Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-04-09
SALE OF DRUGS.
How It Will Be Affected B,
the New Pharmacy Law.
Country Storekeepers Require Per-
NIT to Sell Paris Green.
Important Provisions That Should Be Care
fully Considered.


vised by the Legislature Of 1897 needs
more than a passing notice. as it is far
reaching in some of its provisions, and
restricts the sale of drugs medicines
and poisons. to greater extent than
any law heretofore on the statute book.
The State of Maine has had a phar-
macy law for 20 years and during that
| time but very few changes have been
made in it. Although Maine was early
in the field, with the law other states
have since enacted similar laws and
have improved upon them from time to
time. The improvement of our law has
received little or no attention. The
commissioners, for the past four years,
have made the law stand for all it was
worth and done as good work as pos
sible under its provisions. Seeing the
necessity of a radical change in some of
its parts, they asked the Legislature of
1897 to revise and amend the law that
it might be made more effective, with
out the detail, trouble and expense
which the commissioners were obliged
to sustain in order to procure a prose-
cution under it. The request was re-
ferred to the judiciary committee, who
saw the force of the reasons for a
change. and unanimously reported
Ought to pass" and so it did Today
we have a law which. it is urged, should
command the respect of all apothe
carries and storekeepers interested in it's
provisions. Those who have been do
ing business contrary to the old law,
will do well to carefully read the new
law and promptly comply with its re-
cuirements. The attention of store
keepers in small towns and villages
is particularly called to the latter part
of section 6, as their interests are in
volved.
The sale of Paris green, hellebore and
other poisonous insecticides are now
limited to registered apothecaries in
the cities and larger towns. while coun
try storekeepers in the smaller towns
and villages, where there are no drug
stores, are granted a permit" after
showing fitness, ito sell the usual medi-
cines and poisons used as home reme
dies, and for the necessary agricul-
tural purposes There are dealers,
having heretofore sold these articles.
who may feel their rights have been
abridged, but little consideration of
the facts in the case will convince them
to the contrary. The commissioners
believe, and as the law is now in force,a
compliance with the requirements Of
the same is a matter concerning which
the commission thinks there need be
no hesitation.
All certificates and permits are to be
displayed in a conspicuous place IN
the store or shop of the persons to-
whom the same were issued" This is
feature of nearly every pharmacy
law in the United States, but has not
heretofore been required in this state
but as now it is part of the law the
authorities expect a strict compliance
with the provision.
The old law allowed physicians who
graduated from a regular medical
school to do the business of an apothe-
cary without examination or registra-
ton by the commission of pharmacy.
Now. all physicians who graduate after
March q. 1897. of they desire to open
and conduct an apothecary store, will
be required to pass a satisfactory eN-
animation before the commission. The
law. before the change. the commits
missioners say. worked an injustice not
only to the practical and hard working
aDOtneCdfy, Dul " lile piidiihaNs s'"'
uate as we'll. The apothecary gives
years of his life to study and close
application in perfecting his knowledge
OF practical pharmacy, while the phar-
macy graduate spends four years in
course of study especially pertaining 10
pharmacy, interspersed with practlcai
laboratory and pharmaceutical WORK
and is required to pass crucial ana
satisfactory examination before the
college boards. Notwithstanding TINS
the law requires him to pass satisfac-
torilv. an examination before the COM
mission of pharmacy. before he can
locally engage in the business of an
apothecary. Previous to the passage
of this new law physician just gradu-
ated from a medical school, Withou'
training or study which should fit nm
for dispensing, preparing or even
identifying drugs, was allowed to open
an apothecary store and practlce
rbarmacy as well as medicine. The
new law requires alike from the young
physician, the pharmacy graduate ana
the Young man who has given three
Years in study and practice. under the
direction of a skilled apothecary, an
examination. which shall prove to the
nbarmacy commissioners his ability as
an apothecary.
There are other additional provisions
to the law which add to its effective
ness. The commissioners wish 10 gNs
timely notice of these changes, that ali
NAV comply with its requirements
. n