Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-05
From the Philadelphia Press.


''People often wonder why their physicians
prescription doesn't take effect They pro-
test that the bottle has been well shaken be-
fore using; that the three-times-a-day injunc-
ton has been religiously followed, and that
every caution about diet and sleep has been
observed to the letter, and yet their condition
is not one whit improved. They begin to sus-
pect that their ailments hasn't been properly
diagnosed, and sometimes throw out hint to
that effect. 1t never occurs to them that the
druggist is at fault; that their prescription has
been juggled, and either weakened beyond any
possibility of doing good. or transformed into
something entirely different"
A prominent Philadelphia physician made use
of the above language yesterday in casual con-
versation upon topics related to his professional
experience.
''Why, for example" he continued, picking I'D
bottle Of medicine which he had confscated
for analysis, that ought to be wine-colored
liquid, and perfectly clear. Instead. you will no.
tice aheavy brownish preciptate, with little white
particles floating thrOughit. The white substance
is cinchOnida-an exceedingly common, because
cheap, substitute for quinine. 1t Is made from
the residue of the cfnchona bark afte the qui-
nine has been extracted, and has about one
third the strength of quinine. This mixture was
prescribed as tonic; 1t has every appearance to
the common eye of having powerful amount
of medicine in it. but in reality it is worthlessly
weak. DO think these are common prescrip-
ton tricks? Why know it, as 1 shall show
you in moment. The worst Of all is that this
is species Of rascality against which there is
little or no protection. The law provides an in
spectOr who sees that your grocer doesn't cheat
you In pound of butter, or that your dry
goods man doesn't abbreviate your yard Of
calico, but in this most vital matter, where
health is involved, where the question is often
fy &c Of no of
the druggist.
A FRAUD WITHOUT REMEDY.
True II an ignorant or needless clerk puts
poison in your bottle the law lays hold Of him
for CRIMINAL carelessness, but this systematic,
everyday fraud goes unchecked and unpun-
ished. There are plenty Of honest druggists
but they are brought in direct competition with
these INSCRIPTIONS cOmpounders, and the ma
jority OF people, in their medicines as in their
beef and their calico. prefer to go where they
can buy the cheapest. They look askance at a
physician who recommends a particular drug
store, and often talk mysteriously about per-
centages, forgetting that their physician has
some opportunity Of knowing the difference be-
tween an honest and crooked prescription
desk
''One of the most common frauds I have al
ready mentiOned-the substitution Of cinchoni-
dia and cinchOna for Quinne Authorizations of
the most familiar drugs are almost universal.
Citrate OF magnesia is made with only one-haIf
or three-fOnrths its wOnted strength; tincture
Of iodine, one-fOurth to three-fourths; lauda-
mum. half to three-fourths. The laudanum of
the stores is exceedingly unreliable, the cheaper
preparations being weak in proportion to the
price. There may be some connection between
this fact and the lack Of success Of 50 many
would-be suicides. Paregoric is very commonly
diluted One-half and often contains no benzOic
acid and but one-fOurth the standard proper
ton Of opium. Aqua ammonia, sweet spirits Of
nitre, and q long catalogue Of others are SINH
larry manipulated. The various 0iis-rose
lemon, bergamot, orange, rose geranium, etc,
are nearly One-half alcohol
A STARTLING ARRAY OF EVIDENCE.
"Butto come down to the actual alteration
of prescriptions. have here q number Of docu-
ments which tell their own Stories" and the
physician took package Of duplicate prescrip-
tons from pigeon-hole. "These bits of paper
expose the delnquencies Of more than dozen
Philadelphia drug stores, and represent similar
In scores Of others. Here 10 the
copy Of the prescription as written BY the ply
sicians. On the same slip IL the pharmacists
revision Of 1t. need not explain how this In
formation came into my possession, bat it ID
strictly accurate, and the druggists, whose |
names have In each case, ore al registered
md graduates from schools Of pharmacy Here |
q one that calls kor fifteen grains iodoSorm one