The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-09-23
Worthless Medicines.

AT the recent meeting of the South
Carolina State Board Of Health the sub.
committee on the "Sale Of Drugs and
Medicines" Of which committee DR.. 2.
A. Wilhitc, of Anderson, is Chairman,
made the following report:
1t is my duty, as Chairman Of the
Standing Committee on the Sale Of Drugs
and Medicines, to investigate, and pro-
cure such information and facts on the
subject, as might be able to obtain, and
report to this Board
find in the few upper counties in
which my investigations have been prin.
clpally made. that the country generally
is Hooded with the most worthless nos
trums of every description, from tho
electric button, suspended from the neck,
to the infants vilcst soothing syrup.
portion of these medicines, however,
are not brought into the county by drug
gsts, or other merchants, but by herd
of pedders, who are prowling over every
neighborhood, distributing their tracts,
circulars, almanacs, etc.-just such trash
rs is most calculated to deceive the igno.
rant and credulous. These persons also
make agencies for their so-callcd medi-
cines, ut any house, and with any one
that will take them for sale. 1t is this
class of nostrums which drug houses
consider too worthless TO deal in, which
ls thrown into the country in this way.
1t does really seem that great portion
Oh our people are, to n certain extent,
dcmoralized on patent medicines. For
instance, it is with surprise that we sec
men and women Of refinement and intel
ligcnce, with Il r'ece of brass and zinc
suspended from their necks, by silk
cord, which is sold by these agents, and
believed 20 be perfect panacea for all
the ills to which human flesh is heir.
The introduction of injurious nostrums
is, in my humble opinion, one of the
greatest evils which could be visited
upon people. 1t is equal in many re-.
spccts to an epidemic. Its vengeance is
slow, sure and continuous. We vacci.
nate against small pox, and quarantine
against yellow fever, and yet know of
no subject of more Importance to us rs
sanitarians than this, unprovided against.
We should, think, in this protect our
citizens. We should therefore endeavor
to have our State establish restrictions
against this injurious traffic. This cnn
be done by Legislative enactments. Yet
l do not intend to assert that all proprie.
them we know are very useful, but those
should be selected and sold by proper
parties. I am we'll satisfied from my ex-
perience and observation, that there is
no cause which so completely under
mines the constitution, deranges the di-
gestion, and prepares the general system
to become easy food for endemic and
epidemic diseases, as the indiscrimate
and daily dosing with unknown patent
medicines.
State medicine, or preventive medi-
cine, regard to be that branch of knowl-
edge which treats of the general means
to be employed under public authority,
for the preservation of the public health.
Public hygiene viii never have reached
its full development, until the social sta
tistican (by means Of returns which
embrace diseases and causes of disease,
as we'll as death and causes Of death).
clearly points out how remote events in
tluence and modify disease, and how
these may be removed. This, we'll
know, is vast field, and it requires a
broad grasp of mind to embrace all the
terms of so complex problem.
There was bill before our last Legis.
lature, which was unfortunately defeated,
the features Of which were to prohibit
"
icines in the State. I am informed that
had the Bill been Introduced in n proper
form, it would have passed, without
doubt, and would have become lazy.
think something of that kind would DO
very proper now, at least, some law
which will restrict the sale of medicines
to regularly licensed druggists.
The law, rs it now stands, requires
every merchant who expects to engage
in the sale Of drugs and medicines, or in
other words, every druggist to go before
n board created by the State, and under.
90 thorough examination in chemistry
and pharmacy. If the examination
prove satisfactory, he receives license
as druggist. He is then required to
keep book, and register the names of
all persons vino buy drugs regarded as
poisons, and also to keep poison-labels,
with their antitlotes printed on them.
And an act passed in 1S71-T2 says
"Any person who shall hereafter carry
on and conduct the business of said oc.
cupation, without such license, shall be
liable to indictment for misdemeanor,
and, on conviction, to IA fino not exceed
ing $500. or to imprisonment not exceed
ing six months"
In the answers have received to let
'~'' "uot SoS0u ~ Put III AcutIy 6VeIy
county in the STATE, making inquiries on
this subject, f,w names of such illicit
dealers are mentioned; but it is stated
that it is customary for merchants, gen.
orally, to keep an assortment of drugs
and medicines, regardless of what is re-
CURED by the statutes Of the State.
| have thus briefly mentioned some OF
the evils which this Board may attempt
to correct, so as to promote the public
health, and to discharge tho obligation
laid upon it. When the law decreed that
the State Board of Health should have
the general supervision of the interest OF
the healtb and lives Of the citizens, no
more solemn charge was ever laid upon a
body of men by our Legislature. And
our Board, trust, will not be unmindful
of what the State demands at its hands
r.ILURE NOT FAILUnE.-The Sc
:rct of happiness is to make the best OF
~. II