The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-30
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR RALFIGH's
POOR.

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR RALFIGH's
POOR.
Mayor Russ Objects to Costly PropTle-
tary Medicines. Saying that they EN-
tails Unnecessary Cost upon the CITY.
The Academy Acquiesces, DIR. Kirby
Dissenting. HOme-GOOds Recon-
mended,
From the American Druggist OF the
date of August 25th, there appears an
interesting letter touching the pre-
scribng of proprietary medicines Tor the
poor by Raleigh physicians.
The exchange of letters between Mayor
Russ and DR.. Battle is given, with com
ments by the writer, who is prominent
druggist in this city.
Says the writer:
ga UNIQUE condition of affairs has de-
veloped here within the past month,
leading to new relations between the
municipal government and the physicians
of the city.
1.-THE city makes certain provisions for
her very poor PEOPLE and expenses IN
connection with this have increased late
ly to such an extent that Mayor VIM.
Russ conceived it to be his duty to make
a full investigation. He visited all the
drug stores and examined the charity
prescription files. He discovered that
80 / 3 per cent. of the prescriptions given
were for new proprietary preparations,
such as the large manufacturing houses
are sending the physicians and flooding
the drug markets of the country with.
1.-THE Mayor claims that the expenses
of the city for charitable purposes can be
greatly reduced by the physicians pre-
scribing home made pharmaceuticals.
''He is strictly opposed to physicians
prescribing at the city's expense new
preparations for charity subjects.
1.-THE city's expense for this purpose,
including the appropriation for Rex
Hospital, is s266.67 per month, payable
monthly, or So, 900 yearly.
mayor Russ is right in trying to cur
tail this expense, which would be quite
a saving to the taxpayers.
The following letter from Mayor Russ
to the physicians thoroughly explains his
position:
MAYORS OFFICE, July 16, 1895.
DR.. Kemp Battle, Secretary Academy
Medicine, Raleigh, N. c.:
DEAR SIR: After consultation with a
number of our physicians upon the sub
iect, have determined to request you
to call special meeting of the academy
to consider the propriety of disseminating
the prescriptions OF proprietary and
patient remedies in charity practice.
They are improbable TO the pharmacists
selling them and entail unnecessary cost
upon the city. In the opinion OF several
of our best pharmacists their discon-
tinuance would save the city Whose in
terest we should guard not less than 333
per cent of present cost. Thanking you
in advance for your kindness,
am, yours truly,
WIN. Russ, Mayor"
SIN compliance with the Mayors re-
quest, meeting of the academy was
called and the following resolutions
were passed:
July II, 1895
"Resot0ed, That it is the sense Of this
academy that the Mayors request is a
just and reasonable one, and that the
dCdueuy FScOLuUcuuS anu dufIScs lSdb
each OF its members comply with that
request and refrain from the prescribing
of costly medicines for charity patients
so far as is consistent with his sense OF
duty to said patients.
K P. BATTLE,
Secretary Raleigh Academy Medicine.
1.-THE above resolution was passed By
the academy with but one dissenting
voice.
'Dr. Kirby, Superintendent North
Carolina Insane Asylum, in a very
lengthy speech objected to the physicians
endorsing any movements that would
benefit the pharmacists of the city.
she gave as his reasons that the phar-
macists had antagonized the appoint
ment of member of the Academy (Dr.
John B. Carr to the position of phar
macist at the insane asylum, and had
passed at the recent meeting of their as
ISOLATION resolutions condemniDg the APP
pointment. He tried to show that such
acts of the pharmacists were blow at
the physicians, and advised them not to
submit to it. The American Druggist
correspondent is glad to state from in
formation obtained from members Of the
Academy that DR.. KiIby's appeal did not
meet with any sympathy or support"