The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-08
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE PooR.

| bilG L IGSiUtuJldI ubujAuCC GHOAil plEGSt
| themselves to adhere to.
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE POOR.
The Anne lean Druggists, G. New u Ork.
will Monday EditOrialIy give Raleigh
Some Advice as the Late \ elton oil
the Mayor Touching Preparatory
Medicines.
Under the head line Of Charity Pre-
scriptions, the American Druggist OF New
York will Monday publish an editorial
which will doubtless be interesting tC
the people of Raleigh, inasmuch as il
bears directly upon q late action emanat-
ing from Mayor Russ touching pre-
scriptions for the poor of the city.
The editorial is an early proof and,
therefore, appears in these columns first.
1t is as follows:
1.-THE Mayor Of Raleigh, n c., has
taken it upon himself to investigate the
distribution of medical supplies to the
sick poor of that city with view of
effecting some reform in the prescribing
of expensive proprietary medicines, with
the result that a meeting Of the Raleigh
Academy of Medicine was called to con.
slider certain recommendations which he
made, the upshot of it all being that the
physicians of the city have agreed to
exercise greater economy i'll prescribing
medicine for the class referred to.
To those who are accustomed to the
economical and systematic methods pur
sued by the hospital authorities of large
cities, the news that the chief executive
officer of a city was compelled to call a
halt on the reckless expenditure of city
funds by physicians, will come as sur
prise In city like Naw York, for ex-
ample, the thing would be impossible, so
we'll organized is the Department of
Charities.
"The whole system of distributing
medicines to the sick poor of New York
City is left to the head of a Bureau Of
Medical and Surgical Supplies who in
turn is compelled to make acquisitions
for supplies on a Ooard of Commissioners.
Any other system would be possible in
city of any size and it is followed in the
leading cities Of continental Europe, the
Pharmacie Centrale of Paris being q
model for others of its kind.
In New York City the Bureau known
as the General Drug Department" i
under the direct supervision of the off
cial chemist of the Department of Char
tiles, who is accountable for all medical
and surgical supplies purchased. This
off .ial is also the chief apothecAry Of h
Drug Department, all Their apothecaries
In the service being classed as Assistant
Apothecaries. Some 80 or 40 hospitals and
dispensaries came under the jurisdiction
of the Department of Chariti s, aud the
apotaecaries in charge Teplenisn stock by
making acquisitions on the General
Drug Department These acquisitions
are made out every fortnight and con
tain lists with specified quantities OF
every article estimated to be required
| during the ensuing two weeks, the guam
titles being based On the amounts
actually consumed during the preceding
fortnight, special explanations being
given for any variations in kind Oh
amount on the requisition. These docu
ments are carefully examined and passed
upon, Professionally, chief spothecary
and chemist and are then submitted &c
| the Board Of Commissioners for &C ion.
At end of each month bills are sent tc
each institution on which every item de
| livered is charged ar cost, which bills Cf
correct, or when rected, are returned
signed by tho head of the institution tc
the General Drug Department. Each and
every item received by or supplied from
the latter can thus at any time be &C
| counted flr.
1.-THE prescribing Of proprietary medi
cines or expensive drugs rs something
which rarely happens, as no provision
for the purchase of such supplies is con
tanned in the rules and regulations OF
| the department. Under the rules of the
General Drug Department the ap9theca.
ries attached to the different ms T. na
are subordinate to the chef chemist al
Bellevue, and they are in manner sub
iect to his orders, though it is seldom
that orders are issued fr m Boliegne, ii
being found best to allow tie potheca
ries to be governed by r." rules in force
at the institutionst6 which they may bt
attached.
The. ,a1option Of a s}s-em similar t
that~Thich is followed III Ner 4orK Cli!
5 Of ur8e impraeticable for towns ant
cities of less than 100, 900 inhabitants
but there is another way hich has been
found effective and econoaaical, even II
large cities, in the case Of private hos
oitals and institutions. This provides 10
the letting out of contracts TO certal'
druggists of the town, who are pa a t1Xe'
sum by the institution making the con
tract, on the understanding That they wi
supply medicines on prescriptions to poo
natients at a uniform price Of 10 cent
| for each prescription; and where expen
siye remedies are ordered the drugs ar
supplied at cost. A few of the endowe,
hospitals and di pensaries Of New Yor
city have adopted this system and NM
ii an economical method OF furnishin
the sick poor with medicine.
We think the city of Raleigh woul
find this more satisfactory plan th
system now observed"
a.