ago it was selling at a
reasonable figure Today the price
is five times as much and specula-
tors have ruled the market until late
ly 1t is in large demand by the
European nations as there are but
comparatively few factories; two
only in this country, two or three in
England, one in France, one in Hol-
land and three in Germany and it
naturally follows that the demand on
this country is exceedingly large
plantations in Java of the Gin
chona trees owned by Dutchmen and
controlled by German capital have
limited the allotment to the manu-
facturers in this country, as it is
quite natural that the controlling in
terests would not desire that any
part of the quinine produced from
the cinchona bark should be sold to
the Allies.
This fact, coupled with inadequate
shipping facilities added to an act
ual shrinkage during the past IL
months of approximately 100000