The New York herald., 1871-12-06
The Penalty for Violating the Law $500
Fine and Imprisonment.
Over Six Hundred Practitioner
Have Failed to Take
Aao Out Licenses.
The Objections of Those Who
Fight the Law.

raIed and that In this city alone there hundreds
OF persons engaged IN the putting up OF physlcians
prescriptions who know nothing about the virtues
OF the articles they handle. Indeed, it has
long been q matter OF astonishment to
foreign pharmacists locating In this conn
try to ind men engaged in dispensing
medicines who have never served an hours ap-
prentceship to the profession passed an exami-
nation. The calling OF an apOthecary Is one that
returns large profits, and consequently persons
seeking business apt to embark In II, whether
or not they be fitted by education for 1t. The con-
sequence is that the quack, who
OPENS IN TENEMENT NEIGuBoRHooD
q small drug store and places
s'# About his shelves
Green earsben pots, bladders s and musy seeds.
Remnants of packthreah and old cakes OF roses,
for the purpose OF making show OF business ana
attracting custom, Is enabled to compete with re-
spectacle apothecaries who deal only in the purest
articles, and who may nave devoted years Of un-
remitting study to the acquisition OF u knowledge
Of medicines
The daily press gives frequent evidence OF the
laxity OF this system OF dispensing drugs, or the
unrestraned sale thereof, In the reports OF acci-
dental and untmely deaths resulting from the care
less compromising OF them. In fact. 1t is well known
to every professional chemist that there are drugs
80 closely resembling each other In looks taste and
smell that none but an expert can detect the differ
ence; and, when 1t Is remembered that there are
many hundreds OF ignorant persons engaged In the
compounding OF drugs and chemicals, 1t should not
be matter Of establishment that our coroners'
JURIEs FREQUENTLY REPORT DEATHS
resulting from the careessness of drugRsts clerks
But heretofore 1t has been found utterly impossible,
under the laws OF the State, to bring home to the
author the crime and mete out to him the punish
ment whi ch his carelessness merited. ~
In the last session Of the Legislature Assemblyman
Irving, OF this city, introduced bil which became
law, looking 10 the correction Of these abuses.
The bill created q board for the examination OF
druggists and their clerks. to consist Of four COM
whose duties and powers are thus defned:-
SECTION A shall be the duty Of said board examine,
smgoyed 10 putting prsseI,pon: d.psn.ns %edsos
in such capacity and which cer.cste sha Be deemed a.
the
s the sum e BE pad or such by the 70
ss
Sessa. 'es1sG5 A. nsss..:sy
SuT:s@sn' b lsp ana .hsii srss make
srelIsr q the & city TO Of q New Yorx :, ). 49,, -.
New York hereby directed x the which
each member Of said board and the thereof shall
dered BY then Of $25c0 per annum
sugsrs.Ss: srs ss. sanssy y q: s:ass:
real and In the city Of New such sum Of money
q shaS the
received for the certificates issued By Sr'msntonsa
board.
IN compliance with the law the Mayor appointed
DIR. II. ogden Doremus, William Graham, Ur. Theo-
dore Fronwein and DR.. Q. NJ. OLeary, and Mr..
Boaru was organized ON the 2lst OF June and on the
27th OF July entered upon their dules selecting one
ss s iSer IT oices Notices were at once sent 70 ali
the druggists and clerks IN the city accompanied
BY copies Of the law ordering them 70
PRESENT THEMSELVES FOR EXAMINATION, .-N
the fees for such examination being fixed at $50 Tor
druggists and $40 for clerks large portion OF the
St bu9 others Who felt that the College Of Pharmacy
haa been ignored, organized what IS known as the
'Apotnecaries' Union" with view or protecting
their interests and contesting the law After taking
legal aIvice this Union discovered 100
TIE LAW TO BE VALID,
but retain their organization Win the object OF
curing its repeal or It's substitution by one that
SO far lnere nave been examined by the Board,
which sits daily from ten a: NJ. tlti TWO 7. NJ. 2ss
anu 1S sS some nss,oENT Wgm were
I In one or more OF the subjects upon which they
,,does see PRACTICAL pharmacy and ofcinal boaanv,
Udprfd nlediCd, the adulteratiOn OF drugs and pre-
aer sneraec sny were enape~ 10
pass on second or third examinauon anu secured
tue Grst quarterly report to September 81 shows
that OF 1870 clerks VINO presented themselves for ex
animation eighty .one were rejected ana OF zoo
passed crediable examinations were three ladies VI
the city.
and several persons from beyond the city limits, and
even one IRON New Jersey. Those who are beyond
the Jurisdiction OF the act were evidently induced to
In which they reside that they are thoroughly quail
fed IN their profession The Board claim mat u y
| optional with them whether they examine ana give
| certificates to nonresident applicants.
| The statistics carefully collected by the Board
show the number druggists IN the city to be 43s,
and Druggists clerks, 1906 total llSS subtract the
| SIX HUNDRED AND FIPry-ErGnT PERSONS STILL uN-
As tho law takes cfect on the 2ist instant it
| will be seen that the persons anected oy II nave no
time TO spare. Every person found putting up phy-
/ 1cate from the Board is liable to the penalty OF
| NOT MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED DoLLARs
or imprisonment not longer tnan SIX montns' OF
| both at the discretion OF the court F.
The Board are very careful In their examinations,
and submit each applicant to rigid scrutiny They
! chemlcai laboratory. The tests are made In
| the presence Of the examiners, ana tney
claim lhat under their .,os, sys'em Of ner.en. ex,
| receiving certificates who are not iuly quained TO
| compound physicians prescriptions. As the ices
90 into the Comptroliers hands there Is no incen.
tive for the Board 10 permit persons 10 slip through
| on superficial examination
| One great oversight IN the ACT - tnas n -
NO PERSON Is DESIGNATED TO PROSECUTE vIO'
| LAToRs THE LAW, lr
and is enforcement must be left 10 the people and
police Any s1ea @ wno ranxst or clerk na
| compounded a pnysican's prescription Wltnoht
first having secured his certncate can go peioIc ~ ~
| police IusIice and make complaint, ana ~ - tne
duty OF the stIce to arraign the accused aud take
| cognizance OF the offence. This oversight now
| ever, is Likely 10 be overcome by the llcensco
| cierks who are organizing protective union, with
| q view or prosecuting all Offenders. ,-.,--.
The examinations thus iar show sna' ione.sners
| eland tnce xamnatlon much better tnah Amerlcahs
and are more prompt In complying win the proVi'
J sions OF the law. ,... n.ac a v.a