East Mississippi times. (Starkville, Miss.) 19??-1926, 1919-05-16
Druggists To Report
Sale OF Drugs
State Board Of Health, Jackson, Mississippi,

ascS0he iuNCstlSdtlOH VI COuultlOun
In a sawmill town in this State devel.
oped the following situation: OF 95
persons found infected with yenereal
disease, so or over 81 per cent had re.
sorted to patent medicines, drug store
prescriptions, "root-doctors," or self.
medication for treatment. Only
slightly over 10 per cent had placed
themselves under a physician's care.
While this situation may be somewhat
unusual, 1t may safely be said that
more than half OF the venereal dis.
eases contracted in this State never
come 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 nakebite-w;ll apply
to doctor for treatment, whereas the
doctor is the most Stunned person
in 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,
Thess 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
patent remedy advised by friend, or
the futile efforts Of self-treatment, or
the silly and dangerous medication of
"root-doctor." Claims that syphilis
successfully responds to treatment
with nostrums, and that gonorrhea is
little worse than 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 ssf-treatment do not stamp out
vsnereal infection.
Since only fraction Of the cases of
veneresl disease contracted ever
reach the attention Of licensed physl.
clans the reporting of venersakaAts
eases by physicians alone will neither
give true indication Of the actual
state OF affairs, nor lead to the control
Of moro than portion of the venereal
disease In existence. 1t was for this
reason that the State Board OF Health
passed formal regulation requiring
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 record OF the
name" and other information regard
ing 1.-THE person making such pur.
chase, e,"-and these records Of sales
shall be forwarded to the State Board
Of Health.
1t is also provided in these Regula.
tions that circulars OF instruction
shall be handed to purchasers Of such
remedies, so they may be advised OF
the 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
Service recently addressed a letter to
all the druggists of the country, point
ing out TO them the responsibility they
bore in selling remedies which, as a
rule, ara to be considered detrimental
to the welfare Of their purchasers,
and asking them to pledge themselves
TO discontinue the sale OF such RENE
dies. Previously to this TINS all the
Rexall stores In the state hAd volun.
tariiy decided to discontinue the sale
Of patent remedies Of this nature and
many others responded to tho Govern
ment appeal. In some States the sale
Of patent rrmeties for thn treatment