Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-15
Remarks Of Mr.. Dana, of Portland,

|
IL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, FEB l4tb, ON
| THE BILL AMENDING THE PHARMACY ACT OF
| 1877.
Hr. Speaker and Gentlemen Of the House Of Rep.
| resentdtires:
| 1t has fallen to my lot, as member of COM
mittee appointed by the Maine State Pharmaceu-
teal Association last July, to do some work 10 aid
| of pharmaceutical legislation.
| have not in connection with this subject been
asked to speak in behalf of the apohecaries, but
as one of tnst profession cannot bat ieel an in-
teIest IN having them placed right bt fore YOU.
/ Let not my incompetence iujure their cause with
| you, for upon you will rest the responsibility of
| our future course.
To you we appeal in the name Of humanity,
common sense aud common ju.tice to say what
we shall do in the fdur, All the apothecarns
| the medical profession, all who are custom
ers tor medicines; all demand your careful con-
sideratIon, ana the wisdom OF your action IN
| reference 10 our large and numeIUusly signed
| pc etluOns (sgDed most largely by business men
and voters OF the Safe of Maiue), for IN it are
| nvolv, the Issues of life and deatn.
| The subject present, repre- ents the a0otheCa-
| ries view # tins question Of holding spirtuous
| liquors a. | understand 1t. Ii Is a fact that all
| apothecares engaz ed IN preparing and dispensing
| medicines are Obliged 10 following the formula of
| all phSrmacopeas to use more or less alcoholic
liquors.
| The statutes of the State of Maine expressly
prohbl the keeping OF tue same SO that nj
| though the Governor and Council appoint Com
| missioners of Pharmacy to register aud examine
all apohecarles for the pui pose OF protecting the
| pubic from Incompetent persons pursuing the
business OF an apothecary, yet uuder the pres
ent law he Is prohibited from pur-uing his lvg it,
mate business. All ASK is that permission be
given by alteration OF the preseutlaw to ;he leglt-
innate apothecary to transact legally his business
| as a Pharmacutist
1t is not necessary for rue to show you, that oar
profession is a necessary one, 1t is recognized as
such ty every civilized country on earth.
From the cradle to the grave there are times
when all are our customers. Inc prescription book
is book of knowledge in which are registered all
| the remedies applied TO alleviate or cure tne dis
eases OF the people, from infancy to old age. And
| shall it be said that we shall not have this ght
| any longer IN the state OF Maine to alleviate the
suffering and SICK by compouuding and dispens-
| my the prescription of their family physician
| Iou cannot gentlemen, tnd another spot
| earth other than the State OF Maine, where law
exists that prevents an apothecary from pursuing
| his legitimate business.
| cannot refrain from using here the following
language once uttered IN this House:
'Intemperance IS great evil, the parent of
many sorIows vices anu crimes, and tveiy egItI-
mate aud proper means should be used to prevent
| it. But the true foundation of temper
ance pust be laid in education. Fines and
Imprisonment terrlfy and restrain TO some
extent, but rarely reform. Every man
capable of managing his affairs has the right TO
determine for himself what he shall eat, drink
sw to control HIM in the exercise OF it canlot be
justified. Coercion is founded in the sentiment
that one knows what is better Tor his Deig hbor
| than the neighbors knows for himself. Any at
tempt Of this kind is al war with the very els-
meBts of civil liberty.
although many well meaning people have ap-
proved of the existing law bearing the sub ject,
believing it 10 be the best lnstrumeptaluy 10 ad-
vance good cause, 1t seems TO me they have
done so without thorough examination aud uu-
| a dprs of 4
PR judctd d man who has studied II attenlively
can sanction its tyrannical details and recon-
mend II as rule of government to a free people"
The petitions presented To you, state that no
one ca n practice the profession of Pharmacy in
this State legally, end request that the law may
be ; amended as to enable 1t to be done. The
present law gives right to keep spirituous
liquors for compoundng medicines on physi-
,ian, prescriptions.
A case has lust been decided at this term OF
court holden at Portland, where apothecsry
was convicted on the ground OF his havln2 in his
possession less than one galsn oil alcoholic lq
uoIs. No evidence OF sale WAS offered |
told by a member Of this House, that be stands
well his town, aud does not sell liquors ior any
purpose.
The apothecary who would refuse the means of
alesi ia NJ pam averting death before he knew
1t to be the Intention of the Legislature 10 place
rs IN our present position, Dotw tustandIng the
penalties OF the law, would show s,lhshness,
lear, and want Of feeling, that should forever
bar him from dispensing any drug. Such man
would not trust. Bat the case cited deCi les be
o'd doubt that the apothecafy has no sucu
right left him.
Iue law Is low made clear TO US b, the decision
II this case, tnat now when your wife or child
les sutt ring a sick he'd, your ply slcIaD must
" rite his prescription 50 that in tue future il
must be compounded 10y the town agent, IT he
can read 1t ard has the proper mediciue to com
pound It WITH and when the emei gency of your
case arrives, and our thoughts are turned toward
that undiscovered county, and your life hangs III
the balance, depending III measure upon the
knowledge skill aud integrity of your town
agent 10 compOundiog your prescriptions, we can
only say, God be meIciu ul 10 you.
a cohol in IT'S various forms is the great solvent
power for exracting the medicinal virtues OF
uearly all vegetable substances.
With 1t not only our lincturts, fluid extracts and
vinous prepa ations are made, hut ali the kalOlds
and IrUXlmate vegetable principles are extracted
But pass from the Consideration of those A.
tlcles where alcohol has performed lis Uses an
passed away, and consider those articles Which IN
their various forms are known, seen aud Ac-
tive where the demand for dispensing them is
imperative; where spiIituous liquors are demand
ed or their own specific action under the gull
snce of the best medical intelligence.
The apohecary aiways feels bound to dispense
a prescription, when he can make out clearly the
neut OF the prescrif ton. He has no right to say
that 1t is or is not the proper medicine Tor the pa
teDt unless be kH0irs II ls to be fatal danger
Gus dose. The puolIc demand it of us, and we
look upon it as our imperative duty TO dispense
this Class OF remedies upon physicians prescrip-
tions. But there other calls Of even greater
nect ssity than these, where time for cavl might
prove fatal when accident occurs, OF ia
many cases of premature chlld-birth where the
hemorrhage is excessive and pulse so low when
the ply yscian is summoned that there IS danger OF
collapse unless some difusive stimuant is imme-
diately administered. But under the present law
the apothecaiy has no right to keep, furnish or
even give it away, if he had it. The prime pie is
conceded by the temperance community already
by their town agency system.
The resolutions passed at various temperance
organizations insist or concede the necessity of its
beng sold for medicinal purposes. SO multiari-
Gus and universal are the uses 10 which sIirltuous
liquors in their various forms are apr lied as bless
ing to mankind, that a law prohibiting its use for
al r.