The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-24
'desdlock," IN hs FAR as they relate to SfK9
business returns Of the Office with the authorfy
ties at Washington.

ties at Washington.
Law . Prevent Murder ~ ApseAe.
csrAesp AszfstzaeA
The Albany Legislature should not sdjourH
without passing q Law to prevent murder hr
apothecariss' assistants. Such law, WIN
the strictest provisions for the proper dsSree
Of training ON the part Of apothecarIes and sIl
in their employ, for their thorough examins~
ton by duly authorized medical men before
being permitted to open or to serve in drug
gists' shops, and for severe penalties In every
case Of fatal consequences from ignorance or
carelessness In dispensing medicines, has be-
come absolutely Indispensable. How urgent
Is the necessity of passing and rigidly enforcing
1t is shown by the alarming frequency OF accf-
dents-nearly all of which have proved fatal
occasioned by culpable mistakes on the part
of apothecaries or their assistants during tho
past year. The number Of these accidents
occurring in this city alone is almost incredi-
BILE. Every other city in the land can exhibits
a proportionately fearful list. One ply
stefan In Boston has said that thres
times within single year he has had
his prescriptions answered by the return
Of substances which were not written for, and
although these mistakes were not Of danger
GUS character they betrayed carolessncss or
ignorance on the part OF the dispenser which
would indicate the possibility of future miss
takes not so harmless The same physician
communicated to the Boston Medical and
SurgicaJ Journal q case In which he was
called in the night time to patient who had
an ulcer upon the lower leg, from which the
bandages had not been removed for several
days, and the foul liberation had opened
blood vessel. The doctor wrote for scruple
of persulphate of iron. After waiting for half
an hour, during which the hemorrhage was
checked by the application of Ice, the messen-
ger returned with quantity Of powdered sul-
phate Of iron. In this instance the ignorance
of the person left in attendance was fortu-
nately followed by no i'll consequences, but In
many cases time thus lost might be very
serious matter.
In some countries such an occur renee would
be impossible, because there the number Of
apo'hecaries shops is limited by law, and no
one can be principal or assistant who has not
studied certain tins and passed certain
examinations. In England public opinion was
so much excited by Professor Taylor's req
port, published in 1864, on the number OF
deaths caused by poisons In that country.
demonstrating that vcry4hrge percentage
Of the same was the result of carelessness in
dispensing on she part of apoth acaries, as ia
loaH 10 <hn al oP al r.
except the right one, in the form Of ''poson
bills" safety bottles, &C., until Il was found
that express Parliamentary action in the pre-
misses was requisite, and strict law waa
passed to restrain the evil. In France the
soclets de Pharmacie, founded in It'll, and
the Ecole de Phsrmacie have together edu.
Gated the public mind to sense of the indls-
peasableness Of thorough training on the part
Of apothecaras and their assistants. Many
OF the latter have fall diplomas as apothecaries
long before they set up in business for them.
selves, and the former are, without exception,
obliged to present certificates of having passed
eight years OF study In legally established
pharmacies, or three years In practice and
three years in following lectures, to pass three
rigid examinations and to be twenty-five years
of age, in order TO receive the diplomas which
entitle them to exercise their profession In all
the departments of France. The French
apothecary is held responsible for the mis-
takes Of his assistants.
The growing tendency in our American
cities to convert serious and responsible
business into q fancy goods establishment,
where numerous statesmen are required, has
been properly reprehended by some Of oar
medical journals as most dangerous evil.
A learned profession should not be allowed to
degenerate into mere trade. Not few Of
the fatal mistakes in apotheoaries' shops have
been made by assistants whose extreme youth
is an exaggeraton rather than an extenuation
Of their guilt aud that Of their employers, and
our neighbor Hudnut sets good example by
conspicuousIy placarding as rule ''No medi-
cines dispensed by boys" But we repeat, the
Legislature should pass law to prevent MUIR
der by apotheearies' assistants whether boys
or men.
TIE BUENs ANNIvERsARY will be celebrated
this year with great 6clat This evening the
Rev. Samuel Osgood, D. D., will deliver an
Grafton before the Burns Club, at Steinway
Hall, Mr.. William Cullen Bryant presiding,
and the annual dinner Of the club will be held