New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-05
nRrG CLERK REGrLATIONS.

How many hours day should drug clerk
work? That is question which has been much
discussed Of late. and for an authoritative an
swer 10 which there IS much current agitation.
Point has been given 10 II by scdulouS prOmul-
cation Of the theory that errors in putting up
prescriptions are due TO the overworking and
firing ont Of the clerks. whose mental faculties
become thus dulled and perverted. That Is, no
doubt. n matter In which the public is properly
and profoundly interested. II is Of the utmost
importance that prescriptions shall be carefully
ana honestly compounded. 50 that patients shall
not he poisoned and shall get the good from the
medicine which the physician expects and any
thing that tends to lessen the certainty that
they are thus compounded may we'll he objected
10 I'm the strongest possible manner. Acting
under this theory. some are asking that the Leg
islaturc shall take action 10 limit the hours of
service Of drug clerks, while others seem dcsir-
Gus Of merging pharmacists into the ordinary
labor unions and subIccting them to the rules
that obtain among hrcklaycrS and truckdrivcrS
II may well he believed that there is need Of
reform in this matter nj least In some drug
stores. There are Northumberland cases on
record Of errors in prescriptions made by over
worked clerks Such errors may be few. They
tional representations would make them seem.
They should he made fewer and. If possible. al
together prevented. And II Is entirely possible
that appropriate legislation would make them
fewer The principle Of prohibiting ovcrwork
that is demonstrated 10 he detrimental 10 the
worker or TO the public is now fully established
in law. There appears 10 be- no reason why II
should not he applied to the drug business rs
we'll as 10 any other. provided that the peculiar
conditions Of that business be- taken into ac-
count II Is to be done with comparative
ease in The case. let us say. Of railroad engi
neers and switchmen. who have simply fixed
routine Of work TO perform. But the work Of
the druggist il not thus uniform. II varies
greatly. There may he twice much 10 do to
day rs there was yesterday. During the recent
outbreak Of influenza. for example. there was
literal run upon the drug stores. 50 that clerks
had TO work sometimes sixteen or eighteen
hours day to fill The prescriptions that came
pouring ln What else was to be done? Should
the clerks have quit at the end Of their eight or
ten hours left the prescriptions untitled and left
the sick people 10 suffer and perhaps die That
would have been monStrOuS humanity. Or
should extra clerks have been hired for thn occa-
sion. clerks unfamiliar with the arrangement
and methods Of the shops: That would hav"
increased enormously the danger Of mistakes.
Their" really was nothing 10 do but 10 work
overtime until The pressure was past. Just rs
men DO in other callngS. and II may br added
In all confidence that the proprictors Of the
shops themselves worked as long aud as dill
gently as their clerks
AZ for the scheme 10 put tho drug clerks on
the labor union the manual labor plane il is
difficult 10 consider ii seriously In The very
nature Of the cas-" there Is a radical difference.
n difference of kind. between them. Pharmacy
is not a trade. 1t is a learned profession. To
subject It 10 labor union rules would hc rs alb
surl n thus 10 deal with physicians or lawyers.
What m arrangement It would be- 10 say that
after working or waiting In his Office for eight
hours doctor should refuse himself 10 all pa
,cnts until the next day. and If man j.
stricken with apopcNy or falls and breaks his
leg ne must walt ana suffer. or die. because his
doctor cannot attend him out of hours, II *
recognized that such matters in the medical pro
fesSon cannot be regulated by law or rule save
the laws Of nature and the rules Of common
sense II will be- for the best for all concerned 10
deal similarly with the pharmaceutical profrs-
sl0n-to elevate II 10 and maintain II In the rank
81 a learned profession. and subject II chl fly 10
the rules that prevail among such. Druggists do
not rs II rule. ovorwork their clerks The few
who do should be compelled 10 mend their ways
II may be- necessary 10 adopt some legislation 10
that end But II would not he 10 the interest OF
the druggists, nor Of their clerks, nor Of The pub
lie. TO lower the drug clerk to The level OF un-
skilled labor. aud TO subject the man who com