The New York herald., 1871-03-12
DRUG STORES AND DRUGGISTS.

or these days.
DRUG STORES AND DRUGGISTS.
A Physiciau's Views.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
An article in q recent issue of your paper on the
drugstores and druggists this city, ana In
t0n herewith on the Irving bill, now before the
Legislature of this State for the reform OF certain
abuses In the manner OF dispensing drugs, presents
q very unfair and one-sided view OF really very
important question. great deal has been said and
written or late years concerning the dangers to
which the public is exposed from the careless ad-
minisration OF drugs, and the anxiety felt upon the
subject Is justly widespread and wcll-founded. Va
rtous means have been suggested TO remedy the evil
Legislatures have been memOrlazed about 1t from
different sources with each successive accident the
press pours out its vias OF wrath upon the unlucky
apothecary, and presents all sorts of wild and i'm
practicable schemes to prevent Its recurrence The
druggists, anxious to screen themselves,
deavor to throw the blame npon the doc
tors, and a feeling OF hostility, which ought
never 10 exist has grown up between them
and the latter class, which bids fair to become
subject for legislative interference. Small polit-
clans even, who could not discriminate between rhu-
bard and ginger If their lives depended on It, frame
bills OF reform utterly worthless for all practical
purposes and Of no earthly importance in any eyes
except their own, while the exaggerated statements
OF fertile reporters, assisted by the fasehoods OF in
terested men, keep the public mind slirred up TO
condition OF constant anxiety and alarm. And yet
very little has actually been accomplished. Fatal
accidents still OF frequent occurrences; ncompe-
tent persons still continue to put up prescriptions
and the evil Is apparently as far from being abated
as ever.
the incompetency the carelessness OF the apothe
cary or his clerk, and frequently. no DOUBT, from
both causes. The whole system Is that requires
careful and thorough revision. 1t must be obvious to
every one who knows anything at all about the mat.
ter that the way TO safety and efficiency
in this, as In any other business Is to educate men
especially for It. 1t Is ridiculous to suppose that
after boy has swept out q store and pounded drugs
In a mortar for three or six months that he
IS then fit to be trusted behind the prescr iption
counter. In occupation like this, when the life
OF o human being often depends upon the knowledge
and accuracy OF the parties employed, it Is Of the
highest Importance that In all they should be
specially trained ana fitted therefor. And this
structi0n can only properly come from regular
EomeRr San9 81 sOula De law Oh .ne
whether principal or clerk should compound pre-
scription without diploma or license from some
duly accredited college OF pharmacy, which Is his
only voucher that he has pursued the required
studies and sustained satisfactory examination
therein. And It Is only druggists themselves OF long
experience who should constitute the board OF ex-
animation Men OF no other profession or cOndi
tlon are competent. Physicians cannot do it. the
practice or medicine and pharmacy are distinct and
separate branches OF science, and physicians as q
general thing are not sufficiently familiar win all
the details. many OF which are OF practical impor-
tance Boards or mayors and aldermen are SO
utterly incompetent Tor such positions that the
One might as well expect Digger Indian
to conduct an examination In Euclid. The bill
before the Legislature should be SO amended as to
make the board OF examination consist almost
wholly OF experienced druggists. who alone could
of candidates In no other way can the desired re-
suit be obtained and the sooner law to that effect
themselves and the communities whom they serve
There Is another matter also OF equal Importance
which demands investigation and thorough and
decided change from what 1t has hitherto been.
This Is the unauthorized renewal OF physicians pre-
scriptlons by the druggists 1t Is an evl Of which
the physicians have long and Justly complained, and
which might long ago have been remedied ply
Scians themselves had only acted together and with
promptness and decision. They have only them
often the case, over trivial and unessentia points OF
medical ethics, they would unite In the reform OF
really important matter like the one under
consideration, and In which both right and
Justice is on their side, tney might. speedily
body Of men Of half the numbers and
influence would be so thoroughly blind and apa-
thetic to their own interests or Indifferent to the
character OF laws which especially affect them. In
England the medical profession wlelds a wide and
powerful influence In all matters aflectlng the
health and sanitary welfare OF the people. and the
London Lancet speaks with an authority which
politicians find it 10 their interest to respect. 1t
might be SO in this country, ana the present laxy
OF the laws be materially changed. With regard to
the renewal or prescriptions, for instance
be no question but the physicians are right A pre-
scrIplion given to patient is simply an order on
druggist for medicine, which he fills, and which he
has no more right to renew without Instructions
from the physician who gave 1t than, as has been
wei! stated bank has to recash q cheek which has
once been paid The justice OF this IS Obvious at q
fvlnn Nntth thn thn
buys the prescription. TIE physician is under no
obligation to write one even. He may either furnish
the medicine himself or accompany the patient TO
the druggist and give the latter verbal directions
how TO prepare the medicine he wishes. The pre-
scripuon itself is simply matter OF commerce, and
saves trouble to all parties. Neither Is the patient
o proper judge or his own case. His physical
condition may be materially different from what 1t
was at the time he originally received the prescrip
tion, and the same remedy which benefited him at
first might, at the time he desired It's renewal, do
h,m positive harm. There are many diseases for
which the patient thinks II unnecessary to consult
his physician after the first visit, but confidently
assumes the control OF his own ease renewing his
medicine aIten as ne thinks 1t necessary con-
veuieat without thought as to Its appropriateness,
UNTIL after few weeks or months, he finds himself
still ailing, or, perhaps, with an entirely different
train of symptoms, wnen he concludes that the
tor was humbug, and either neglects TO pay any
some charlatan who beeds him roundly OF all the
money he has or can borrow from his friends, and,
hay'ng M SQUEEZED nm ary, Turns nun roughly away
at first. Of course 1t Is for the apothecares interest
to renew the medicine as often as possible, and
It is done repeatedly In large majority
OF the stores. The same medicine, too, is
often furnished to parties other than those for
whom It originally intended Apothecares
often get general idea OF the nature OF disease
from the character oil a remedy and when person
applies as is the case, Tor something secure
such and such symptoms, the shopman imagInes
that the prescription he copied day two before
would be just the thing and So assuming the role OF
physcian, he furnishes the article charging with
the blandest OF smiles, little extra for the "advce
which accompanies 1t. This Is thing OF such com
mon occurrence that IL requires no arguments or
proofs to maintain 1t. One proprietor OF drug
store-a speculator IN such OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tarily acknowledged that certain prescription had