New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-20
Want State Board of Pharmacy
to Enforce the Anti-Habit-
Forming Drug Law.
FAVOR ANOTHER MEASURE
Westchester Medical Society
Objects to Provision Requiring
Consultation in Prescribing
Drug More than 3 Weeks.
lRy Telegraph TO Tie rrIbune

Albany. March 19--General Nelson
II. Henry, Surveyor Of the Port of New
York. and several well known New
York physicians this afternoon urged
the Senate Public Health Committee TO
report bill designed 10 put a stop to
the sale and use of habit-forming drugs
except on the prescription of a reputa-
Bile physician. an agitation for which
reform was started by The Tribune.
There was hearing on the Boylan
bill. which provides that the State
Commissioner Of Health shall provide
for all physicians and druggists books
of prescription blanks serially num-
bered i'm duplicate, through which q
complete record is to be kept of every
sale Of prescription containing Opium,
morphine, cocaine or choral above Ger
tain amounts. II is made a misde-
meanOr TO sell any OF these drugs eN-
cept on a prescription made by physi-
elan on an official blank Another pro
vision is that whenever a physician -
prescribed any Of these drugs for -hree
weeks to any person he shall not con
tinue it without consulting another
physician.
Pharmacists Oppose Measure.
General Henry and the New YORK
physicians favored the bill. but il Wa
opposed bv j. Roemer of White Plains
representing the New York State Phar-
maceutical Association and the West
chester County Medical Society MIR
Roemcr said that he was in sympathy
with the efforts 10 stop the spread OF
the drug habit but objected TO the pro-
visions Of the Boylan bill. He said iha'
the state Board OF Pharmacy should
have control OF the enforcement Of the
proposed law instead of the Depart
ment Of Health. and that the present
laws went far enough IN reference l.
the keeping of records Of the sale oi
drugs.
In behalf Of the Westchester CouEiy
Medical Society Mr.. Roemer objected
/ 10 the provision requiring another
physician ia case of the necessity .,
! prescribing drug for more than tire,
weeks. lie said that the State Pha.
maceut!cal Association had Sena tol
| Whitney introduce a bill which no
only met his objections TO the Boylar
! bin but covered practically all OF tn,
hablt-forming drugs with the exception
| Of cocaine. The association. he SAID
"a orcd the Walker bill, drafted b.
Assistant District Attorney Delehanty
Of New York. for handling the coca.u,
traffic.
Charles 3. Towns. Of New York. VIII,
WAS responsible for the drafting II the
Boylan bill. said he would not object
10 amending il SO the Board OF Phar-
macy should have the power of enforc
ng the proposed law. General Henry
| however. said that it was unfortunat,
that any amendments should have 10 b,
made at this late date
Every body recognizes that some
thing has got 10 be done To stop the
spread of the drug habit" he said but
| the difficulty was 10 whip any one plan
| into shape. IL is unfortunate that Their,
are three conflicting bills. Such con
dition generally results in nothing
being done. But II the question is not
settled this year il will be back tC
haunt You next year.
Or Eli s Jellife and Or Alexander
Lambert. Of New York. said that no
physician would object 10 the provision
of the Boylan bill that doctor should
cali I'm another doctor in case Of pre-
scribing a drug for more than three
weeks Both told OF the spread of TN,
drug habit and called attention 10 the
use OF drugs among children i'm New
York.
TX -Assembly man owen W. Rohan
who worked with Mr.. Towns I'm draft
| Ing the Boyldn bill. objected 10 any
| amendments. He said he put the en-
| forcement of the proposed law I'm tn,
! hands of the Health Department. be-
cause that department had police pow
ers almost equal To the United State'
army. while those OF the Board OF