Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
DRUG FAMINE AHEAD
Startling Conditions Predicted
il War Continues.
Prices Now Away Up and Some Sup.
plies May he Cut on Entirely
-fcurOpc's Demand
Great.

| If tho, war continues illness Is going to
be a more expensive luxury in the United
States this coming winter than ever before.
Prices of drugs are even now soaring to
| a height never hitherto attained within
the memory of the oldest pharmacist says
the New York Sun.
| Nor is this the worst Of 1t. Not only
are many drugs selling at figures which
would be prohibitive but for the neces-
sity which compels their purchase at
whatever price. but there are many others
which in q very short time cannot be
obtained for love or money unless the
beligerents lay down their arms In the
next few weeks. The country is actually
threatened with drug famine.
| There are several contributing causes.
all based on the war Tho United States,
according to a New York manufacturer.
depends on Europe for Is per cent Of
its supply. Europe, otherwise occupied
this year, Is not producing more than n
very small fraction of the normal supply
of herbs and other plants which so to
mako up most of the household remedies
and prescriptions.
EUROPES NEEDS IMPERATIVE.
Then because of the embargo on ship
ments only a small part Of the products
which might otherwise be sent here finds
its way to this country. Lastly, the neces-
sity for drugs is much more widespread
in Europe during the war than In this
country. Not only do her own factories
utilize the bulk of the home grown bo-
tanica products. but the European dstrib-
uters are beseechlng American manu-
facturers to ship back the medicines
which have been made here from Euro
pean plants.
Out of this extraordinary situation has
arisen n group Of Spectators whose ac-
tivities are contributing materially to the
high prices. Manufacturers. foreseeing a
famine in raw products. are conserving
such supplies as they have and are paying
fancy prices to increa Sc them. The New
York wholesale drug market was de-
scrihed by a retailer yesterday as "a
Wall Street with slower action on the
money
Meanwhile, as is inevitable. the invalid
is the sufferer, financially as we'll as
physically. Quinne costs five times as
two weeks the wholesale price has risen
from 40 cents an ounce to 1925 Manu-
facturers are talking now Of substituting
South American cinchona bark for the
product Of Java, the source Of supply nor
maly. But the percentage of yield of the
South American bark is very low and
the substitution would result in heavy
increase in the cost of production.
PATENT MEDICINES WON'T GO UP.
Glycerne. too, is on a rampage. Eu-
rope has shut off virtually the entire sup
ply of crudes entering into its manufact
ure and the local stock is low In con-
sequence the wholesale price, normally
20 cents to % cents a pound, has jumped
to IS cents. However, this increase is
not likely to affect the selling price of
the many patent medicines Of which gy-
cerine is an ingredient. While this stock
lasts the dispenser of patents may be
depended upon to sell without augment
alton of cost. at whatever the loss. In
some cases the price, like the name. is
"blown in the bottle" and generally it
has become as standardized as the trade
mark itself.
Included in this class may be mentioned
a soothing connection for which infants
are reported to cry and a fig syrup pre-
paration bearing a native son appellate
This, despite the fact that SIENNA leaves
imported from India, have risen in price
from 1-2 to so cents, and the Egyptian
product from to so cents, In this same
category are lniments and ointments.
If the war continues till next spring
grandma may be forced to look about for
a substitute for her tried and true cam
omile tea. The leaves come from Ger
many and Austria and the wholesalers
are paying 30 cents a pound more for
them than In times of peace. The hore-
hound herb another old standby, which
is an Austrian product, has jumped from
cents to Is, and licorice. imported from
Smyrna, has risen from cents to 90.
Cod liver oil. despite it's name, is made
from crude oils which come from Nor
way, not Boston The cost of the crude
product has advanced from $40 to $50 the
barrel. According to a wholesale drug
Sist some of the cars In the recent Aston
> Cup race We're fed on castor oil instead
OF crude oil, because OF the shortage IN
the latter's supply. The castor bean Is
; of South American growth and is I'M
affected by the war
THANKSGIVING "FIXINGS" COST
MORE.
Here's an item which spells disappoint-
ment when the Thanksgiving dinner is
served. Sage has risen from l-2 cents
a pound to 30. Thyme and other swee:
herbs, for which America looks to France
also have advanced.
Still other increases are shown in the
following list of articles for which this
= country depends on European Turkey
, In each case the Wholesale price Is quoted
a Permanganate Of potash, IL cents to 81 Is
olive oil, so cents to rs cents a gallon
Russian cantharides, rs cents to 81; dos
lgraas, to co cents a pound.
. The Mexican war Is responsible for c
;, jump in sarsaparilia from cents to II
n France and Germany buy large quantitie.
il OF this product from the American manu-
d facturers.