Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-28
THE PHARMACY BILL
COMMISSIONERS FORWARD AD-
VERSE REPORT ON MEASURE.
Health 0f1cer's Statement Endorsed by
the Board-0bjections to
to the Bill.

the District board has decided to make IN
favorable reports on the House and Senate
bills to amend the act regulating the prac-
tice of pharmacy In the District OF Column
bia. One of the main features Of these
bills is a proposed Limitation to ten hours of
the service that shall be required Of drug
clerks. DR.. W. c. Woodward has made
report ON the bill to the Commissioners.
and they will forward this as representing
their views. DIR. Woodward says:
1.-The purpose of this bill is twofold. First.
to limit and to certain extent to FIX the
hours of duty OF drug clerks and. second
to enlarge and reorganize the pharmaceuti-
cal examining board.
Limitation by law of the hours of serv-
ice of druggists must tn principle. be- based
upon danger to the community reasonably
expected to result from their toe prolonged
continuous employment, and a law .mpos-
ing such limitations should be directed to-
ward the prevention of such danger with
reasonable directness. These postulates do
not seem to be impressed upon the pending
bill in manner sufficiently clear and posi-
tive to warrant a favorable report on 1t. If
1t Is unsafe to allow a drug clerk to work
more than ten hours daily it would seem
to be at least equally unsafe to allow the
proprietor of drug store to do so: yet this
bill limits the hours Of the clerks only.
Matter of Limitations.
IF it is unsafe to allow a clerk to work
more than ten hours in any one day clerks
should not be allowed to work longer than
that period. The pending BILL however.
does not limit the number of hours which
drug clerk may work. but limits merely the
number Of hours which his employer may
lawfully require him to do And GER
tainly there is no such definite relation be-
tween the safety Of the public and service
rendered by drug clerks after 6 pm. as
would justify prohibition on service rem
dered after that hour even for a certain
limited number Of days each week. which
prohibition 1t is sought to establish through
this bill.
Il am unable to find any reason for in
creasing the size of the board of examiners
IN pharmacy by the appointment of addi
t1onal pharmacists, whether proprietors or
clerks The business methods of the board
and the records which 1t keeps are of the
very simplest character. The average NUN
Der of pharmacists registered annually dur
ing the past five years, without examina
ton, has been but thirty-one. and the num-
Der OF candidates examined annually dur
ing that period has been but forty-thrae.
No practical test OF the ability of the can
didate Is required and he is subjected to
no oral examination. The examination is
entirely written and is limited to three
branches, chemistry, pharmacy and ma
terra medica. Under such circumstances
1t seems that five examiners should be
able to do the work of this board.
Appointments on Examining Board.
Neither does it seem to me necessary to
provide by law for the appointment of drug
clerks, as such, on the examining board.
Drug clerks may have interests sufficiently
distinct from those of their employers as to
render 1t desirable in the interest of the
public that they should have voice in the
examination of applicants for registration
as pharmacists. In my judgment such in
terests do. in fact, exist and the appoint
ment OF one or more drug clerks on the
examining board would tend to insure the
efficiency Of that organization. No law is
necessary, however. to accomplish this re-
suit. The Commissioners of the District
have even now full authority to appoint
clerks In preference to appointing pharma-
cfsts who are proprietors of drug stores
and vice versa, or to create mixed board,
and the matter can safely be left to the dis
erection of the Commissioners at least until
1T is found feasible to amend the law as a
whole.
In view of the foregoing statement 1
have to recommend that this bill be re-
turned to the committee ON the District of
Columbia of the United States Senate with
recommendation that 1t be adversely act
ed upon