New-York tribune., 1885-09-12
RESPONSIBILITY FOR DRUGGISTS, MISTAKES.


To the EdffOr OF The Trt6une
SIR: regret to see disposition on the part
Of public sentiment, voiced by the newspapers to
make a victim of the unfortunate druggist Am En- dc.
They overlook the fact that the accident which hap
pened TO him ono 0 frequent occurrence and belongs
moro to the than TO the individual That such
accidents happen constantly, and In ten twenty or
fifty Of them come to the light is clear to those familiar
with tho subject. The underlying conditions all
present OF the $4,000 physicians I'm the United States
some fifty moro thousand Of them haotually write
their prescriptions to be compounded or filled at the drug
store. They written in Latin. supposed to be-
with preaxes and terminals, marks. signs and hero
giyphi,s In the the ole nomenclature aud In all
the various known ami unknown styles Of chirOgraphy
Were such writing sent to Editor he w0nd immedi-
atey consign 1t to the waste basket. Bnt tie boy is
waiting the sick waiting half cczen customers
waiting the prescription must be decphered and hed
however great the indignation OF the pharmacist may
be at the careesness Of the writer reckessness of the
prescription. do you wonder at the repidaton of the
clerk and his liability to mistake between morphine
qunne and strychnne and other ,nes to pnt in the
for the other and TO forget that while five grains OF
the one may be reasonable five Of the other Is fatal
Daily handling deadly medicines as we'll as deadly
EXPLOSIVES renders obtuse II not reckless; aud 1t
may be too much TO expect all the technical learning and
cardinal virtues for 81 per week. aud at all hours or the
night as well as the day. The writer knows fairly
shelf each night little powder Of qunine and going
home to sprinkle 1t upon cracker and eat it going
10 bel One night he ate usual his cracker and
qunine. he supposed. and in less than hour
dead man. from stIychnno convulsions lie simply took
his powder from the wrong VIAL srychnino instead OF
qunine rs he supposed.
The fashion OF prescribing heroic doses for slight
ailments Is part OF the vicious system. In tue
instance In question slight ndisposition from malaria
one tenth OF the reported dose would have accomplished
every good result that would have been attained from
the ten grains prescribed while avoiding tho danger OF
mistake The dose prescribed excessive for such
Tho safe and ultimate way oct OF this labyrinth OF
danger s for sieh physician to carry with him and
leave for each patledt tie proper medicine. All tile
up In large chemical and pharmaccutienl establishments.
skilled labor OF the most careful selection and the
best and the danger OF errors IN ;hc material or the
compounding is reduced 70 the mniuumt Such prepari
tons sold at ffth OF the which the local
druggist must charge for mis- more Grade and imperfect
preparations. There Is scarcely valuable prescription
PREPARATION which nat be found In the market
In this safe and convenient FORM Aud 1t Is scarcely
credible that at the day forms and combinations
OF must be prescribed and used That fast
reaching this point Ia OF the encouraging signs of
the times. when shall think of looking 10
the individual to make roat carpet, the
Individual matchmaker goldsmith to make our watch
chain. for the individual druggist to compound our
medicines. F.H
Ne,c- Fork Sept. o, 1885.