, 1874-07-12

| We present this morning the result of an ex-
tensye inquiry into the alleged abuses practiced
| in the drug business, wholesale and retail. Tho
| result Of the investigation among the wholesalo
dealers is that Tho sa!o Of adultcrated drugs By
any house desiring reputation for respecta-
bil!ty is no longer profitable, and hence the
present general rivalry in TINT branch Of the
be had. The result OF this is that certain manu-
facturers are compelled to observe slic. integrity
in the preparation OF the drugs, under the penal
II Of loss of trade.
In the retail business there is, and has been
always, an immense pecuniary temptation to
adrlterate in the conpounling OF prescriptions.
Thus, there are druggists who will p1i: up pre-
scrption BY substituting for some costly ingredi-
the high-priced drugs, such qninine and
opium, and the reductions OF the latter. there is
a widely-dinercnt practice. One class Of drug
gists put up prescriptions cheap" in order to
secure custom; while others demand high
price on the ground that to compound pure
dr1gs neccssita:es heavy charges. An instance
is given wlero prescription. of which
qrinine VAS the most expensive item,
WAS presented at q number Of stores,
and tho prices demanded for it ranged from
80 cents to s2.40. The highest price, of course.
was demanded for the pure article, leaving the
inference that there was falling off in quality
as the price descended. Nevertheless, to apv
unskillcd person there is no means by which tho
swindlod by the ono dealer more than BIZ the
other. The apothecary business, however, is
undergoing change. tits passing into better
and moro skillful hands. Compromising druggists
are beginning to discover that reputation for
possessing and compounding pure drugs is more
profitable than oven the extortions for inferior
substitutes. The prescribing physicians have it
in their power to correct the practice Of putting
up medicines in fraudulent manner, and
rord OF caution to their pationts can prove cost
ly to any druggist who attempts to palm off
spurious drugs upon his customers. The prac-
tico of paying physicians a percentage on all
prescriptions sent to store is looked upon as
falling into disreputo. It is reflection upon
the druggist. who may be suspected of repaying
himself by the use OF inferior drugs, and q re-
fection on the physician, who, for his own gain,
may thus endanger the health Of patients by
having them procure their medicine from edrug-
giEt who is tempted to cheat them.
Some Of the retail druggists speak frankly Of
the tricks and devices which may be practiced in
the trade. Thus. in the simple but universally
used nrtic1a OF citrate Of masnesla, the confding
sick mau may be swindled into taking EPSON or
Rochelle salts; those who use cream of tartar
may swallow rlnster Of paris. Quinine pills
cold by Wholesale nre Of euch doubtful origin
that their use is to be avoided; better trust to
tho corner apothccary than bug the rcady-made
stuff. as rule. The extent OF the business OF
adulteration may bo summed up in tho general
remark that any expensive chemical il liable to
be Adultc1ated-
DR.. Powell explains the change that has taken
place in the practice Of medicine because of the
failure Of the druggists to ill tho prescriptions
With Ingredients OF the standard strength and
quality: Ordinarily, dose is prescribed t. pro-
duce cestain effect; ordinarily, because Of the
character Of tha drugs put up, tho effect II not
produced, A1d tho result u that phyAiolana have