The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-08

ed did not answer to what we mean. at
the present time, by drug store. Only the
most common of remedies were on hand,
and In cases of emergency resource was
had TO distant cities and distinctive drug
stores. The business of compromising and
selling drugs and medicines, the putting up
of prescriptions, ETC., was only an incident
al of the business, and that branch thereof
might have been termed the physicians
depot of supply.
The condition of the state changed, and
it became a matter of absolute necessity
that drug stores should be established, here
and there, throughout the state. Fabu-
lous stories were told about the profits of
the drug trade, and men rushed to open
that class OF stores as rev Ell Dorado.
The result need not be told. We recall an
instance, in this state, of young man, ell
tirely without education and hut nine
months from the farm, advertising himself
as ian able, competent and experienced
pharmaceutist," who "would be on hand at
All uouls, uay anu iiSHl, w OoHlIlouhu Int-
scriptions." Physicians were well nigh
discouraged well they might have been
but a brighter day was dawning for
them. Skillful, learned, conscientious,
educated men were taking hold of the bust
ness, and opening stores for the sale of
drugs, medicines, chemicals, etc, at diff
ferent points. They had terrible compe-
tition to contend with, and their only To-
lance was upon the respectable physician,
and the intelligence of the people. For
time, it seemed hard to some to he COM
PEELED to pay even five or ten per cent more
for perfectly pure article that for an adj
liberated one, which cost the seller not
half as much and was, in truth, worth
nothing at all. To the ordinary citizen,
too, there was no way of determining
whether his medicines were pure or impure,
they tasted bad enough in any event. and
if few cents could be saved that drug
gist-as his sign proclaimed him to be
should be patronized where money could
be saved. The skilful. educated, competent
druggist, however, kept on in this course,
sometimes coming out at the end of the
year with the balance sheet on the right
side, and more often, on the wrong.
The right, and due regard for the health
of the people, at length triumphed. The
day came when the pharnaccutist out
numbered the quack, ten to one, and then
was the time to make a determined move
ment The quacks, unfortunately, are not
out of the business yet, but we hope that
the beginning of the end of their roofing
out has commenced.
This brings us down to about the year
1870, when the druggists of Vermont who
are justly entitled to that name-having
long felt restless under the unjust imputa-
tons they were compelled to bear made a
move. Now, although, pharmacy is pro-
fession as much as that of medicine or law,
yet they knew that they must feel their
way slowly, as they had ignorance to en-
tighten, prejudice to overcome and quacks
to combat. The first step was a consulta-
ton among the leading pharmaceutists of
the state, which resulted in call--signed,
among Others, by at least two Rutland men
for meeting in Rutland in the fall of
that year. Although those who had any
right to be in the business were largely in
the ascendency, they yet laborcd under diff
ficulties, and felt and acknowledged their
difficulty. In their call for the first con-
vention, as well as in the preamb lie to
their constitution, they state, this difficulty,
in substance,as follows that while the adj
vancement of pharmaceutical knowledge.
and the elevation of the professional cha
racter of apothecaries and druggists
throughout the state of Vermont, were
dear to them, in common with all well dis
posed pharmaceutists;y large portion of
those in whose hands the practice of phar-
macy existed were not properly qualified
Tor the responsible offices itnvolvcd, chiefly
by reason of the many difficulties that i'm
pedc the requirement of knowledge of the
business. Starting off in this way, know
ing the obstacles in their path, by self or
ganizaton, counsel and advise, they have
gradually improved the tone of their pro.
fession, so that he must be dolt indeed
that does not see the vast advance made in
three short years. They have, also, in a
measure, educated the people and brought
them to see the necessity of using only pure
drugs. We do not allow boy to come
from the back woods and, without educa-
ton, preparation or special study, practice
in our courts or set himself up as a physic-
ian. Why, any more, should we place our
life and health in the hands of those who
do not understand the first property of the
drug, in which they are dealing, and can
not even read spell out, or pronounce its
name This the pharmaceutists of Yer
mont are determined shall no longer be
done They have, heretofore, borne the
disgrace and insult in silence, because they
felt that they were comparatively helpless
This, as we have said, is now changed
Strong in the justice of their cause, and re-
lying upon the intelligence Of the people,
they propose to appeal to the next legisa-
'"io' nv. ioi Pio'cSuoi, put W SdNc Tue
people from being permanently injured, if
not killed outright, by the vending of i'm
pure drugs, or the dispensing of poisonous
mixtures by ignorant pretenders. We trust
that their meeting in Burlington, during
the present month"; may result in measures
whereby regular school of pharmacy may
be established, and certain qualifications
may be prescribed for opening and keep
ing drug store, as well as for clerkship
therein. This will. of course, require legs-
la'ive enactment, but the druggists of YER
mont owe it to themselves and the whole
people to make the move, and make it in
such way that ii shall be irresistible.
BOGUS SEWING MACUINPs - Charles