The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-30
CHEMICAL LAWS IN HUNGARY.
Regulations Governing the sale of
Drugs in That Country.

Drugs in That Country.
In communication 20 the State De
partment dealing with medical and chem
teal preparations in Hungary and the
Laws governing them. Frank Dyer Ches-
ter, the United States Consul at Buda-
pest. says.
Medical preparations. under the pat
ent law OF Hungary cannot be patented
here. but the process Of their preparation
may be patented: trademarks may also
be registered.
By the public health law Of the year
1876 the sale Of drugs in Hungary prop
er was confined exclusively TO dipl0maed
druggists and the Minister Of the Into
rior in Budapest was empowered to fix
the price Of drugs from time 20 time. But
a year before. said minister caused drugs
To be classified into four classes. and ex-
cepted from the prohibition binding upon
ron-druggists those merchants who dealt
IN drugs Wholesale. by allowing them TO
sell in certain minimum quantities and
over In 1873. the second issue Of the
AuStro-Hungarian common tariff con-
tanned a provision on the basis Of which
the Minister OF Finance forbade the i'm
port Of medical preparations by anybody
but a druggist, without the license Of the
local district physician. In 1SS2. the Min
lister of the Interior excepted from this
provision drug dealers and wholesale
merchants who had registered their firms.
and the articles sold by them. with the
local authorities but limited the soIe Of
SUCH imported preparations in wholesale
delivery 10 druggists The minister for
oade, however. the sale Of all secret prep
aratons both to merchants and 10 others
without his special license. excepting only
foods and drugs and preparations which
gre permitted TO be kept and sold in
State observing reciprocity with Austria
Hungary, or which have been proved
harmless after expert examination
Notwithstanding these measures, the
sale OF secret preparations was carried on
so deity that in 1854. the Minister Of the
Interior issued a fresh ordinance. In the
same year, the Minister Of Finance in
formed the custom houses that foreign
medical preparations could no longer be
imported by private persons, except by
license from the Minister of the Interior,
showing that the same We're prescribed
by a physician. In 1898, this order to the
custom houses was so modified that pub
lie hospitals and sanatoriums were per
mitted to import freely. whenever it was
shown that the import was for their uses
only
Chemical preparations. apart from
gunpowder. which forms a monopoly of
the hungarian Government can be free
~ imported with the following exceptions.
meutioned In the custOns-administrativ
ordinance OF the Minister Of Finance, is
sued In tSS2;
w bite face paint may be imported on
~ with special license Of local ant hQrffy-
where cOnaignee resides Caprine under
Sprcidl conditions only Explosives and
Infammabies. under the existing regula-
lions as TO safety. Any other substances
concerning which special orders NAV be
issued, for example. liquors, foods and
9theT objects injurious to the public
In the case Of both medical and chem
zeal preparations, secrecy can hardly be
observed when ST. n fun power 10 exam
me and prohibit is given as i'm Hungary
he object Of all the regulations above
referred 20 is simply 10 protect Hungari-
an physicians, druggists. and chemists
as well as the public health. Many for
tlSn medical preparations have been sold
IN Hungary in the past but only furtive-
~ and by certain persons having what
may be called the -hlgh-claSs' trade in
pharmacy and chemistry including retail
supply 70 foreigners soJourning in Hun
gary The moment. however. that the
foreign maker insisted on widely adver-
Using his article. not content with its
quiet sale by influential druggists. such
article Immediately became subject to
seizure. examination. and prohibition. For
example, the Minister Of the Interior has
just publicly prohibited the import and
sale of Dr. Williams pink pills
The customs regulations issued hy the
Minister Of Finance are IN force in CrOa-
tia-SlavOnia. as well as in Hungary prop
cr- The regulations of the Minister of
Interior apply only 20 Hungary proper.
but similar orders are issued By the pro-
visiOnai government Of Cr0atia-SlaVOnia
for that autonomous district
Makers of reInedies pTOtectedf in the
United States may apply TO this consul
late for advice as TO CDuSlgImeuLs which
they may wish To make to druggists in
Hungary. Dealers Of chemicals. etc. IN
wholesale. may likewise apply TO this