The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-01-23

leans III calling Cuc aLCcnClCu OI INC
Chief Of Police and heads of depart
mcnts to the steady increase in the
illegitimate sales Of cocaine has arous-
ed considerable interest in this city.
The result of the movement to sup
press the sale of the drug in New Or
leans will be watched with interest by
physicians and surgeons here. While
the use of cocaine is not SO common in
this city as it is in New Orleans, its
use is increasing steadily, according to
physicians and pharmacists.
Physicians attribute this increase to
three causcs-thc medical colleges,
the "quack' remedies for catarrh,
asthma and other affections of the
throat and nose, and to the mistaken
idea that the drug is cure for drunk
cnness. The druggists attribute the
increase more to the carelessncss of
doctors in issuing prescriptions and
the failure Of the State laws to restrict
the wholesale dealers in the sale Of
the drug.
"The laws governing the sale Of
such drugs arc too easily cvadcd,"
said druggist. 'In the first place
any person can 60 to wholesale drug
dealer and buy as much cocaine or
morphine as he wants and no questions
will be asked Ours is practically the
only trade in which the retail dealer is
restricted by laws which do not affect
in anyway the wholesale dealer. Then,
besides this, there seems to be no way
of enforcing the laws and Furnishing
pharmacists who violate them. AS
retail dealers We are not permitted to
sell cocaine or morphine without a
prescription, yet there is no way Of
finding out whether the laws are obey
ed or not. A few days ago man
walked into my store and called for
two dozen four grain morphine tablets.
/ told him he could not have them aud
he looked at me in amazement. Why
he exclaimed, you must be crazy.
Why can't have thcm? l told him
he was crazy, not 1, and that l could
not sell him that stuff under the law.
lie was highly indignant, and said it
was the first time he had ever been re-
fused.
"The board of pharmacy, which has
general supervision Of the drug bus
iness and is responsible for violations
of the law, has no agents and is thus
unable to investigate violations. If
they had number Of .spectors to 90
out and call for the drug and then
prosecute the retail dealers who yio-
late the law they would soon put
stop to tue illegal sale Of the drug. AT
1,ast they would put stop to the open
sale of the poison. also think that the
Legislature should pass law restrict
ing the indiscriminate sale Of the drug
by wholesale dealers. The Legisla-
ture should then compel physician
to issue a new prescription every time
morphine or cocaine is TO be uscd.
The trouble is that doctor issues a
prescription which contains certain
amount Of cocaine and does not sOcci-
fy that it is to be taken up when filled.
A person with the "habit" who gets
hold Of this prescription goes on hav-
ing it filed until the paper is so torn
and worn that the writing is no longer
lcgiblc. These persons arc very
shrewd. They come here two orthrcc
times, then thcy go to another drug
store and then to another, coming back
to us after six or eight months. |
have had people come in here with
prescriptions for cocaine issued by
veterinary surgeon. They want it for
sick dog or sick cat or some other
household pet. We are often certain
that the drug is to be used personally,
and in one case have in mind |
have refused to let the man have the
drug.
"Thc idea that we get exorbitant
prices for the drug is all wrong. There
isn't harder man in the world o deal
with than a so-called dope he knows
the Wholesale price and he usually has
little or no money, so that he is al
WAYS prepared to drive q hard bargain.
Even when they come here with a
prescription they kick on the regular
price and want us to give them the
stuff ut wholesale rates.
Cocaine acts very quickly; its first
stage is one Of mild stimulation, tho
second is Of much greater stin nlation.
and the third is the stage of coma.
which is brought on by paraly:i is of
the respiratory centre Of the brain.
The calcritv Of its action !. I.r,on