PRICES ADVANCING

Otago Witness, Issue 3200, 14 July 1915, Page 3

PRICES ADVANCING

SHORTAGE OE DRUGS. WELLINGTON, July 7. From the latest advice received from London it appears that certain drugs in general and increasing demand are becoming harder and harder to procure. This is especially the case with asperin, which has advanced considerably in price, but the London chemists are unable to cope with the demand. Soon after the commencement of the war the American manufacturers saw their opportunity to secure a firmer footing in supplying drugs that were' formerly procured from Europe, and consequently the wholesale' manufacturing chemists doubled and in some cases trebled their output, but still the demand has not been met. Large repeat orders were forwarded to America, with the result that the market has been depleted of asperin, and the cost of this drug will probably reach a much higher figure. Antipyrin, which was formerly purchased on the Continent, is another drug that has advanced in price, and at the present time there is none offering on the London market. The almost universal household medicine Epsom salts is likely to rise considerably in price, as well as Glauber* salts. This will chiefly be brought about by the action of the British Government in commandeering several of the sulphuric acid works. The salts referred to are by-products from these works, and as they are being put to other uses by the Government authorities, the demand will not be kept pace with in the near future. The cod-fishing season opened promisingly, and some fine catches were reported. Later the catches continued to be of a satisfactory nature, but it was dis-' covered that the livers of the fish were very thin, and consequently the production of oil fell in proportion. There was a heavy demand for the oil in Norway, and prices rose above normal. The factor that was the main cans 3 for this was the heavy operations on the market by Germany, the oil being required for the manufacture of glycerine, which is wanted for the manufacture of explosives. During the last few days there have been ‘ some fairly heavy purchases of glycerine on the local market, in anticipation of a further rise in price. Now that Australia has decided to manufacture munitions of war a rise in the price of glycerine may bo expected, but to what extent cannot at present be foreshadowed. Generally thr is a decided tendency' for the price of drugs to advance still higher, mainly on account of the difficulty of production, but there is another fact that-,plays an important part, and that is the scarcity of qualified chemists. Since the commencement of the war a. large number of chemists have relinquished their employment with the manufacturers, and at present are engaged in more important work elsewhere.