Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-10-01
death in Pre.criptIeu.."

Editor .Star-Two communications appeared
In your paper last week having the above cap
uon. The object OF each of your correspon-
dents seemed to be to demonstrate ko,o
''mistakes' occur, rather than suggest q
''remedy"-.still" intimating that physicians
are more at fault, owing TO the careless man.
practitioner" seems TO think that the apothecs-
~ is wholly TO blame. and further informs the
public that an examination is demanded of
physicians before they are allowed 70 practice
Ii Is useless TO argue who is 10 blame.
.mistakes" occur and the public are more in
terested 70 know how the evil is to be remlded
While the apothecary is Justly charCable Win
many ssmistakee, }" the physician is NOT exemnt
from error, and perhaps IL the truth were
blunders az the former. II has been reportedZ
with how much truth we know not-that
Medical Colleges frequently permit yonue men
to graduate who cannot pass a satisfactory ex-
ANIMATION, exacting promise from such not 10
practice until they have attended an additional
course OF lectures. II this true (we hone AZ 4.
mott It Is simply committing gross nuisance,
and 10 as much deserving public condem alton
as the impudence OF man lacking the kuowledre
and experience IN medicine OF q druggists por-
ter, who locates himself on street corner a. A
vender OF medicine. To protect the public
from the latter class, we suggest that law be
passed by the city authoritiesr equIrine ali ap-
plying for licenses as apotnecaries TO furpish a
certificate from competent Board of Exami-
ners that they have passed q satisfactory ex-
animation. law Of this kind rs necessary. 40
long as men exist who lack that degree of
modesty that would forbid imposing on the
people by engaging IN an occupation for which
they do not possess the first tQuaIifications we
cannot see why q man DISC uaIified, who ham
pen to be possessed OF a few thousand in s,0reen-
a drug store, should be allowed 70 endanger the
lives and health Of the community.
There is scarcely an occupation. either pro-
fession or trade, that has not q standard OF
qualification TOR its members. In most pro-
fessions and trades the public are capable OF
Judging the expert from the pretender. In
drugs this is not the fact. Few people know
one article from another, or a good from an in
ferior quality. In prescriptions this is espe-
cIally the case; and in many instances the
physician who writes the pres lription does
not know when tits properly dispenoed. Now,
necessary in professions and trades where life
10 not endangered, and Of which the people
have some knowledge, how much more is it
Uhere life and health are at stake, and Of which
the people have no knowledge. Druggists'
mistakes are not confined 70 prescriptions. We
rif1ced by powdered corrosive sublimste being
dispenced for common calcined magnesiA. A
mistake Of this kind cannst be due 70 accident
ing the sliohtest knowledge Of drugs, not 20 de-
tsct the one from the other Of these arucles.
even II he were blind. Laudanum has been
given Tor paregoric; tincture Of aconits for
brandy morphta for quinine, &C.
We are told by druggists that rf ID Impossible
70 induce young men 70 remain long enough %
obtain knowledge OF their business or pro.
. boy 70 remain In Q Drugstore four or i've
years, hard work. constant study, close con.
anement, anc no pay, when s.rom, Dick and
70 Be nis comps;isor or for ~ pubic fS1or ae An'wsd
Let us have 2 law not only defining the
quahncaton OF pfopr1eeoes OF drug shops, but
also Of their aasistants, and then-thoagh We
gists-we WIN certainly have no moro from
gross Ignorance or carelessnsss. OBsIRv1R.