West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-04-25

10 the Editor Of The Argus:
The County Court at its recent session set
tied question of vital importance concern.
ing the people Of Preston county, that of
license or no license for drug stores The
members of the Court were deliberate. ma.
tent and thorough in ascer,ainiug facts upon
which their final decision was based They
gave public hearings to applicants for license.
and to those who opposed license thew con.
sidercd petitions regarding the matter, and had
interviews with citizens from various parts of
the county, and upon the information gained
from these sources, the Court decided not
10 grant the necessary certificate for drug
gists license TO any of the applicants. As
an attentive listener during the PROCEEDINGS
OF the session, it seems clear TO your cores.
pendent that the Court intelligently and i'm.
partially arrived at the following conclusions:
| First, that in rural communities and towns
as small as the largest in Preston county.
there is no actual necessity exixisting for the
drug store as dispenser of drugs and medi-
cines, either for the convenience of the
medical profession, or for the welfare of
citizens and families in case of sickness. The
uniform testimony of physicians who were
interviewed is that they do not supply their
patients with medicines by giving prescrip
tions TO be compounded at the drug stores.
but that they admins or their own remedies
compounded from their own supply ken, law
themselves, and that nearly all the physi-
clans in this county keep necessary supplies
OF drugs on hand. drug store that is
owned and managed Ivy a praclcing physi.
clan will not receive the patronage of other
Practicing physicians in the same locality.
Tor obvious reasons. Only in cities or large
towns do physicians prescribe drugs through
the drug store, and then only when il is
Kept by an educated registered pharmacist
who is not practitioner. Furthermore, all
The staple drugs and medicines including
patent medicines, that are used in families.
may be sold by merchants without license.
and arc usually kept in country and village
stores. Certain poisonous drugs used in
medical practice may always be obtained
''" 'ne iamhy physician, and only under
his watehful eye and careful direction should
they be used.
Second; that the business Of drug stores
as generally conducted in this county. con.
sis's largely in the sale Of intoxica ting
liquors, and that in the towns and districts
where they exist drunkenness seems 10 be
Increasing and the drink habit growing and
that these conditions are largely the result |
Of prescriptions for liquors issued almost in.
discriminatory TO applicants who use in,oxi /
canis as beverage. These prescriptions
are not Issued by the better class Of consci. /
enlious physicians, but are limited almos, |
entirely to ono or two for each drug store.
and for which they receive a considerable
income.
All honor 90 the County Court their &C.
lion was wise, and the moral sentiment Of
the people will be strengthened thereby. aud
II those who were refused license shall oh.
serve the law, thousands Of dollars will be
saved 70 The former patrons Of these place,
IN Preston county.
fItv Us..r.