Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-02
Doctors versus Druggists,

Editor StGr:-The Medical Association of the
District OF Columbia, not content with bossing
its own members, Is endeayorlng TO bllldoze
the druggists into signing an obligation
solemnly pledg1ng themselves, among Other
things. to the following extraordinary cove
nant:
THAT Will not give any advice or prescribe
10 any person In my place OF business, or prac-
connected Herewith to do So"
Passing over the loose construction OF the
obligation, which literally, though no doubt ur-
intentionally requires the obigor Uopreve ut any
one connected with the practice OF medicine
from giving advice or prescribing for Others.
ldesire your permission to say few words on
portaDce, not only TO the druggists of the Dis
trict, but TO our citizens generally. In the
first place | have reason to believe that
many OF ,, our prominent physicians are
ten. In fact cur leading practitioners
nave their time too much occupied with their
own business to permit them 20 interfere with
the legitimate business OF the druggist. In the
next place. many OF our druggists are graduates
OF medicine as we'll as OF pharmacy ana are as
well posted in pathology, therapeutics and ma
terra mCGlca IS the majority OF the members
OF tie medical association. Their practical
Know ledge OF the properties OF the drugs thev
handle Is certainly as much 20 be relied upon
as the average physicians acquaintance with
tue drugs he presCrlbeS. If the druggists allow
themselves to be persuaded cr forced into sign-
ing the proposed obligation theJ Will place
uuibTlakpTS
grave-d1ggeTs, who cannot do anything for
r,etT customers without q Physicians cert.n-
cate. The druggists Will bar themselves from
selling ten cents WORTH OF sQuills and plregoric
unless the transaction first receives the sane
lion Of two dollar prescription. IL q little
boy who cries Heres your EVENING STAR"
were to step into the store OF one OF the signers
OF this obnoxious obligation. show sore hand,
and say " Gimme i've cents wuf OF stun to out
On It, the druggist would have to reply In effect
" ! have solemGiy obligated myself not to give
ADVICE Or prescribe for any person You must 90
TO a member Of the medical association In good
standing and get a prescription. price 81 Do
not ask Tor credit for you vii! be refused. Then
you must bring the prescription to me and
VIII carefully compound IL, price 30 cents
cash." II the medical association were TO try
to make q regulation more In favor OF en-
prizes and ignorant specialists than the one
under consideration, they could not do IL. For
that reason, II no other, / trust our druggists
will have independence enough to refuse to
sign the obligation. and manliDeszs TO resist the
unWartanted interference with their business
There Is no class OF our business men 80 essen
tai 70 the welfare OF the community as the
CONSCIENTIOUS druggst.an any move by whom
soVer made, TO abrdge his usefulness viii NEE.
the just condemnation 1t richly deserves. Il
has been many years since was On active drug
gist, but still feel lively interest In my old
profession, and when see a few doctors try to
prescribe rules for the conduct OF the drug
business, with which they have no concern
whatever. can't help putting 10 word OF
advice and warning. A RETIRED DRueaIsT.