The times., 1899-11-12

Robert n. Harper, Secretary to the Com
missioners of Pharmacy for the District
has under way an investigation into Ger
tain methods employed by hospitals and
pharmacies in compounding and putting
up prescriptions and drugs, which it is
claimed is in direct violation of the phar
macy law. The investigation is only in
an incipient state, but it is promised that
after mature investigation it will be made
practically crusade with consequent prose-
cutions of the alleged violatOrs Former
Detective Charles Proctor, who re-
Gently detailed to enforce the pharmacy
law, is engaged on the present investiga-
tion, acting on instructions from Secre-
Jary Harper.
The present investigation it is said was
brought about by statement made to
Secretary Harper by well known physi-
clan to the effect that certain hospitals
were violating the pharmacy law. The
/ physician, it is said stated that nurses
and others employed in hospitals and who
were not registered pharmacists, were al
/ lowed to compound and put up prescrip-
/ tions and drugs 1t is further alleged that /
! this practice is not confined to hospitals,
I but that certain drug stores are conducted |
I macists That matter will also be q sub |
/ ject of investigation and Inspector Proc |
/ tor has Instructions to IaRe an inventory /
of the force including proprietors, engag- |
ed in cCmpoundng prescriptions at all |
drug stores. He will also secure the names /
Of all persons who conduct drug stores
| and are net registered pharmacists.
The pharmacy law for the District, which |
was approved by act of Congress on June !
| Is. 1873, reads in part;
That from and after the passage Of this act it !
shall be unlawful for any person not registered
pharmacist within the meaning OF this act, TO
conduct any pharmacy or store Tor the purpose ol
retailing, compoundinE, or dispensing medicines
or pOisous. for medical in the District OF Co
lumhia, except as hereinafter provided.
Section 2. That it shall be unlawful for the pro-
prietor OF any store or pharmacy 60 allow any
person. except a registered pharmacist, TO com
pound or dispense the prescriptions Of physicians,
or 10 retail or dispense polsoIs lot mcdlcai US,
except as aid 10 and under the immediate
supervision of registered pharmacist Any per-
violating the provisions of this section shall oe
deemed guilty Of a misdemcanor, and, convlc-
tion thereof, shall be liable a fine Of not less
than SO nor more than Sl65 Tor each and every
offence.
In speaking of the various hospitals, Mr.
Harper said he could not state how many
of the institutions employed registered
| pharmacists He was, however, sure that
all of them did not, and mentioned among
the latter number the Eastern Dispensary
and Casualty Hospital. He also thought
that at Garfield and Columbia Hospitals
. registered pharmacists were not employed.
! He was not positive Of the latter two in
stitutions. however, but stated that the
investigation would determine that.
4 1T has been the rule at many hospi-
: tails" said Secretary Harper, for nurses
4 and others 10 put up the prescriptions of
the resident physicians, but the method was
| practically mechanical one.
= For instance, when a resident physi-
clan ordered certain medicine for hospi-
tai patient ii was designated as No. / or
No 12 OF any other number. Such medi-
: cines are generally already prepared, and
= it is an easy matter for nurse, or any
- one else, to give patient so many NO.
- pills or so many grains OF No. II medicine.
~ That practice appeared perfectly safe,
= but my attention has been called to the
y fact that visiting physicians physicians
called into a hospital for consultation, and
those who have private patients at hos
pfraIs frequently write the regular and
! ordinary prescriptions, which / am told are
~ filed by persons who are not registered
=. pharmacists That is not safe plan, and
- it is the abolition Of it that IS aimed at IN
~ the present investigation
at some dispensaries and hospitals
~ am informed students Of pharmacy and
medicine compound prescriptions, anC
~ while it is claimed that they handle only
~ the simpler and harmless drugs that faci
" is not a safeguard against mistakes. Al
H. inexperienced person in attempting tt
'S compound a simple prescription Is a!
Ae liable TO make a mistake in an ingredien
pS as in the quantity Of a poison in delicat
- prescription.
n 1T was to guard against the possibilit.
Sc of mistakes that the pharmacy law wa
d enacted. and if for no other reason thai
Us that il will be enforced.
vrbp palla7 tho attention
vs. Of Secretary Harper 20 the alleged VIC
or Iations Of the law at certain hospitals
IL when seen in reference TO the matter
:. stated that ne had written prescription
Ne for private patients IN hospitals ana ma
tbe prescriptions were compounded with
in the institution by persous not registere
as pharmacists. He stated that in his opin
ion when a prescription was written at
at hospital particularly by a physician not
resident that such prescription should b
is sent TO i registered pharmacist to be file
- when the hospital lid not employ sue
20 person. -.
Ill plan to be employed by hospitals who ca
ng not afford to pay d registered TharmacIs
and who for the sake Of economy prefer
ar put up prescriptions themselves rath'
w than send them to a drug store 10 be con
an pounded"
1y' In reference 10 the investigation into Il
M methods alleged to be employed by certa
es- drug stores, Mr. Harper quoted that po
ga ton of the pharmacy law which says
H part:
an, That IS shall be unlawful for any person not
isJ, registered pharmacist within the meaning OF u
TIL ACT TO conduct any pharmacy for the pt
raj | pose Of retailing, compromising, or dispensI
NJ | medicines OF poisons for medical use.
st It is that portion of the law on whic
Ne Mr. Harper has sought and is now seekt
ted legal advice. What he is most anxious
Lu- get at is the proper Interpretation of t
word conduct" He also calls attention
the fact that the law provides no penal
T. for violations, although it positively stat
that II shall be a violation TO do ott
ia than as it specifies.
The question at issue, however, 81
tier Secretary Harper, lis not so much the ia
IL IRE TO provide fine to be imposed on "
lators as the proper construction OF I
DC word conduct The question is, who &C
uest ducts a drug store or pharmacy? Is 1t
and man whose name appears above the d'
Tho and who is registered, or the man "
r. leases the premises, buys the stock. p'
III the rent and virtually owns the estabil
the .nent and is not registered or is 1t
ap- man who compounds the prescriptions {
linn has nothing TO do with the estabishm
sibls except as a salaried employe? l know
sted instances where men who are not res
tered pharmacists own drug stores and {
UNI play their names as such on signs
the who Furthermore, advertise that II
not / drugs. cures etc, are the best Such j
k in employ registered pharmacists TO &C
ly,v,r- hrrr Ha fTa ct inn ig