The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-12-31
THE CONTEST OVER THE
PURE FOOD BILLS.

The contest over the adminstra-
ton feature of the pure food bills is
unseemly and should be ended, says
the Baltimore Sun. 1t was just
such contest as this that defeated
a pure food law in the past, and it
looks as if the object of some who
are engaged in the present contest
is to defeat it at the comeing ses-
sion. That may be the effect
whether it is intended or not. The
druggists say, according to the re-
port, that if the admi stration of the
law is confded to the State Board
of Health, they will fight against
the bill before the Legislature, That
is to say, if the agency for the en-
forcement of the law is not snch as
suits them, the people are to be be-
prived of all the benefits Of pure
food law and this State is to continue
as the dumping ground for all the
drugs and food manufactured in the
State that connot pass muster under
the law of the United States. There
could not be more unpatriotic at
titude, and it seems to be based upon
some personal objection to the secre-
tary of the State Board of Health.
DR.. Price, the secretary, is physi-
clan of good standing in his profes-
sion, who has the confidence not only
of the medical profession, but of the
people generally whom he has serv.
ed
The pure food law is health
measure. 1t is intended to protect
the public health The State Board
of Health has an organization and Is
engaged in its legitimate work all
ever the State to the public satisfac
tion. 1t has won the appreciation,
and confidence of the medical pro-
fession, but the medical profession
should surely be more COM
petent to judge of its value than
the Drug Exchange.
AS we have said, the Pure Food
law is designed as health measure,
and if the State Board of Health is not
the properagency to deal with health
measures and health protection
then surely it has been misnamed
In the modern practice OF medicine
the work of preventing disease en-
cages the efforts, thoughts and study
of the best physicians, in perhaps an
equal degree with the cure of disease
The prevention and the cure Of
disease are but little more related to
the business of the druggist and the
manufacturing chemist than they
are to the business of the lawyer OF
the stockbroker. The fact that the
articles that druggists manufacture
or sell are used to cure or prevent
disease does not qualify them as
physicians or health officers, any
more than the use of red flannel
by consumptive patients makes q
tuberculosis expert out OF the super
intendent of a wooden mill.
1t is true that the druggists are
concerned in the operation OF the
law. as it is applied to their business
But no more than the butcher or the
grocer. All Of them have a right to
insist that the terms of the law
shall be fair and just, but not one oil
them has right to say that they
will defeat the law altogether unless
it is to be administered as they de.
mand. All these have right to be
protected in their business interests,
and no honest business will suffer
under the administration of the law
by the State Board of Health. But
a pure food law is primarily for tie
protection of the public, and the
people will insist that their rights
shall be the principal consideration
and that they shall not be deprived
of this legislation through the un-
reasonable attitude of selfish interests.