The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-03-25
WHISKEY PRESCRIPTIONS
Ao'ai I'D charlotte, y. c., for 1907 Was
ls' l92-SOmc Interesting Facts-
Significant Figures.

After a labOrious effort reuuiring
more than month of .arduous work.
an accurate list and computation of
the number Of whiskey prescriptions
written during the year 1907 has just
peen prepared. A statement appear-
Ing IN the papers few days ago was
pre- ematlre, unofficial as we'll rs id
correct and that which herein appears
comes direct from those who madA
the tabulations and Is also author.
ize1.
Inc total number Of prescriptions
issued by Charlotte doctors during
1917 amounts to 1872. All the pro-
scriptions being tabulated on a basis
or quarts, it WAS discovered that the
total number Of quarts amounts to
3S,635. The total beer certificates
number 474 dozen bottles. Figuring
that the whiskey sent out from the
drug stores on prescriptions sold at
an averages price of $1.25, it can be
seen that the amount Of money ex-
pended for the total number is s49.-
543.75.
The 474 dozen bottles cf beer
would likely average in price about
10 cents per bottle, which would
amount to total of $S53.2O. showing
that the drug stores received for the
sale Of whiskey alone during the past
year the grand total Of $5O,33G.9O.
paying tribute to this city at the rate
OF 500 for the privilege. Only II
drug stores were given the license to
deal in whiskey, and therefore, tn.
city only received a revenue of ST.
400, while tho drug stores received;
$5o.ss6s0.
The largest number of prescriptions
issued during the year by an 11livid-
ual physician was 4.s01. which
would make an average Of about 13
for every day in the entire year, in
GLIDING Sundays. The second highest
on the list is S.097; the third, 1891:
the fourth 1854: tho fifth, 2,546;
the sixth. 2.21s; the seventh, 1879;
the eighth, 1884: the ninth, 1850;
the tenth, 1161; the eleventh, LIS:
the twelfth, 9s6.
Tho physician who wrote 1879
whskey prescriptions also wrote cer-
tifcates for "a dozen bottles Of beer
leading the list along this line. The
one who wrote 1854 whisxey pre-
scriptions wrote prescriptions for 20
dozen bottles. Tho doctor who is.
sued the 2,sS4 also wrote 80 dozen
beer prescriptions. and is one of the
colored physicians Of the city.
One Of the leading and oldest ply
sictans Of the city wrote 20 prescrip-
tions. another wrote 12O. another "a.
The records show nothing further
that is unusual about the numbers
aside from those already given. The
old rating which applies to every
thing applies to the physicians; and
all those whose names appear on the
register can be classed as radicals
conservatives and extremists. There
is probably little difference in the ex-
tent of the practice Of the .loctor
who wrote 4,s01, and the other who
wrote 20, and the variance may b.
due to their individual ideas about
the efficacy Of alcohol.
One glancing over the records finds
some strange things. It is APPARENT
that some Of the druggists have been
misled and filled prescriptions upor
the signatures OF doctors who do
not exist at all. This is no reflection
upon their integrity as it was impos.
sible for them to keep readily in mind
the names of every physician in con-
tiguous territory to Charlotte. Ply
sicians from Gastonia. Concord
Monroe and all towns of such near
ness 20 this city sent prescriptions,
bona f1de prescriptions. to be filled
here, and If Occasionally fellow
forged a name Of doctor non exist
ent. the discred.t cannot be rlaced
against the druggists.
Upon the records sect up from one
drug store, the name Of q doctor Of
divinity appt ars as having authorized
some bearer to obtain one gallon of
wh'skey. This, Of course, is IN in
stance where the name Of the minis
ter was forged by the holder and
thoughtlessly passed over by the
druggist, oc case where the minis
ter holds precisely tte same name
and initial as some doctor in North
Carolina.
Tho drug store standing ri tn.
head Of the list in the number of pre-