The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-06
NEW Y0RK'S WHITE SLAVES
WHAT TIE WORKING MEN AND WO-
MEN say IND MINK.
The Drug Clerks-Pcttv and PuItry Pnrsi-
monv of tho Pili-Mukers.
10 ne Emor q TIE sun.

10 ne EMor az The sun
Sra We are suffering from this white
slave tyranny in Brooklyn. We have Just lost
one of most estimable citizens from the
slavery which compelled YOUNG drug clerk to be on
is feettnd at his post from 6 O'Clock in the morn.
ing I'LL midnight, ask a little room In THE sun to
defend class Of men-and in too many instances
boys-who are literally worked TO death" al.
lude to the drug clerks. became conversant with the
life and services of drug clerk from years resi-.
dcnce In apartments over drug store, and By the
clerks boarding in my family and as consider lin
fair representative OF his class, both a. to duties
and privileges, presume his case will answer for
many
Let us look into the routine Of his daily life. Tie
opened the store principally at O'Clock, and as tho
owner did not generally arrive TN or 10 o'clock,
the clerk had to have his breakfast carried down to
him. SO was It with his dinner and suppcr-oftencr
having TO worry II down while tending store. than
TO cit at table and enjoy his meals like human be-
ing. Well, the store closed at II T. NJ, and the
clerk, about midnight, used 40 with close con6ne-
nent and the want OF exercise, retired to a lounge
in an illventlatod room back OF the store to-sleep
think your Yes to sleep; II the uneasy, frctul
slumber that comes from an overtaAed brain eau be
called sleep. And then recollecl he was night
clerk' also, and had to sleep with his ears, " not
his eyes omen, and was called up perhaps once or
Now sir, who think you ought 10 he held respon.
siblc for the death OF Mra. John T. Barnard, IN
Brooklyn on Friday evening last. by the blunier OF
q boy clerk in Of our hrst-clnss drug stores
the clerk or the proprietor OF the store 1t seems
TO me there IL a hw-fthere IL not, It Ia high time
there should he oncrequiring three years service
In drug store before n clerk IL allowed to com.
pound prescriptions. THIS clerk according 10 his
own testimony. Ia IS years Of nye has been com
pounding prescriptions for the past three years and
when asked how he came 10 make the fatal mistake,
replied 81 read the prescription; compreiend ed
II perfectly. wv hand some how or other got on the
wrong bottle" And when asked at what time this
was replied " II WAS just midnight the store was
closed; hal been very much bothered in making
No my cash was taking Oh my clothes TO lie down.
sleep behind the counter here. am my feet
rom six In the morning when the store opens, till
twelve at ntght--eightcen hours In ALL don't deny
that TO get M makes sleepy after such hours aud
so much to do but always dash water In my face,
get wide awake, and have frequently in the night
put M the most diTicut prescriptions"
This sad lesson teaches us that q clerk who has
been on bis feet from sixteen 20 eighteen hours a
dav. whose nerves are all excited, and whose brain
IL In mudde. Is not NJ person to I've intrusted
with such responsible duty M the compOunding OF
prescriptions. or to hold tho life death OF an in
diyiiual In his hands. Why not employ person o {
ACKNOWLEDGED skin and responsibility only and let
hight clerk go on say At or O'Clock, thereby
giving the day clerk little time TO call his own
Surely the profits of the proprieors OF most OF our
drug stores would cnahle them to scopt some such
ran IA this else why IL II that drug monopo.
iize nearly all the promnet corners In PRINCIPAL
thorou Zhiaresf G.F.