The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-12


distribution or whiskey ana not FOR
the meagcr wages paid them or
course there have been ono or two
mistakes made which were quickiy
corrected by Diminishing the mon.
/ One man was accused OF taking 4
| drink ef whtskey while raiding y
| isstillery l believed the charge and
discharged htm. No man shall re.
| ntaiu la this department and us'
whiskcy, Another MAS accused ot
| tvafssokias ia whlske,. lie could not
fully persuade mo OF his Innocence.
] discharged HIM, tsut when they are
snnocen OF theSs charges 10 man shall
do them hurt n can help IT. AM
unless TAXA this position service
cannot he obtained and morale Will
be utterly destroyed.
| DRUG STORES
| Thert are about sos drug stores Ia
! the state, All Of which have been
| inspected once. most of which have
| been inspected twice, ana twenty
four OF them which arr specially
licensed under the prohibition law TO
| I'll prescriptions containing ardent
spirits have been inspected fro
quentiy. The drug store In Rich
| mond which was licensed with nv
approval by the judge of hastings
court did not apply for renewal 81
the license as | could not approve the
granting of another license In that
community because Of the abuse OF
the privilege by several physicians
which created odious conditions, Tho
following is the report of Mr.. II. Y.
which speaks for itself.
Epes, the inspector CT drug stores.
Hon. J. Sidney Peters.
Commissioner of Prohibition
Richmond, Va.
Dear Sir
I beg 10 submit my report for the
year ending October, 3oth. 1919, as
follows:
My personal connection with this
branch OF the service commenced
, February Is. 1919 and this report
covers only the remaining period of
the year to November /. 1919. J
have been over the entire state once,
and half of it ON second trip in
speeding drug stores. Because of the
fact that so many of the preparations
sold by drug stores contain alcohol
there are few perons in every locality
who try to get some OF the prepare
tons for beverage purposes The
druggist has to supply the legitimate
demands for these preparations and
yet be on the alert to keep them from
those wishing them as beverage;
however. am pleased to report that
with very few exceptions, the drug
gtsts have shown a cooperative spirit
in this, and II is becoming more and
more difficult to purchase any mix
ture containing alcohol for improper
uses In the past year the sale Of
patent medicines has been greatly re-
duced, and not one-tenth of the drug
stores will sell bay rum or extract of
lemon except to persons they know
viii use ii legitimately. OF course
in my inspections I found drug stores
selling possibly too much of some of
these preparations. and in such cases
have talked 1t over with the druggist
and then sought TO later make other
inspections OF the store. which has
served the purpose SO well that | have
as yet found II unnecessary TO prose-
cute single druggist.
I have tried to visit every drug store
handling whiskey every 80 or so days.
These visits are very helpful In keep
ing in restraint both the writing of
prescriptions by the physicians and
Killing them by the druggists. as
neither the doctor. nor the druggist
like for the prescription files To show
either to be writing or filling an ex~
cessive number. Many physicians
never write "a prescription for whiskey.
and those who do write them are
taking greater care that they are not
imposed upon. think there are a
few disreputable physicians who have
written prescriptions for whiskey
from rnercenary motives, and though
did not secure the necessary evil
dence to prosecute, the close nspec.
ton / gave prescriptions emausting
from these suspected eases, keeping
records of them wherever found, and
the surveillance I put them under
fas tendere. t. SUPPRESS the practice.
There has been gradual falling OFF
IN these prescriptions and the few now
being filled shows that both the ply
sicians and thr druggists are taking
care that they are not imposed upon.
Doubtless many will be surprised to
know that in the month of September
OF this year tthe last month with
complete reports at handy in the en-
tire state OF Virginia there were filled
for ardent spirits only LIE prescrip-
tons: most of these were for n quart
but many were for gill, pint or
one-half pint. There are "a drug
stores in the state licensed to I'll per
scriptions for ardent spirits. so that
the average for each. the big store
and the small town store. was only 90
prescriptions for the month of Sep
TENDER. The IL drug stores in Lynch
burg filled 901 prescriptions: the two
in Suffolk filled $50; the two in South
Hill, 10; the one in Amherst. 4: the
one in Emporia. 81: the one in Mar
tinsville, z; the two In Smithfield. 21s:
the one In Phoehus. 90: and the one
in Hampton. 14T. There are some
physicians whom / think still write
more prescriptions FOR whiskey than
is necessary and in larger quantities
but ] am very much pleased to state
that do not believe there is ply
sician in the state today who is writ
ing prescriptions for the fees he gets
Very respectful.
THEO. r. EPE.S,
Inspector
EMPRESS OFFICES
Much of the trouble and scandal
attaching to express offices concerning
the purloining OF whlskey in transit
subsidized with the enforcement OF
wartime federal prohibition. But
packages transported for legitimate
purposes are frequently robbed in
transit-making delivery very uncer-
tain and in many instances creating
exasperation. The express company
will repair the damage usually II the
consignee will press his claim.