The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-08-29
ARE PHYSICIANS PRESCRIPTIONS
NosTRuMs7

men are, to discriminate intel!i9eniiy
between physicians prescriptions. pro
prietary medicines and nOstrums, II
may seem little short OF crime TO
hint even that physicians prescrip-
tons are in any manner related To
nostrumg; neyertheless. an impartial
examination OF all the facts Ia the
case leads irresistibly 70 the conelu-
sion that every medicinal preparation
compounded and dlzbensed by physi-
clau Ii, In the strict sense Of the word.
a nostrum. and that the average,
ready prepared proprietary remedy is
superior to the average specialiy-pre-
pared physicians prescription.
What ID nostrum? According to
the Standard Dictionary a nugtrum is
"a medicine the composition OF which
10 kept secret" Now. when physi-
clan compounds and dispenses with
his own hands a remedy for the treat
ment o. disease--and II is authorita-
lively stated that probably 60 per
ceat. of all physicians prescriptions
IN this country are Sc dlspensed-the
names and quanfities Of the ingre-
dents which constitute the remedy
are not made known to the patient.
Hence. since it's composition Is kept a
secret by the physician the remedy or
prescription liz unquestionably. In the
true meaning of the word, a Simon
pure nostrum. Furthermore, the pre-
scription compounded by the average
physician Is more than likely to be
perfect jumbie-replete with thera-
peutic. physiologlc and chemical in
compatibiiities and bearing all the ear
marks Of pharmaceutical incompe-
tency; for IL is now generally admitted
that unless a physician has made
special study OF pharmacy and passed
some time In drug store for the pur-
pose Of gaining practical knowledge
OF modern pharmaceutical methods,
he Is not fitted to compound remedies
for his patients. Moreover. a physi-
clan who compounds his own prescrip-
lions not only deprives the pharmacist
OF his just emoimments, but he endan-
gers the lives OF patients; for it is
only by the detection and elimination
OF errors In prescriptions by clever
competent prescrlptionists that the
safety OF the public can be effectually
shielded from the criminal blunders
Of ignorant physicians.
Nor can II be said that the average
physician Is any more competent to
formulate prescription than he Is to
compound IL. When memorized or di-
rectly copied from book OF 'favorite
prescriptions by famous physicians"
or from some textbook or medical
Journal. the prescription may be all
that II should be. 1t Is only when the
physician is required to originate a
formula on the spur OF the moment
that his ineompetency is distinctly evil
dent. Seemingly. however. the physi-
clans OF the United States are little
worse than the average British physi-
clan. for we find DIR. James Burnett,
lecturer on Practical Materia Medica
and Pharmacy. Edinburgh. iamenting
In the Medical Magazine the passing
OF the prescription and bemoanlng the
fact that seldom does he find final
man" able to devise a prescription
even In good contracted Latin
And what, 1t may DO asked. is the
status of the written prescription--the
prescription that Is compounded and
dispensed by the Pharmacists II.
too. nostrum? 1t may be contended
that the patient. with the written
formula In his possession. may learn
tina oh "a 81 he
scribed. So. possibly. he might II he
understood Latin and were physician
or pharmacist. but as he usually pos
sesses no professional training and
cannot read Latin. the prescription is
practically dead secret to him.
Furthermore. the average prescription
Ii 80 badly written and so greatly
abbreviated that even the pharmacist.
skilled as he usually is in deciphering
medical hleroglyphs. Is constantly
obliged to interview prescribers to
fnd out what actually has been pre-
scribed. IL may also be eontended.
that lnasmuch us the formula Is known
to both physician and pharmacist the
prescription cannot therefore be SO.
cret. But with equal truth 1t might be-
contended that the formula of any So
called nostrum Is not secret since II
Is known to both proprietor and manu-
faeturer. for II must not be forgotten
that. according to reliable authority.
rs per cent. OF the proprietors of so
called patent medicines prepared In
this country have their remedies made
fer them by large. reputable manafac-
turing pharmacists. hut even should
patient be able to recognize the
names OF the ingredients mentioned In
n formula he would only know half
the story. II Is seldom, for instance.
that alcohol Is specifically mentioned
In u prescription. for II Is usually
masked in the form of tinetures and
fluid extracts. "a are a great many
other substances II Is evident. there
fore. that the ordinary Formulated pre-
scription Is, 60 the average patient. Tt
tie less than u secret remedy or nos
trum.
On the other hand. the formulate Of
nearly all the proprietary medicines
that are exploited exclusively 10 the
medical profession as well as those
VI large percentage OF the propris-
tary remedies that are advertised 20
the public tthe so-eailed patent medi.
ctnesl are published IN full. Under
the Food and Drugs Act. every uiedi.
einal preparation entering Interstate