The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-28
DRUGGISTS AS DOCTORS
THE BUSINESS TRANSFORMED SINCE
THE CIVIL WAR.


old Profess 0nal Tells How They Had to
Prescribe - Leeches. Cupping, yaoci-
nation, and Spring AIedicines-Ancienf
Apothecary Required to Draw Teeth.
Before the war" began the drug
gIst, whose memory and business date
back to pre-Civil War days. speaking
Of the drug business as It was com
pared to what it is at present, "a drug
gist was expected to do a great deal IN
the way Of prescribing. In 1888 the
College Of Pharmacy graduated some
six men whore now hundreds are grad
uated. Very few druggists had any
thing but practical experience. II Is
probable that at that time the English
were the most scientifically educated
in that line. Here the druggist was
expected to do practical work, to I'M
derstand minor surgery, leeching.
blood letting and cupping. He could
take a quart or 50 Of blood when a
patient came IN and required it. and
he could draw a tooth.
Sometimes he would go out and
make a call. and he was supposed to
be thoroughly posted as to what CON
stituted dose Of medicine. and to
know the proper medicines to be given
IN different diseases Nowadays a
druggist is not supposed to know any
thing about a dose; his business Is to
understand the scientific preparation
OF medicines. and he Is better qualified
for analysis than for practical work.
Chemistry enters more into the
work OF the druggist now than It did
then. The whole science OF medicine
has changed. and It is enough to make
the hair Of an old-time druggist stand
OH end to see the doses Of strychnlne,
arsenic and nux vomica that are given.
Forty years ago an ounce Of strych-
nine would last a druggist ten years,
and now he will use It In a month.
The old-time druggist would not have
put up such prescriptions as are sent
to him now II the physician had stood
over him and told him every ingre-
dent. A druggist Is not supposed now
TO know anything about the prescrip-
tion. III a prescription seems to call
for something that be does not think
right 1t makes no difference. he must
put it up or be is held responsible.
There was IN interesting case Of
this kind a number Of years ago in
England A physician gave a prescrip-
tion In which there was an extra large
amount OF dlgitalis. which is used to
stimulate the heart. The prescription
was taken to seven druggists before 70
was filled The first six refused TO
put up the drug. as the prescription
called for IT, The seventh did. but the
patient died The case was taken to
court and it was decided that II the
| prescription had been filled in time
the patient would have lived. and the
six druggists were fined Similar
cases have been tried In the Supreme
Court here. The physician Is protected
by law. but no one can understand the
anxiety these excessive doses give the
druggist II IS always possible that a
mistake has been made.
Now that we have telephones we
can telephone to a physician to verify
the prescription. but before we would
hunt an day sometimes to find man.
They do not always like Il. and some
think that the question reflects upon
their Judgment. but many physicians
are very thankful.
narn no NAccINATE