The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1919-04-16
Druggists To Report
y Sale OF Drugs
State Board of Health, jackson, mississippi

Recent Investigation of conditions
in a sawmill town in this State deyel
oped the following situation: OF 81
persons found infected with venerea.
disease, 80 or over "a per cent had re.
sorted to patent medicines, drug store
prescriptions "root-doctors,' or self
medication for treatment. Only
slightly over Is per cent had placed
themselves under a physicians care
While this situation may be somewhat
unusual, it may safely be said that
more than half of the ~venereal dis.
eases contracted in this State never
com to the attention of a licensed
physician.
The psychology Of the human mind
is difficult to fathom. Most sufferers
from any of the common diseases-ex,
cepting chills or Saskatchewan apply
to a doctor for treatment, whereas the
doctor is the most stunned person
in a case of venereal disease. There
are probably a number of reasons for
this, the two most prominent being
shame and the expense involved in
cure. &
These are not, however, sufficiently
good reasons for .endangering the pub,
lie health, and reducing the chances OF
cure in the individual by the use of a
patent remedy advised by a friend, or
the futile efforts of self-treatment, or
the silly and dangerous medication of
a "~root-doctor." Claims that syphilis
successfully responds to treatment
with nostrums, and that gonorrhea is
little worse than a cold, may lead to
serious consequences.
The use of patent nostrums in vene.
real cases delays the return of the in.
dividual to normal efficiency, and fails
to check the spread of the disease in
the community; for patent remedies
for seIf-treatment do not stamp out
~venereaI infection.
Since only a fraction of the cases of
venereal disease contracted ever
reach the attention OF licensed physi.
clans, the reporting of venereal dis
eases by physicians alone will neither
give a true indication Of the actual
state of affairs, nor lead to the control .
OF more than a portion Of the venereal
disease in existence. It was for this |
reason that the State Board of Health
that ANY druggist or other person
who sells any drugs, compound, prepar,
alton, or substance of any kind when
purchased for the treatment of any
venereal diseases, except when pre-
scribed by a licensed practitioner of
medicine, shall keep a record of the
name" and other Information regard
Ing THE person making such pur.
these records of sales
shall be forwarded to the State Board
of Health.
1t is also provided in these Regula.
lions that circulars of Instruction
shall be handed to purchasers of such t
remedies, so they may be advised OF
precautions to be taken for their
early recovery and the protection of
those with whom they come in con. /
TACT.
The United States Public Health
recently addressed a letter to
IN the druggists of the country, point:
ng out to them the responsibility they
1ore in selling remedies which. as q
'ule, are to be considered detrimental
the welfare OF their purchasers, !
asking them to pledge themselves
o discontinue the sale of such rene. !
lies. Previously to this time ali the !
2exall Stores in the State had volun-
arily decided to discontinue the sale !
II patent reme=:es of this nature, and {
many others responded to the Govern.
patent remedies for the treatment