The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-28
DIR. Crumbine of the State Board
of Health Complains.
Thinks Major Portion of Parsons
Drug Stores Awful.
PAYSTHETOWN VISIT
Beer and Whisky Sold Openly
and without Fear.
The Secretary Says Such Places
VIII Be Overhauled.

Parsons, Kan, March 28-For the
past two days DR.. S. J. Crumbine, Sec
retary Of the state board of health,
has been in the city and with him has
been Professor L. E. Sayre, state drug
analyst and J. E. Tilford, state drug
inspector. They have been making an
inspection of the drug stores Of the
town and DR.. Crumbine intimated, IN
fact he stated that there was going to
be something doing within a short
time.
I'VE have visited seventeen or eigh-
teen drug stores" said Dr.. Crumbine
today. ''that is If some of them could
be called drug stores, and we found
the worst condition mere of any place
in the state, and we have visited near
" the entire state. We found drug
stores in which I do not believe there
was ten dollars worth of pure drugs,
while in the rear Of the store was a
cooler filled with beer and whisky, and
in some places we saw it sold to GUS
toners seemingly without fear. In one
place a woman came in and asked for
a bottle of medicine, and the drug
gist'' wrapped up bottle of whisky
for her and she went away with it. He
was pretty badly ratified
Continuing on the brighter side of
the situation, DR.. Crumbine said:
We nave IOu0Q SOIu0 Oh the Hdilu-
soonest drug stores in Parsons 1 have
seen anywhere in the state. They are
clean, the equipment is up to date,
handsome and magnificent, while the
stock of drugs seems to be in accord
ance with the pure food and drug law
In every respect, and I saw no evidence
of any illegal sales of Intoxicating
liquors in these stores"
The doctor mentioned these stores as
well as some of those he found to be
the most fragrant violators of the pure
food and drug law, and he said that he
had taken samples of not only medi-
cines and drugs from these stores, but
also Of beer and whisky which they
carried. These" said the doctor, Twill
be analysed and our action will be ia
ken later. This is not the first visit
the board Of health and pure food in
epectors have made to Parsons. Pro-
1essor Sayre was here about a year
ago, to be exact last May, and he re-
ported the conditions so far as the drug
stores are concerned to be disreputable
at that time. He and Mr.. Tilford, the
drug inspector have been here since
then, and I told them If they found
conditions had not changed to let me
know. received word that so far
from conditions having changed fol
the better, they were worse, If posi-
BILE, and 1 came on to make a persona.
inspection The druggists of Par
sons have had warning, and they have
continued to disregard this warning
and now there will be something do
ing"
When asked regarding the grocery
stores, DR.. Crumbine said that Par
sons has some of the finest grocery
stores in the state, stores that seemed
to obey In every detail the pure food
law, both as to the stock and the san,
itary condition of the stores. He alst
l. Sr-k. 49, <~a L.,
ket Of the city, in fact the secretary
of the state board of health did no
seem to find anything to criticise il
Parsons except the drug stores.