The evening times., 1899-11-11
Mr.. HARPER'S CRUSADE
Alleged Violations of the Pharmacy
Law Investigated.
District Authorities Likely to Begin
~ SERIES of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
JrIicensed Persons-Men Who Are
Unregistered Running Drug stores

ly interested in movement now on foot
to enquire in the methods now in vogue
in the various hospitals and drug stores
in the District for putting up and CON-
pounding drugs and prescriptions. The en-
qLiry was begun several days ago at the
instance of Secretary Robert n. Harper. of
the Commissioners of Pharmacy for the
District, and former detective Charles
Proctor is actively engaged in the work.
Proctor. who formerly did duty at Police
Headquarters, was recently detailed TO en-
force the pharmacy law. The present work
on which he is engaged is the first task Of
any consequence he has had mapped out
for him. While the enquiry in its present
incipient state can properly be called only
an investigation into methods employed,
its result, it is promised, will probably be
crusade, with number of prosecutions.
Secretary Harper stated today that he
knew of violations of the law, and that
his attention had been called to others,
with the result that he decided to act He
$50 stated positively that all violators OF
the pharmacy law would be made to answer
for such violations as were called to his
official attention.
II is understood that the investigation
was brought about by a complaint made to
him by a well-known physician. This ply
sician. it is said, represented that pre-
scriptions were compounded at certain
hospitals where registered pharmacists
we're not employed This. according to the
pharmacy law, is a direct violation. Not
withstanding that fact. it is claimed that
violations are openly INDUCED in, and
have been for some time.
The Law in the Matter.
The pharmacy law for the District. which
Is, 1873. reads in part:
That from ard after the passage Of this act it
shall he unlawful for any person not a registered
phsunacis1 within tie meaning Of this act. Ia
conduct any pharmacy store Tor the purpose OF
retailing e.nlpounding. CT dispensing medicines
pOisons for medical in the District of CO.
lumbia. except as hereinafter provided.
Section ,. That it shall be unlawful for the pro-
priotor of any store or pharmacy 10 allow any
person. except registered pharmacist. 10 COM
pound dispense the prescriptions of physicians,
or 10 retail or GspeiSe pois0Bs for medical use,
except an aid to and under the immediate
supervision of registered pharmacist. Any per-
sen violating the provisions Of this section shall be
deemed guilty OF a mis- isltmeanor and convic
tion thereof, shall be liable fine OF not less
than s25 ror mere than 800 for each and every
offence.
While the complaints made include only
hospitals. Secretary Harper stated that the
investigation would by no means be lin
'tsd &c such institutions. He has instructed
Mr. Proctor to take an inventory CT the
force employed in all the pharmacies CT
drug stores in the city. Such inventory
will be compared with the list C register
ed pharmacists in the posssssiol of the
commissioners Of pharmacy. and the num-
ber of prosecutions to follow will, OF
course, depend on any discrepancies
brought &c light by the comparison.
4 Former Crasnde.
h.
years ago he had occasion to prosecute
druggists for violations CT the pharmacy
law. He discovered, he said. on the oc-
casions of these. prosecutions that clerks
employed in drug stores who were not
pharmacists were allowed to compound
prescriptions and to dispense drugs The
present Investigation, ne said, would de-
termine whether such condition OF af-
fairs existed now.
In reference to the various hospitals Mr.
Harper stated that he could not say how
many Of the institutions did employ regis
tered pharmacists He was sure however
that all did not, and mentioned the Eastern
Dispensary and Casualty Hospital as being
among the number. He thought also that
registered pharmacists were not employed
at either Columbia or Garfield hospitals,
but was not positive. The investigation.
he said. would determine that
1T has been the rule at many hospi-
tais. said Secretary Harper for nurses
and others to put up the prescriptions of
the resident physicians. but the mstkod was
practically a mechanical one.
For instance, when resident physi-
clan ordered certain medicine for a hosp
tai patient ii was designated as No / or
No. r. or any other number. Such medi-
cines are generally already prepared, and
1t is an easy matter for nurse or any
one else. TO give a patient SO many No. |
pills or so many grains OF No. IL medicine
That practice appeared perfectly safe.
but my attention has been called to the
fact that visiting physicians. physicians
called into hospital for consultation, and
those who have private patients at hes
pitals, frequently write the regular and
ordinary prescriptions, which am told are
filled by persons who are not registered
pharmacists. That is net a safe plan and
ii is the abolition of il that is aimed at in
the present investigation.
Work Done by Students.
AT some dispensaries and hospitals, / |
am Informed, students of pharmacy and |
medicine compound prescriptions, and |
while it is claimed that they handle only |
the simpler and harmless drugs thai fact |
is not a safeguard against mistakes. An |
inexperienced person in attempting to |
compound a simple prescription is as |
liable to make a mistake in an ingredient i
as in the quantity of a poison in delicate |
prescription
1T was to guard against the possibility |
of mistakes that the pharmacy law was |
enacted and if for other reason than |
that it will be enforced
The physician who called the attention |
of Secretary Harper 20 the alleged vio- |
latiohs of the law at certain hospitals, |
when seen in reference to the matter, |
stated that ne had written prescriptions !
for private patients in hospitals and that !
the prescriptions were compounded with |
in the institution by persons not registered |
az pharmacists. He stated that in his opin- |
len when prescription was written at 4 |
hospital. particularly by physician not a !
resident, that such prescription should be !,
sent TO 4 registered pharmacist TO tc flied |
when the hospital did not employ such |
I=rson.
That he said, would be the better |
plan TO be employed by hospitals who can |
no. afford TO pay q registered pharmacist,
ald who for the sake of economy prefer to |
put up prescriptions themselves rather |
than send them to drug store 10 be COM
FOUNDED"
Another matter in reference TO drug |
Stores that Secretary Harper is having in
vestiga'ed. aul she thai il. has sought
regal advice en-. IS the interpret alton Of the
werd conduct IL The first section of the
pharmacy law. That portion of the sec
tion reads in part: