Mexico Missouri message., 1907-08-29
ARE PHYsIcIANs' PRESENTATIONS
NosTRUmaf


between physicians prescriptions, pro
pristary medicines and nostrums. II
may seem little short OF q crime 20
hint even that physicians prescrip-
lions are in any manner related to
nostrums; nevertheless, an impartial
examination OF ali tho facts In the
case leads iFresistibly to the conclu-
sion that every medicinal preparation
compounded and dispensed by phyai-
clan is. In the strict sense of the word.
q nostrum, and that the average.
Feady-prepOred proprietary remedy il
superior to the average specially-pre-
pared physicians prescription.
What is n nostrum7 According 10
tho Standard Dictionary a nostrum IL
- medicine the composition Of which
IL kept a secret" Now, when physi-
clan compounds and dispenses with
his own hands a remedy for the treat.
unent Of a disease--and II is authoritas
lively stated that probably so per
cent. Of all physicians prescriptions
in this country are 80 dispensed--ths
names and quantities of the ingre-
dents which constitute the remedy
are not made known 20 the patient,
Hence. since It's composition Is kept o
secret by the physician. the remedy or
prescription ts unquestionably, In the
true meaning Of the word. Simon
pure nostrum. Furthermore. the pre-
scriptlon compounded by the average
physician is more than likely to be
perfect jumble-replete with thera-
peutic. physlologic and chemical In
oOmpatibilities and bearing all the ear
marks Of pharmaceutical incompe-
tency; for It Is now generally admitted
that unless a physician has made
special study OF pharmacy and passed
some time In a drug store for the pur-
pose OF gaining a practical knowledge
OF modern pharmaceutical methods,
he is not fitted to compound remedies
for his patients. Moreover, physi.
clan who compounds his own prescrip-
| lions not only depriyes the pharmacist
of his just emoluments. but he endan-
gers the lives Of patients; for 1t Ii
only by the detection and elimination
OF errors In prescriptions by clever.
competent prescriptionists that the
safety of the public can be effectuaIly
shielded from the criminal biunders
Of ignci ant physicians.
Nor can Il be said that the average
physician is any more competent TO
formulate q prescription than he Is to
compound It. When memorized or d.
rectly copied from book Of ''favorite
prescriptions by famous physicians"
or from some textbook or medical
journal, the prescription may be all
that It should be. II is only when the
physician f. required to originate a
formula on the spur OF the moment
that his incompetency is distinctly evil
dent Seemingly. however, the physi-
clans of the United State- ere little
worse than the average British physl-
clan: for We find DIR. James bdrnett,
lecturer on Practical Materia nedlca
and Pharmacy. Edinburgh, lamentine
in the Medical Magazine the passing
Of the prescription and bemoaning the
fact that seldom does he find ''tinal
man" able to devise a prescription
even In good contracted Latin"
And what, II may be asked, is the
status Of the written prescriptlon-the
prescription that Is compounded and
dispensed by the Pharmacists It.
too. nostrum? II may be contended
that the patient. with the written
formula in his possession, may learn
the character OF the remedy pre-
scribed. So. possibly, he might II he
understood Latin and were physician
or a pharmacist, but as he usually pos
sesses no professional training and
cannot read Latin, the prescription II
practically dead secret TO him
Furthermore. the average prescription
is 30 badly written and so greatly
abbreviated that even the pharmacist
skilled as he usually Is in decipherinl
medical hieroglyphs. Is constantly
obliged to interview prescribefs tS
and out what actually has been pre-
scribed. II may also be contended
that inasmuch as the formula IL known
TO both physician and pharmacist thu
: prescription cannot therefore be SO
cret But with equal truth Il might b
commended that the formula OF any 80
called ncstrum Is not a secret since Z
Is known 70 both proprietor and manu-
fasturor; for II must not be forgotteI
that. according 20 reliable authority
95 per cent OF the proprietors Of 90
called patent medicines prepared II
this country have their remedies mad
: for them BY large, reputable manufac
turing pharmacists. But even shoul'
q patient Be able to recognize tn
namss OF the ingredients mentioned Il
a formula he would only know hal
. the story. II is seldom, for instance
that alcohol is specifically mentione'
I IN q prescription, for II is usuall'
! masked in the form OF tinctures an
fuid extracts. as are a great man'
I other substances. Il IL evident, there
fore. that the ordinary formulated PR
scription ia, TO the average patient. III
tie less than secret remedy OF MOI