Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-07
DRUGGIST HARPER,s VIEWS.
President of Pharmaceutical Asao
citation on Sales of Poisann

President of Pharmaceutical A..o.
citation on Sales of POisOns.
Mr.. X. N. Harper, one Of the commits
sioners OF pharmacy and also president of
the Pharmaceutical Association of this
city, in conversation with Star reporter
this morning stated that everything pos
sible was being done now to have passed
by Congress a bill to regulate the practice
OF pharmacy In the District, which law
or bill is also framed to regulate the sale
of poisons.
In my judgment, however," said Mr..
harper, based upon my experience of
ABOUT eighteen years in the retail drug
business. to have a law framed so as to
reorce the suicidal tendency and at the
same time not trespass largely upon the
rights OF the general public will be an ex-
tremely difficult task to perform
Il do not believe 1t Is right because a
few people are tired Of living to prohibit
the sale of drugs classed as poisonous 10
gccd. law-abiding citizens 1t is fmpossi-
BILE, In the first place to overcome by leg
isle tor the tendency to commit suicide
and then again, drugs are not the only
metnod by which persons may shuttle of
this mortal COLL
You often notice in the papers where
sc me one has committed suicide by jump
Ing out of a window OF by hanging. or nv
1rmplhg into the river. or by the most
prevalent plan in this city-turnfng on the
gas Now. we might as well have a law
passed to prevent a window of our houses
being more than eight or ten feet from
the ground because some man got drunk
and In his dependency jumped out. or a
law to refuse good and honest people from
buying clothes line, or require the rivers
10 be filled in and thus prevent nayiga-
eion, because some poor unfortunate has
ended his or her life by either of these
methods. We have had more suicides in
This city by inhaling ordinary illuminat ting
gas tnan by any other one thing, but we
entire community of the benefits derived
from 1t because people see fit to DISPOSE of
themselves by its misuse
we nave a bill now pending in both
houses OF congress which, with one or two
amendments, will come as near keeping the
SAFE or deadly poisons confined to those
VINO wish 1t for legitimate purposes as: a
law can De made. have been to see Mr..
DaVis IN regard to this bill, and in Octo-
DEE. with the assistance of the Bar Asso
cation, the bill will be perfected. AS
nave said. the general public, who do not
n sas 70 narm themselves. or any one else.
nave right to some protection
mo, do not believe that to sell poisons
CITY upon physicians prescriptions win
cover the case at all. for the reason that
no one with suicidal intent vonId thinE
of going to a physician for a prescrintion
ana 1t certainly is not right to force a good
citizen to pay doctor for a prescrinfion
ia ume small quantity of some popu-
lar family medicine. designated as poison
GUS Is wanted for household purposes.
The druggists of this city are iaw-ahid.
ing business men. and in addition to this
tney nave reputation to protect, and n is
to their interest, as much 40 as snv othas
class OF people. to see that the sale Of
poisons are kept within legitimate bounds
But where there is one customer who buys
po.sons Tor suicidal purposes and ten thou
sand who buy them for medicinal or laeitt-
mate uses. We believe the rights of the
majority should be protected 'Ae
our Dill now In Congress. when passed.
IT the druggists will live up to its reuuire-
Ments." - Aequie-