Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
SATISFIED WITH LAW
DRUGGISTS ENDORSE BILL TO
REGULATE POISON SALES.
But Few Changes From Text Of Meas
ure Under Consideration-Pat-
emit Medicine Measure.

There was large attendance at a meet
Ing this morning of the Retail Druggists
Association of the District of Columbia.
held at sos street northwest, in the hall
of the George Washington University
school of pharmacy The bill now before
the Senate ito regulate the practice OF
pharmacy and the sale of poisons" In the
District was In the main Endorsed, but in
some points was slightly modified. A COM
mittee was appointed to present the views
of the organization to the proper Senate
committee.
1t was voted unanimously to use the best
efforts of the association to defeat a bill
introduced In the House yesterday by Rep
resentative Babcock to regulate the manu-
facture and sale of so-called patent medi-
cfneS in the District.
Several speakers designated this as the
Ladies' Home Journal BILL" and it was
branded by President Hilton as 'ridicu-
lous." from druggists standpoint. 1t
was also decided to cooperate, II request
medical fraternity to defeat a proposed
measure to require physicians to write their
prescriptions 'in plain English" One drug
gist declared that the public knows too
much about medicine already"
Report Of Special Committee.
President s. L. Hilton called the meeting
to order about 1890 o'clock and asked for
the report Oh Il SpeCldl appointed
to consider the pharmacy bill. He ex-
planned. that this was an adjourned meet
Ing of the association, and called chiefly for
the purpose of hearing this report.
August G. Raylor presented the majority
report OF the committee, which Endorsed
the House bill In Its salient points. but
suggested a number of amendments, among
which was one to strike out the provision
requiring druggists to renew their licenses
every three years.
After considerable discussion. resulting
in several notifications Of the commit
tees Ideas, the report was adopted. A
minority report. presented by j. NJ Con-
nor. recommended the REIMBURSEMENT of
in its minor details. This Mr.. Conner and
one other member of the committee thought
would greatly simplify matters. The minor
ity report was lost through the favorable
vote upon the najortty's recommended
lions.
Among those who took part In the debate
upon the majority report We're II. c. Eas-
terday, J. M. Conner, f. M. Criswell. Au-
gustus c. Taylor NJ. l.. Steele and Presi-
dent Hilton.
Discussion of Supervision"
One question that was debated at length
was whether or not the association should
indorse the provision requiring the super
vision of the sale of all drugs and medicines
by registered druggist. 1t was held by
some that supervision does not mean &C.
tual presence in the store when such sales
are being made, but presence anywhere on
the premises In spite of strenuous oppO-
sition on the part of Al. l.. Steele, repre-
senting the smaller druggists, who are I'M
able to employ registered clerks, this portion
of the bill was indorsed
President Hilton then called to the atten-
ton of the members bill which Mr.. Bah
cock introduced in the House yesterday in
regard to the manufacture and sale of pat
ent medicines in the District and which re-
ouires that the labels of all bottles or pack
ages containing such preparations shall
show the exact ingredients, and that when
ever per cent of alcohol Is contained IN
such preparation the word poison IN
large red letters shall be printed on the
label
Mr. Hilton said in his opinion such n re-
ouirement was "the complete essence of
Righteousness" He held Ii would require
every local druggist who manufactures an
essence of vanilla. lemon or orange, or who
makes an iron preparation, to mark 1t as
poison because of the percent of alcohol
contained. A committee will be appointed to
bring before the proper House committee
the views of the druggists upon this ques-
ton The motion for such action was car
ried with enthusiastic unanimity-
In anticipation of movement on the
| part of physicians of the city to defeat the
| to write their prescriptions In plain Eng
| lish'' Mr.. Crisweli moved that a committee
be appointed to cooperate with the medi-
cal fraternity in this effort.
| IT do not think the public ought to learn
| anything more about medicine. 1t knows
was no objection to his statement. The mo-
! tfcA was carried without dissenting vote.
Before adjournment the association elect
ed a number of druggists to membership.