The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-25

uosnc Reasons for Restrfettng the Sais
or Narcotic and Other Poisons ans
me RcniIng Of Pbysicfans' Rre
xerspsions Containing Them.
20 tAs Editor Of sAe Dispatch;
VIII you allow me THROUGH your widely
circulated paper, az one OF inc eommlI'e'
xrt,tion the Legislature Upon the subtec
81 restricting the sale Of opium and otbei
narcotic poisons, to present to that honora
nc body and to the public some reasons
why prompt legislation is supposed to bt
rponircdy shall leave 10 the majority o
fhst committee resident in Richmond, who
sapubtless have more ready access 10 stats
sical evidence OF the great evils TO indi
viduals and TO the public resulting IRON
opium-eatlng. 10 present such evidence
enforced by more convincing argument
and their own greater personal expe
riencc.
i am induced in part to ask this favor
from an article In the Dispatch OK the 10Th
which says:
"A hin now before the General Assembly pro
pees 20 punish druggists for sei ms sss no,
scin gsessripien and .nas s ana eG sss ,Me
dollars In ktcnnonc, ~. p.nocsatic marty a
chase legislation, and that IL would DC well for IN
Lcgi.iaiare not 70 be In a hurry 10 pass such I
The following is one OF the resolutions
adopted without opposition by the Medica
Society Of Virginia, assembled at the Rock
bridge Alam Springs in September last
-sx.:
Resoired. Q, That we respectfully petition th,
frg,sls,ure of Virginia n enact such laws rs viii
prcyent This evil that of oplum-eaing) by makinf
u penal c0escc fer druggists 20 rem, pnyse1ans
prescriptions containing opium or other narcouc
nelson's or 10 sell poisons, medicines that are
scccgnizcd sach. without The prescription 81
g:cteng Physician .as wnc sn abe mo' in cpn
son, needed" =,
such is the unanimous sentiment OF the
most intelligent physicians OF Virginia,
soIemniy expressed, after due considera-
fjoy. in convention assembled who
have a better opportunity OF truly estima-
ding the amount OF evil, OF disease, de-
moralizatiou, and death resulting from the
habit OF opium-eating than any other class
OF persons. and OF the remedies that may
be eifectually applied to prevent its in
crease or entirely TO suppress II.
The bill alluded TO by the Dispatch Is, L
suppose. that introduced by DIR. Dunn,
sketch OF which l saw in that paper few
days ego. This, with some additions or
amendments, more fully to cover the
ground, will, it is believed, accomplish the
object desired by the Medical Society OF
Virginia. If this is so amended as 10 pro-
h,bit the refilling OF physicians prescrip.
tons containing poisons, and the sale OF
poisons by druggists without q prescrip-
don Of piacticing physician, and also the
sale OF poisons by merchants, and such
law Il faithfully executed, the object in
view viii doubtless be accomplished rs far
foft 4
sens needed for manufacturing, painting.
dyeiug. and agricultural purposes, and
not 10 be used as medicines, are excepted,
and not included in the proposed restric-
ton.
1t is believed that many have become vie
tins to the poison OF opium md other mar
cotics from the indefinite retilling Of physi-
clans prescriptions containing those poi
sonous drugs. Many too. and perhaps
more. have doubtless resulted from the
sales OF opium and its products by drug
gists without physicians prescriptions. To
remedy this evil it is proposed by the Fir-
ginia Medical Society and the bill referred
to to make It penal offence for druggists
TO sell those poisons without a practicing
physicians prescription, and also to refill
prescriptions containing poisoDs.
A prescription is given by physician to
remove certain symptoms OF disease exist
ing at particular time in certain person,
and cannot be rightfully applied by other
persons for symptoms that may or may not
TO the same at other times under different
e.. cunlstances to the same or to another
l,s, son who may be supposed to be simi-
ls'~'y affected. by persons incompetent to
! .-lge, and whose action may prove serious
nd even fatal when such prescriptions
contain poisons. 1t is not proposed TO pre-
vent the refilling OF prescriptions not con-
tanning poisons, as such will not be dam
gerous at least, although they may be given
at random by those unacquainted with the
treatment OF disease; but the result
NAV be, and often II. very different
with poisons, for the effects Of which physi-
clans cannot be responsible when their
prescriptions, which are intended for GER
tain diseases, are retilled by others and
given perhaps for different diseases and
under entirely different circumstances.
Still be is often held so for the terrible
consequences thus produced. But it is
said that "tbe price OF prescription in
Richmond Is two dollars" Is it better to
pay this occasionally, or to run the Iisk
OF being poisoned, or becoming opium
eaters, and suffer the physical and moral
ills that ever result from that terrible habit,
aI1at more or less rapidly, yet certainly,
sinks ITS victims into premature graves i.
The price OF q prescription in Char
Iottesyille is one dollar, and the Dispatch
would save 100 per cent. by sending 10
our town for such, AID still us well avoid
the risk Of being poisoned. But this dol
lar, as far az opium-eaters are concerned.
Is usually expended for the purchase OF
the poison, including often the means with
which absolute necessaries should be pur-
chased. With such, opium Is the first ne
scessity. though in its wake grimly follow
disease and death. IL Is very remarkable
how much Is expended by confirmed
opium-eaters. The sum often exceeds, 1t
is believed, two hundred dollars per an
mum, though the unfortunate victims are
frequently in very straitened circumstances
pecuniarily, and are thus ever kept SO.
Compared with this a dollar or two for
prescription occasionally is an insignifi-
can't matter, and still more so In COMPARE
son with the evils OF an unchecked sale of
opium and other poisons by druggists.
Compared with also the physical, moral,
and mental diseases that afil!ct many more OF
the community than is generally supposed
resulting from an excessive use OF narcotic
poisons, chiefly opium and its products,
obtained from druggists without physi-
clans prescriptions, or IL with prescrip-
tions, also with the privilege OF retilllng
these indefinitely without the knowledge
OF the rrescriber. Noyices in opium-eat-
ing prefer to have physicians prescrip-
ton, the number OF which Is carefully pre-
served for future use; but should they,
after they have had 1t refllled for year or
more upon their own responsibility, chance