The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-30
DANGEROUS DRUGS.
NOW rKEv ARE SOMETIMES HANDLED
Nv PRESCRIPTION CLERKS.


Nv PRESCRIPTION CLERKS.
Incsmpete.oy Exposed by Jokes Played
en- Druggist, Tho Deplorsble Habit Of
Writing Prescriptions In "Dog LATIN
Nstos Frosn . Chemists Experie.oe.
Fortunately for the patients the practice
II pharmacy Is regulated In the majority
sf tho states composing tho Union. In
Missouri, for Instance, tho law, IL properly
observed, could be considered almost per
feet, and II q prescription is not properly
filed, the public seldom hears of 1t. The
physicians themselves, who should be the
first ones to complain In case of error, are
very reluctant In the matter, as they nre
spt 60 make mistakes themselves. When q
prescription calls for a toxic dose of any
kind OF medicine, the rule Is for the phar.
macist to tell the patient to return In an
hour or SO, as it requires some time to pre-
pare the ingredients This Is an excuse to
call up the physician and ask him II he
has not committed an error. Many pa
tient has been saved In this innocent way
from an untimely grave, although the
clan to write the weight of the drug In
full letters. Another thing which deserves
the attention of the reformer Is the de.
plorable habit of writing prescriptions In
"dog Latin" instead of using the plain
English language without authorizations.
Some druggists, and physicians, too, foi
that matter. possess hardly an ordinary
knowledge Of Latin, and the results are
mi ~ rid hs1t nj frrl of dan
"But, +" says tho smart drug clerk, 1--WE
can always make 1t out"
Certainly there are druggists who will
make out anything, even deliver to the
customer l2 ounce bottle with the ap.
propriate direction in exchange for Chi.
nese wash bill accompanied by the neces.
aa-y cash. This Is somewhat exaggerated,
but there is some truth In IL. To give an
idea Of the foolish things apt to happen In
case Latin Is understood" by ignoram.
uses, the writer called at a certain drug
store for one ounce Of "iodi chloridum,
which Ia common salt. The druggist, whG
is an old timer, never heard Of this pomp.
Gus Latin name and sent TO New York fof
the stuff. He must have his chloride Of
sodium in stock waiting for q customer.
Mica panis is favorite preparation Il
make bread pills for imaginary patients,
and prescription calling for 1t went
through tho hands of half dozen drug
gists before the joke was discovered.
As a matter Of course tho dispenser OF
medicine is not always to blame. He GOV.
ers many sins, as the perusal Of his file of
prescriptions can demonstrate. Young
medical students are particularly dreadful
In that line. As soon as country boy
has been In school six weeks his greatest
ambition is to learn few formulas to try
ON the first patient who will be unsophis.
ticated enough 70 intrust himself to his
care One OF these students had book In
which he recorded prescriptions he could
learn from physicians willing to aocommo
dnte him. He wanted once q cure for can.
car. A joker-there are some in the med
ical profession-gave him a splendid recipe
IN Latin to prepare chicken salad. The
pharmacist, an educated German, sent tn.
patient 10 the St Nicholas hotel But
these are mere bagatelles and would prove
amusing occasionally were 1t not that som
serious accidents are apt to happen no
only to the patients, but to the pharma
cists as well In prescribing, the physician
II he is not very careful, is liable to writ
an explosive compound which can blow up
Q whole block in jiffy.
It ID customary to write the three in.
itials M. S. A. below the name OF the last
drug mentioned In prescription. Thes.
letters are tho abbreviation OF the sen
tence, "Misoo secundum artem," which
means "Mix according to art" Certain
explosives can be manipulated withou
danger II the rules of chemistry are strict
ly adhered to, and 1t Is the druggists bust
ness to remember that he Is responsible fol
any accident which may result from hi.
ignorance. But the public Is not prepares
to believe that single pharmacist woulf
be found In ST. Louis who would be suffi
ciently ignorant or careless to run the ris.
of blowing his own place up To gain in
formation the writer visited 40 drug stores
Each one was handed prescription call
ing for preparation which would have
blown 20 atoms half dozen houses.
Two druggists returned the prescription
with thanks, and third wanted to con
suit chemist about IL. The balance raised
no objection, and had it not been for the
interference Of the customer, who explained
tho joke IN, there would have been several
explosions In st. Louis.
In tho majority Of cases the prescription
was written In presence Of the druggist.
The formula either called for chronic acid
dissolved In glyocrin or q preparation OF
tartaric acid, sugar and chlorate Of potas
STUN. .ttrt s..
Tho prescription filters, when apprised
Of the great danger they had escaped, at
tempted TO explain that they would have
either changed the ingredients or discov
cred the true nature Of the compounds in
time This is doubtful, however. A young
drug clerk particularly was very emphatic,
as he said no one could teach him anything
in chemistry. The writer has had great
deal Of experience In the laboratory, and,
for that matter, has published someiim-
pertant chemical works. Therefore he
knew that something could bc taught to
tho young gentlernsn referred to. Within
half an horD nc cent BY Q friend the fol-
lowing formula:
Iodine, one dram.
Turpcntine, one ounce
As soon as tho two ingredients came IN
contact In the mortar they took fire, to tho
great astonishment Of the smart jack chem
lat, who discovered that there was some,
thing which be did not know, after oil.
To.conclude, there Is q little story which
will iliustnte that pharmacist should
49,