The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-22
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Iea Iowa state Medical journal, publish
Cd at Des Moines, commenting on the amend
msnt to the pharmacy law which gives
the registered pharmacists control of the
liquor traffic only for the actual necessities of
medicine, says: 1.-THE pharmacists have prac-
tically obtained control of the liquor trade.
During the month of June there was shipped
into Des Moines by the car load SIC, 600 worth
of beer, and how much other liquor is not
known. This was retailed out by the regis
tsred pharmacists, and all for the actual me-
cessities of medicine except a small portion
sold clandestinely by the saloons and whole
sale men. The medical profession unite in
saying there is not the usual amount of sick
ness. The result has been, in several instances
known to the editor, that beer has been taken
into the family as medicine and became a
family beverage where it was before unknown,
and the habit of beer drinking among women
Is on the increase
The same journal states that many pharma-
cists are taking advantage of the counter pre-
seribing they have done within the last five
years, so as to get registered as physicians un-
der the five years practice clause, although
they have taken no course of medical study,
have only claimed to be druggists, and have
usver visited patients. Once they are both
doctors and druggists their business is estab-
iished, for they can then prescribe and sell
liquors to all applicants. The editor calls on
reputable physicians to see that all such drug
gists making afidavits of five years practice
be made to feel the penalty of the law.
AS the law now stands in Iowa, any regis
tered pharmacist in the towns where there is
any attempt to enforce the liquor laws, is en-
abled to do the liquor business that formerly
went to the saloons, and the commissioners of
pharmacy have almost absolute control of the
are in full blast; in the interior towns the
trade has been transferred to the druggists.
In Des Moines the sign saloon" does not ap-
pear in the city, and the properties have been
put to other uses; but the druggist of the
principal hotel of the city publishes four
page folder announcing his drug house on one
sover, and the legend, 'Look for the big red
fght and the little druggist" on the other.
The two inner pages are taken up with
wine, whisky and malt liquor list of over
forty numbers, and this only. The profit on
these drugs is estimated at 800 day for
this single drug house. Any quantity, from
dram to barrel, may be had by signing a
blank card, and the only restriction is that it
Is not be drank on the premises.
It may be yet too early to measure the re-
suits of methods used for the restriction of
the liquor traffic by State legislation. Re-
publican Iowa and Democratic Georgia
have attacked the prohibition problem bravely.
md each has employedits own method-Iowa
by general legislative statue and Georgia by
local option. Neither State is assured of i'm
mediate and permanent success. The de-
mand for restriction in some form becomes
more general and imperative from year to
year, and runs parallel with all refining and
bivilizing influences. Whatever State or mu-
nicipal laws are made to meet this demand
should be strictly enforced and fairly tested
Is basis for future legislation.
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