The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-30
THE AporHECARIEs.
The New Druggist Liccnsing LAw-views Of
4 Drugsist.

and prescription clerks has naturally aroused
widespread interest In this community, and Justly
So inasmuch as the health and lives OF the people
depend often on the skill and care OF the medical
prescriber and or the apOthecary who compounds
the prescription.
There can be no doubt in the mind OF any reason
able man that the dispensing Of drugs should be en-
trusted only to competent men, the proof of whose
competence should be the diploma or certificate
from some legally recognized board OF experts.
l do not propose now TO examine into the merits
OF the present law No man can reasonably pass
Judgment on 1t until its practical workings have
had time TO take effect. am inclined, however, to
think that the public will look with disfavOr on
those who shall endeavor to opstruct or oppose the
practical enforcement OF this act, as whatever may
have been the motives OF its ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
them TO have been, as many think, no higher than
the creation OF Jew more offices for friends or
political hangers-on-sll the benefit 10 the public at
large which would result from the enforcement OF
this act in wedding out incompetent men from the
profession TOO obvious to escape the notice OF
even the most ignorant class
But, ON the other hand. the public should not ex-
pect too great results now from this any other
legislation that will involve results less radical than
the systems OF Germany and France. Whether such
stringent laws as there prevail In reference to the
prescribing and dispensing OF medicines could In
our democratic country be strictly enforced Is =
question that would not venture to decide. But II
might give an opinion on the subject should say
that they could be enforced, ana that the welbeing
OF the community would be conserved by sucn raul
Cal legislation would elevate the noble science OF
medicine to the lofty position It should always hold
Ii u civilized country. But, repeat. the public
should not expect too much from this law. This
remark Is prompted by reading an article IN the Irt-
6Ul.e headed mo More ApOthecary. Murders''-the
writer thereof evidently supposng that the enforce
ment OF this law would prevent any more mistakes
being made, and hence from tnat cause no more
remains as II is ana is governed by the same laws
mistakes Will always be liable TO occur from
thOughtlessnesS inadvertence on the part or the
compounder. or, from what Is still more frequent,
the part o! physicians IN writing the pre-
than the public have any idea Of will venture The
assertion, which know Will be sustained by the
ton was compounded exactly as written
there would occur from that cause at
east nVe IN per recall
a number OF cases OF this kind. Some time since
received prescription from leading physician as
ounce. Take az once.'' On inquiry / ascertained
the patient was suffering from chills and fever and
the doctor evidently intended to order 'quinine
sulph.," OF which the quantity directed would have
been proper DOSE whereas the article ordered was
sufficient to Kill three men. On another occasion
physician directed. by slip Of the pen, the official
term for corrosive suolmate, which, as all Know Is
powerful poison intending to prescribe calonel.
In all such the druggist Is expected to rectfy
the mistakes OF the doctor. l mention these cases
only as sample OF many that have come under my
observation. Any druggist OF standing can. Ill his
own experience, recall many similar examples. VIII
here venture a statement in which believe shall
be supported by the leading members OF the pro-
fesslon mat not over one-ihird of the so-caled
ply scians III this city are up to the mark IN their
profession, or whose practice would bear the scrl
TINY of the faculty OF Bellevue or Of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons
Now, 1t is a fact that the physician VINO drafted
this law, institurng such searching reform among
druggists, proposed and endeavored at the same
time to introduce an act designed to weed out in
competent practitioners and protect and encourage
men OF higher class OF talent. such o law vigOr-
ously applied would be the means OF saving thou
sands OF valuable lives every year.
But this much needed reform. which would strike
at the very root of the evil, found no favor with the
put the cart before the horse, ana commenced with
the druggists. Now, the druggist, let hm be ever SO
anc Of the medical prescriOer for your doctor VIII
| allow no rampering with his prescription. 1t mat
tiers not how many ncompaGes are Jul np6ers TO-
| There are hundreds OF ignorant quacss under va
| rous names. sucn as cairvoyants, Indian DOCTORS
movement Curers, Undergraduates, electricians, spe-
c,alsts &C. This city s full OF them, and they are
allowed to ply their vocation. administer their I'M
! and amass fortunes from their ignorant dupes,
without any surveillance or any .. 10 hinder
| stances there are many druggists who look
upon the new law as o. nagrant specimen
| that the law applies to no other part OF the State.
ms city singled out for the experiment Brook
lynthe third city in population III the States-wll
not experience the benefit of this law Now, If the
| LEGISLATURE can thus single out one city or town
u
caprice OF the executives thereof might deprive
| many worthy men OF all means Of livelihood, by
closing up Their business IN which they had been
| gaining an honorable living, then, 1t seems
to Inc. they might make laws which
would apply to single street only-Broad.
single individual. under pretence of the public
good But will not pursue this branch OF the sub.
WILL IL followed its natural Sequence suggest to
any thoughtful lnrist the idea that such legislation
such as are called forth by considerations such as
the writer has endeavored to explain, drug
gSts rs body will seriously oppose or Obstruct the
law. The great majority OF the profession are gen.
tlemen by instinct and education, and will heartily
cooperate In any measures calculated to elevate
that noblest OF all scienCes-the healing art A IL.
Views of Another Druggist.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
AS the law requiring the licensing OF druggists
seems to have greatly disturbed the accustomed
equanimity Of the knights of the pestle l think 1t
would not be amiss to consider, a little more than
specifically whether they have any just reason to
complain. II 1t must be admitted that such law is
not only meet, but even necessary 1t must also be
conceded that this same law is partial, and
quently unjust, in its enactment and grevous and
mpractlcable In its execution. My reason for saying
that this law is unjust and partial Is founded the
authority of the NEW YORK HERALD which, when
calling, few months ago. on Congress to repeal
the obnoxious income tax law, said that one or the
most potent reasons why that law should be repealed
was that its burden was felt only by part OF the
country, adding, at the time, that all partial
laws were unjust null and void, or words to that
effect. Pray, sir not the lives OF the three
four million persons living IN the State OF New
York precious to them as are the lives OF those
living III the citya Have they not right TO be pro-
tectedr II So why should they be left TO the tender
mercy OF the truly ignorant country chemists that
nest the StateY added that the said law Is grev-
Gus and imprac.cable IN Its execution. Let us
see. Is IL not grlevous to see the Originators
| OF that law, the very same men who nave nlled or
promised TO ill the empty purse OF that loud
mouthed hard-fsted lawmaker Mister Jimmy
with the honest earnings OF their poor c0nfr6res
| appointed on the Board OF Examiners9 Arc they
| not committed beforehand to declare incompetent
an extra large number OF what they pleased TO
call pseudo cneiststirst TO show to the people
right tney were, and then to yet rid OF all druggists
| and drug stores that may happen to be situated