Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-05
STATEMENT OF DRUGGISTS.


AT meeting of the druggists of Staunton, on
the evening OF the LIST inst, in the rooms above
Berkeley & Co.'S drug store, Capt. Frank Berke-
ley was called to the chair, and Geo. w. May
appointed secretary.
Capt. Berkeley on taking the chair, explained
the object of the meeting to be to take into con-
sideration publication in the Cincinnati En-
quirer of the 18th inst. dated "Staunton Febru-
airy 2lst,' and purporting to have been written
by soma one in this place in which the people
of this city. and the Valley of Virginia and the
druggists ofStaunton, are shamefully and out
rageously libeled.
After an exchange of opinions, it was resolved
to appoint committee to draft resolutions ex-
pressive of the indignation of the druggists OF
Staunton, at the slanderous publication. their
sense of the outrage perpetrated upon them by
the correspondent to vindicate themselves, the
citizens ofStaunton, and the Valley Of Virginia,
from the false accusations made against them,
and to report to subsequent meeting to be
held on the 4th inst.
At the time named the druggists Of the city,
viz: Capt. Frank b. Berkeley, DIR. Carter Berke-
ley, DR.. N. Wayt, DIR. Geo. s. Walker, Geo.
w. May, Howard Wayt and VIM. r. Tyree met
and resumed their organization.
The committee appointed to prepare resolu-
lions for the action of the meeting reported as
follows:
The undersigned your committee beg leave,
respectfully. to report that they have carefully
read the letter published in the Cincinnati En-
Qitrer of the 18th of February, dated 'Staunton
Va, Feb. 2lst'' and claiming to give statement
spect to Opium-eating. They find it tissue of
falsehoods from beginning to end. grossly SLAM
derous of the people OF this city and Valley,
and wholly without foundation in fact.
No correspondent representing the Cincin-
att Enquirer or any other paper has visited
any of the druggists of Staunton.
There has been no conference of druggists in
reference to the increase of the pernicious habit
of Opium eating, nor is it true that there has
been an increase.
The assertion that one hundred pounds of
opium is sold in Staunton each Ueek, is such an
unmitigated falsehOod that it requires no con-
tradictiOn.
Our city has a population of about 5000 in
habitants, with two large State Institutions
one for the Insane and the other for the Deaf
Schools. the county of Augusta, of which
Staunton is the county seat, contains popula-
ton of $4,000. The counties of Bath, Highland,
Allegheny, Pocahontas, Pendleton and con,
siderable portion of Rockingham and Rock
bridge, with an aggregate population of not
less than $4,000, do the most OF their purchas-
ing in Staunton. With all OF this trade the
aggregate sales of opium taken in the crude
state and manufactured into laudanum, pare
goric, &C., by all five of the drug stores, does
not exceed eighty pounds $50 lbs.) in all of its
preparations, including morphine
Out of the entire population of city and coun-
ty, we are satisfied from careful examinations
Of our list of customers there not over fifty
persons addicted to the fearful habit of opium
eating. OF these quite a number are forced to
its use by cancerous or other equally painful
afflictIon
We feel justified in asserting that no commit
nifty Of similar number of Inhabitants is less
addicted to the use of opium than this Per-
sons addicted to the habit, as all know do not
buy at the same store regularly, but purchase
from A one week and B another, and conse-
fxyt inn tho
weeks ago made the impression, unintention-
ally, that there were five times as many
opium-eaters here as really exist.
The statement of the Enquirer that the Young
ladies of the city were regular customers at the
drug stores for the purchase of opium, is in
famously false. Not even grain has been sold
to any OF the schools during the entire year. In
referring to the use OF opium in the Lunatic
Asylum, say that as little, if not less is used
than in any similar Institution in the United
States; that other remedies, better adapted to
the condition OF the unfortunate inmates, are
resorted to.
AS druggists, in whom much confidence is
reposed by the city, county, and section with
which we trade, we feel called upon to deny
every assertion of this correspondent, and to
express the belief that no people are so free
from the vice named as those embracing the
territory above stated. And what is true of
this county is true of the entire Valley of Vir-
ginia.
In this opinion, we are satisfied the medical
faculty of the city and county will bear us out.
1t is proper to state that no such persons as
DIR. Murphy, DIR. Dilxes, Mr. Lloyd, the pawn
broker: Mr.. MARYLAND, the Elder; or Mr.. Ben
ner, the druggist, live in stanton, or have ever
lived here, and that these names like the as
sumed facts of the Enquirer correspondent were
coined for the occasion without a shadow of
truth to sustain them,
In order to effect as full PREPARATION of the in
jury done this people by the statement of the
Enquirer correspondent, and to vindicate our
selves from the falsehoods perpetrated against
us, we respectfully request tho proprietor of
that paper to give these proceedings as wide
circulation as was given the communication
in question.
1t is further requested that all other papers,
which have noticed either in part or in whole
the statement in the Staunt6n Vilidicator, or
Cincinnati Enquirer and especially the New
York Times, Richmond papers, Rockingham
Register and Norfolk Vrginiaa,, will do us the
justice to publish the substance of this formal
denial of the assumed facts OF the respective
publications.
BERKELEY & CO.;
N. WAYT & BRO,
GEO. w. MAY & CO.,
GEORGE s. WALKER,
VIM. r. TYREE.