The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-04-21
SOUND AS A DOLLAR.
A York Doctor Talks Good Sense on
the Liquor Prescription Business.

The President DIR. Barron read the following
Gentlenen Of the YORK County Medieal and
It'll page of the code Of ethics which has been
adopted by our constitution, on penalties,
paragraph third, this penalty: "Any Presl.
dent who shall fail ut the expiration Of his
subject connected with its objects, shall pay
to the treasurer tire sum OF two dollars rs
fine for his neglect Of duty"
Now, Gentlemen, as am retiring from Of
flee, and have no ready cash to pay the fine
my only Subterfuge.
After !, long absence from the regular meet
ings of the Society, | am once more Win yoh
have come under nay own observation, ana
Information which believe to be true. COM
ing from Others
tinued prosperity as q society. For more
than five years this Society has been IN exls.
tence. 1t was organized as q new BODY, Dased
on the organization OF the old Medical society
late war and perhaps other causes, had ceased
Second, I would congratulate you on the
fraternal feeling that would seem to exist Pc
other in the extension Of professional cour;
tesy and thoughtful regard for the great and
noble cause you are advocating.
Third, would congratulate sou on the con-
tinued growth of the Society, numbering as
it does, almost the entire profession In our
county, and rs your secretary informs me,
some members outside Of the county.
with saying, am free from the two .elotlars
fine; but indulge me while make general
remark, in which think our Society and the
Profession at large arc deeply concerned. l
allude to the enactment by the Legislature IN
the wear 1882, of O law, us recorded In Gen eral
Statutes, page 512, section E5a, which reads as
1T shall be unlawful for any physician to
give prescription for any such liquor, except
when actually in bona fde attendance upon a
For violation of this law is affixed q fine
Of $500, or imprisonment, or both, In The dis
' fdo not know of myself that the law has
been violated by any of lis; but 40 Know
that many of us have been importuned TO DC
up, upon tire Sabbath day, so make prescription
for sick mule, ONE quaint of Thiskey was
the request made. Poor sick mule woald GER
tainly die, unless l gave the prescription:
Well, was not satisfied that the man own ownea ,
was sick but this did know. that the appli'
ca mt was very fond of q uee drop, and my con;
c fusion was as it was Sunday, that he wished
to get on "bust;" as they ead II, ana hi.n rant
self generally. referred him to his family
physician.
Now, Gentlemen, my own experience III
this and many others cases, convinces me M
that yon are not unfrequeneay solicited t.
grant certificates which are not worthy. LEI
me say, it Is dangerous thing to DO so. The
| Laws OF our country are against 1t. The sale
OF spirituous liquors In our county: or toWl
at least is confined to the druggist, and ne
can only sell on our prescriptions as La lalo
down in the law 1 have read to you. The
druggist is not responsible for the liquor ne
deals out II called TO account. he produces
the prescription and the case ends here, SO lal
| q concerned.
We can say to the applicant: aYeu know
am not your physician; cannot give you
prescription; l only control the druggist lof
my own patients; 60 TO your family physician
and if he thinks you need 1t, lie will certain
ly prescribe it for you" 1t the applicant per
siisiis we can say, ave are not authorized tt
keep dram shop, and the law can punish psI u, ~
tendance upon the patient" 1t can never OF
pleurant reflection for us to know that oul
prescription has made man drunken III tht
streets and disgrace to civilized commune
~. Gentlemen, / say again that we canno
be too crcumspect in our actings In granting
prescriptions. r
The lawyer can have his name struck from
the roll Of attorneys for Illegal lnlsconduct
and no longer be allowed TO appear An tht
court room as an advocate. The divine car
be taken from his pulpit, and by the authorl
ty of his church dcbarrcd from ofhciating a.
preacher of the gospel; put Inc pnys'lcd'at py'nd y
account but public opinion. On his skill II
healing the sick, on his probity, his truthful
ness and sobriety, depends his recommend:'
ton to public lavor and his success in me
How cnrelul, then, We should be TO maintaii
good name.
With these remarks, Gentlemen, ! retir
from the chair as President OF this Society
with thanks for the position that has beef
conferred upon me mere from my age thal
any material benefit may have been to you
Be assured, Gentlemen, aud feel that an
speaking truthfully, tn t l shall ever main
tain lively and abiding interest IN your sue
cess in life.