Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-10-12
SOME NEWS LAWS.
Prosecution of Merchants for
Handling Drues-Sheriffs to
Reports Fires.


Under new law the sheriff of each
county is required to report to the in
surance department of the State every
fire occurring in said county, giving the
origin, probable loss, amount of in
surance, and every fact connected with
the fire. The sheriff has FIVE days in
which to make his report.
Of all the miscreants and rascals who
adulterate the commodities that we buy
from our merchants, those who adul-
terate the drugs and medicines intended
to relieve pain, and raise the sick from
beds of languishing, are the deepest
dyed scoundrels. Under an investigation
by the department of health in New
York number of chemists were set to
work to make assays and analyses of
samples of drugs collected all over the
city. 1t was shown of the ten thousand
samples collected and tested there were
fewer than 80 per cent that came up to
the standard of the pharmacopoeia,
over 10 per cent. called for warning
to the manufacturer, and more than so
per cent. invited prosecutions. The
result of such Investigations in the past
has spurred the several states to enact
laws safe guarding the selling of drugs
and proprietary medicines. A short
while ago the CITIZEN published an ac-
count of the arrest of a number of
merchants for handling drugs which by
law can only be dispensed by registered
pharmacists. Below we quote extracts
from the law as amended to date which
affect our people:
SEC. 1857. The board (of Pharmacy
shall have authority to transactall bust
ness relating to the legal practice of
pharmacy; to~examine into ali cases of
abuse, fraud, adulteration, substitution
or malpractice, and report all violations
Of the provisions of this chapter to the
commonwealth attorney of the county
or corporation in which they occur, who
shallinvestigate and prosecute the same
when brought to his attention.
The board shall have power to make
such rules and regulations as it may
find necessary for carrying into effect
the provisions of this chapter, not in
consistent with the provisions and spirit
OF the same, and with the constitution
and laws of the state.
SEC. 1859. 1T shall not be lawful for
any person nat a registered pharmacist
to open or control as proprietor any
retail drug or chemical store, or phar-
maceutical department thereof, in this
state, unless he shall have in his employ
and place In charge Of such store or
pharmacy, or In the pharmaceutical
department thereof, registered phar-
macist within the meaning of this chap
ter, who shall have the supervision and
management of that part of the busi-
ness requiring pharmaceutical skill and
knowledge. And it shall not be lawful
for any person to engage in the business
or occupation of cempounding or dis
pensing medicines on prescriptions of
physicians or otherwise, or to sell at
retail any drugs, chemicals, poisons or
pharmaceutical preparations within this
state, without first obtaining q certifi-
cate Of registry as provided in this
chapter: provided. nothing in this sec
tion shall apply to or in any manner in
terfere with the regular practice of any
physician or veterinary surgeon, or pre-
vent him from supplying to his patients
such articles as he may deem proper,
unless such physician or veterinary
surgeon keep open shop for the dispens-
ing of such articles, or with the making
or vending of patent or proprietary
medicines by any retail dealer in the
original packages, or with the manu-
facture or the exclusive wholesale busi-
ness of any dealer and, provided
further. that in rural districts and in
toYns having population of fifteen
hundred or less, any physician regularly
licensed under the laws of Virginia may
act as a pharmacist without examina-
ton, but subject to such registration
and renewal as 10 provided for In this act.
SEC. 1853. 1T shall not be lawful for
any person, having authority (that is,
registered,, to sell or dispense medicines
or poisons, to retail, except upon pre-
scription of regularly licensed ply.
sician, dentist or veterinary surgeon,
morphine and its preparations, opium
and its preparations containing highe,
per centum Of opium than laudanun
prepared in accordance with formula
provided by the pharmacopoeia of the
United States of America; and the drug
gist filing said prescription shall tax,
and file and not refill the same: no.
shall such person or persons retail an,
poison enumerated in the followins
schedules "A' and ''B" without dis
tinctly labelling the bottle, box, vesse
or paper ia which said poison is con
tanned with the name of the article an,
the word Poison" and the name ant
place of business of the seller; and, il
addition thereto, at least two of tn
most readily obtainable effective anti
dotes to snch poisonous article.
Schedule "A."-Arsenic and its pre-
iparations, corrosive sublimate, biniodid