The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-14
DISPENSING DEATH.
HOW ACCIDENTS" HAPPEN IN APorHEcARY
SHOPS

tha, he may give you double the weight OF some poi
drug ike atropia arsenic, aconite srychnis?
You ought to appreciate this II you do not tor these
drugs all frequently used and the dose Of each ono
Is exceedingly small 0neatieth OF grain OF aconiie
for Instance. has produced death. Atropia Is
given In larger doses than tho ono-twentisth OF
n gram, and generally tho dose is much
smaller. How frequently are We compelled
TO have prescription prepared at night from drugs
kept by side the shelves, and that the drug
gis reaches almost the dark Tor often all the light
he has Is the nickerng flame OF a candle Mistakes
frequently astonsh tho denzens OF the neighborhood
but seldom go any further; the physician as a rule
aiding the pharmacist TO ''hush them up which Is
easily accomplished by the aid oil an 'in,ehgcnt"
Coroncrs jury who gives verdict probably censuring
the proprietor and advising the discharge OF the clerk,
and tho public hears more oil it, The propr-
etors OF pharmacies have been frequently
interviewed ana their of the
OF accidcnts' has been given The public at large
through the columns OF the HERALD The proprctors
have invariably blamed the clerks Tor all "aecidents,"
attribuDg Il 10 carclcssncss ana others TO the
incompetency o! their several clerks. Recently the
writer called upon several clerks employed In large
pharmacies through the city Tor the purpose Of asccr-
taning their opinion the OF I'm stakes" in
compromising drugs Tue first gentleman called upon
is the chief clerk large drug situated Third
Afer the writer had stated object OF his visit
and asked for any Information he might choose 10
impart to the public through tho HERALD, no said
"MsrAsgsn OCCUR.
at would be very difficult TO always determine the
cause OF mistake IN putting up prescription, but as
far as know, II is always due 10 carcessncss For
my part don't believe ever made mistake IN my
life without had my mind something else, but,
luck would have II, have always been fortunate
enough discover all my serious mistakes before the
prescription lett the store. When man sleeps In the
and gets up The night to put up prescription
he is more liable 10 make mistake than any other
time
''How do you account for that 7"
"Wol. you man that sleeps In a store gets up
and opens the store every morning 1T O'Clock. He
hardly has time to cat HIS mcais and is obliged, III
busy store ike this To stand ON his ieet ali day.
1t he Is not waiting customers he ~ dong
some storework, putting up preparations Tor tho
store, or the Ike and when night comes he Is pretty
tired aud like sleeping He aonl get bed until
hali-past eleven O'Clock, ether that Icing the time
SHUT up in tins store When he gets to bed he Is,
morning, and that thing Is kept up from one years
end TO tho other Car conductors are all the time
blowing about their work Why, they don't begin 10
money than DO. When slept In tho store II very
That young there that sleeps IN the store now IS
very nearly played out. We are expected to be edu
Gated ani receive smaller compensation Tor our
arduous service than an ordinary dry goods clerk"
ovERwoRKED CLERKS
'1hcn, you think that drug clerks arc worked too
hardy"
.Ccrtanly l do. IL the proprietors would apprc-
ciac that as do and give us better hours they In
return. would have better clerks"
docs your employer expect you TO prescribe over
the COUNTER"
ION, no But we are compelled 10 do II; so is he.
III did not, all tho applicant tor "a prescription
would have 10 do Is 10 the next corner and they
would do IT, and the result would be that tho customers
would never come back 10 us I"
sDo you prescribe Tor all niectionsy"
mo, not as II general thing. II We do we only give
some simple remedy that could do no harin even II II
did no good"
TOO MANY DRUG STORES
"What IS tho cause, tncn oil SO many mistakes beng
made drug storesf'
"WelI, you see, there arc many drug stores.
Every that ces inclined can start drug store
wherever he wishes There is no law to rcguate the
business; cach man does M he pleascs aud employs
any he chooses all that ~ required being that tney
shall have graduated at the College Of Pharmacy Any
boy OF ordinary intelligence 30 In drug store, ana
IN months he Will nave learned enough 10 go down
tucre, pay tho pricc and 90 through form Of cx-
animation and get his diploma or certificate, which,
ever you please to call II. !"
slow would you do away with the supcrauous drug
storesyn
II would certainly recommend the plan that Is in
vogue In Germany"
..WLat plan is tnatY'
SWELL they only allow many drug stores to GER
tain number OF people. When The proprietor VI drug
goes out OF business all applicants Tor the
place must go through competitive examination, and
the best man Is allowed TO open the store. hcn the
people know whoputs up Their drugs. Here the law
permits 10 sell any poison choose; all Vt requires
take the aud address OIL the purchaser
they can always invent purpose that Icgls
innate to us when IN reality they may wish to commit
II We 10 not sell II tho boss discharges
because he loses the money anu customer and his
neighbor gains them. /"
''rncn you think that some law would do tho drug
trade sooi and protect the peoples livcsr"
Eyes, SIR do Let the Legislature pass laws regu-
| lating IN. keeping OF drug stores aud tho sale OF
poisons and force the employer to give their clerks
less seventeen hours. and think the peo-
plc would have cause tor complaint For how tue
world man do such delicate work II he does not
get any siecpyV
AS The clerk concluded tho above remarks tho pro-
pretor entered the store and took my departure.
The next knight oil tho scales called upon
ployed Ia q well known pharmacy tho Grand Gen.
trail Depot. He was rather iacctieus individual
''H0w long have you been IN the drug business
sirs" asked him. as III cigarthat had purchased
| an excuse.
about twenty years" he replied.
"Did you learn your profession in this counry?"
"fhe drug business Is not profession. SIR, " IS a
trade, the same tinsmith. What know OF the
trade learned IN Ireland"
''What do you think OF the manner Ia which tho
business is conducted In this country"
''lhc manner, as you call u, Is good enough; II Is
the people that couduct the manner find iaut WITH"
why IS tIatyp
..Bccarsc they are poor race They don't have
any cnJoymcnls thai other people have; they kept
IN the from YEARS. cnd to another anc would
no. know that Hell gate had been blown up II some
body had not told them. y
POOR PAY
'.Why Is II that so many mistakes are made In tho
drug stores in compromising prcscriptionsy"
'Wc!i. you see druggists, Us rule, are poor class
OF men. Any Old tinker, cobbcr tailor that comes
along hud has Sot money enough can start uug store
He VIII employ the clerk he can get Tor the least
money; nay the clerk about $40 week, anu expect
him work Tor sixteen seventeen hours day, ard
the consequence Is tho clerk hates him aud don't
how nc does his work"
"But thoush; druggist was compelled to pass an
examination before the College OF Pharmaeyr'
.'Uh, anybody do that after three month s'
reading and good man TO coach nm y
.How do you account tor all the mistakes that are
made IN drug stofcsY'
| Il don't think many mistakes occur people
think. But suppose that tie greater number arc
fuuu % Due n "a
made by a man that undcrstoou hts busnessn y
"fhcn you do not think any ever due 10 incom-
petcncvfn
II cont know A bottle washor might mako
once IN WINE, but then he always thinks ho under
stands the business -
'.Wnat do You think Of the opposition in the drug
tradcf'
''fnc man that has got the most money always sue
cceds. knowledge l. nowhere; mo people don't want
itthcy want the show. The larger show you give
them the more they willing TO pay tor H. Oh SIKH