Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1884 — Druggists’ Profits. [ARTICLE]

Druggists’ Profits.

“I suppose you are tolerably familiar with druggists and the drug trade?” saida reporter to a “traveling man,” whose opportunities for going behind the returns are unexcelled. “ Well, rather,” answered the drummer. “I flatter myself that Ido know a thing or two about, the bnsiness.” ' “I wish yon would give hie —on the square, you know —an idea of the profits of a prescription druggist. ” “Well it’s hard to figure it out exactly or even to average it. You see, the time consumed in making up a prescription, the cost of the drugs, etc., vary greatly, -and iH'sides. druggists have different ways of charging for them; bnt I'll give ypu an actual occurrence and von may judge for yourself. I was selling some goods to a druggist, an old customer of our house, one day, iria town not a thousand miles from this city, when a man came iu for a pre.scription which he had previously ordered. 'How much is it ?’ he asked. ‘Sixty-five cents,’ answered the druggist. 'lsn’t that pretty steep ?’ asked tiie man. 'Oh, no; we couldn't afford to put it up for a cent less,' answered the druggist, with every appearance of frankness. After I had finished my bnsiness with the dVuggist, said I, ! smiling, ‘Say. Smith, just for fan, let's figure up what that fio-eent prescription cost you.’ ‘All right,’said he, smiling also. So we figured it up carefully, including every possible item —his time -..-$5-a of-the drugs, Ixittle. label cork, twine, wrapping paper, etc. Tpiie osculation was rather difficult at times, seeing that the labels cost but 25 cents per 1,000, the corks 24 eents.por gross, etc.; but we stuck to it, and the most we could make that Co-eent prescription cost was 6} cents. It happened to be one which requiredno mixing, and the component parts were cheap; but I guess it was a fair sample, all the same. Bt the way, did you ever notice that a druggist seldom charges 25, 50, or 75 cents for a prescription ? 'He charges 20 or 30. 45 or 55,70 or 80 cents. It looks as though he was charging upon a fixed scale, instead of guessing at it. with a liberal margin for profit, you see. It looks better, too, especially if the druggist stops and thinks a moment before announcing the price. Druggists size up their customers and charge accordingly, with an extra dime or quarter added if the customer is unfortunate enough to be a trifle green.” —Chicago Tribunt. -