HENRY W. MERRITT Henry W. Merritt, Plains, Pa., President N. A. R. D., was represented on the cover of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for December. Dr. Wiley's Successor.-The newspapers and trade journals have had the privilege for several months past of announcing successors to Dr. H. W. Wiley as Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry of the Department of Agriculture. Recently, President Taft decided to appoint a successor himself and has named Dr. Carl Alsberg, who has been serving as chemist of the Bureau of Drugs and Plants. No doubt, this will put an end to the announcements being made by unauthorized parties. Drugs Price List, Page 3. Editorial Bind the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST for 1913. If Re-registration is required in your state for the new year, do not fail to give the matter attention at once. The Market Review in each issue for 1913 will be given the same careful attention as was the case in 1912. For the Thirty-fourth Time, this publication extends the greetings of a new year to its readers. May 1913 be satisfactory in every particular! Correspondence from readers of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST is invited. We desire particularly to have them discuss subjects in which they are particularly interested at the present time. Try Pharmacy.-Carnegie has met with but poor success in his effort to pension ex-presidents of the United States. We suggest that he try pharmacy as a field for the demonstration of his ideas of philanthrophy. Requirements for Registration in Missouri by examination are not fully understood by some of the candidates who present themselves. Since July 1, 1912, evidence of one year high school work or its educational equivalent is demanded of all who apply for examination. The Editor's Silver Anniversary. It was on January 1, 1888, that the present editor became associated with this publication. If any of our present subscribers have continuously read the journal during the past twenty-five years, we will be pleased to learn their names and addresses. Parcels Post.-We find that many retail pharmacists differ with those who believe that parcels post will injure the retail drug business. At any rate, parcels post is now a fact and pharmacists should take every possible advantage of the new regulations which will in any way help them. It is not improbable that the new stamps will cause them trouble, as a pharmacist is expected to handle everything that is of service to the public on which no profit can be made. Some of our readers have suggested that pharmacists refuse to handle free of charge parcels post stamps. If any of our readers try the plan we will be glad to publish the result of their experience. Legislative Work is now at hand in many states and pharmacists must be alert in order to protect their interests and also be true to the responsibility which rests on their shoulders in caring for the public health. It is pleasing to note the enterprise with which the Ia. Ph. A. is at work. Headquarters have been established at Des Moines and the office will be in charge of members of the association who are familiar with legislative work. Nothing unusual will be asked but the law-makers will be carefully watched. The local papers are giving the pharmacists due credit for their interest in safe and sane legislation. We will be pleased to hear from other state associations following similar methods in legislative. American Goods for Foreign Countries. We have on several occasions called attention to the unsatisfactory manner in which goods are packed, in the United States, for shipment to foreign countries. To the list of complaints now comes one from the cotton interests. It seems that for years there has been criticism of the condition in which American cotton reaches foreign markets. It seems strange that a commodity of such enormous value to the industries of the country and of such paramount importance in the maintenance of the national credit should not be better handled and safe-guarded for shipment. We trust that those shipping goods pertaining to the drug trade will see to it that at least one branch of commerce properly packs goods for export. Anti-Narcotic Federal the Legislation. Since Opium Conference at The Hague the various countries taking part in the deliberations have been expected to enact legislation in recognition of the principles agreed upon by The Hague Conference. The United States has had the matter under consideration but thus far failed to agree upon a federal act. The Harrison Bill, which met with many objections, has been entirely remodeled. In the new form it is not likely to meet with any stubborn opposition. The proposed law not only covers the present conditions, but provides for future contingencies by recognizing the fact that the United States may become a producer of opium and cocoa. The A. Ph. A. Needs a Home.-The November issue of the Journal of the A. Ph. A. puts forth in a leading editorial a number of reasons why the A. Ph. A. should have a permanent home. We trust that the ambition of the editor will soon be realized. The A. Ph. A. has, for sixty years, held an important and fixed place in the pharmaceutical affairs of this country and exerted a well-defined influence on pharmaceutical progress in general. Secretary Beal estimates that a fund of $50,000 will be sufficient to permanently locate the A. Ph. A. in a comfortable and useful home, which structure will become a monument and a "memorial for the many noble spirits, such as Procter, Parish, Maisch and Ebert, and a host of others who have honored and dignified American pharmacy." The National Health Insurance Act went into effect in England, January 1, 1913. It is intended to help poor people in need of medical attendance and medicine. They first contribute a certain amount which is supplemented by the government and the employer. The British Medical Association has objected to the low fees which practitioners will receive for services. This has led to the formation of the National Insurance Practitioners' Association. The members are physicians who are willing to answer calls from those holding medical tickets. The pharmacists of England were at first troubled because they feared that dispensing physicians would supply medicines as well as medical advice. The commissioners have decided that the act "precludes the commissioners from giving dispensing generally to doctors on the panel." While the pharmacists have not been entirely satisfied with the prices they will receive for compounding, they have decided to accept the work. Is One Examination Sufficient?-Some of those who enter pharmacy as a calling complain on account of the examination which is required in order to legally qualify for life's work. Pharmacy is a progressive art and by many considered a profession. The present time a person who is able to meet the minimum requirements in order to become registered is entitled to a lifelong certificate of proficiency. In the army, medical officers must undergo examinations from time to time in order to demonstrate that they are keeping up with the profession and are competent at all times to fulfill the demands made by the position which they hold. Of course, our comments at this time are merely suggestive. It will be necessary to advance and unify the registration requirements throughout this country before thinking seriously of re-examinations. We well remember the storm of protest which was made against reregistration when that plan was first proposed. The time, however, may come when reregistration will also mean re-examination. State Laws Should Conform to National Laws.This is particularly true of those relating to the drug business. As an example, we have the federal food and drugs act to which manufactures must conform, no matter where goods are made or where they do business in this country. The state laws on this subject are by no means uniform, and manufacturers are required to meet special demands in each of a large number of states. This causes confusion as well as expense and inconvenience, without bringing about results which are of any practical value. The deviations from the national law are not necessitated by local conditions, although they may be politically justified on the theory of state rights. This collection of heterogeneous state laws on the subject of regulating the manufacture and sale of foods and drugs is an example of that trait of human nature which crops out frequently, showing that those interested in a restricted way are less liberal and have an idea that their opinion is more worthy of consideration than that of those who handle large affairs and are responsible for wide interest. In other words, the state legislator takes it for granted that his opinion is safer and judgment wiser than that of the congressman at Washington. Meantime, the retail pharmacist should see to it that his interest is brought to bear on the side of having the state food and drug laws conform to the national regulation. No doubt, amendments of the nature of the Sherley Amendment will be passed in many of the states. See to it that they do not differ materially from what the government has done in the way of handling the drug misbranding problem. Shipping Liquor into Dry States.-Congress is called upon to decide whether or not liquor dealers will be permitted to continue their present practice of shipping liquor into sections of the country where the community has declared that no liquor shall be sold. At the present time, eight states have state wide prohibition and large sections in the remaining forty states have local option. The prohibition movement is gradually extending and has already assumed a national character. The fact, however, remains that the liquor traffic has gradually increased during recent years in spite of every effort made by prohibitionists. In 1889, the supreme court decided that a state cannot prevent the shipment of liquor in original packages into its territory. This is interstate commerce controlled by the government and not by the state. It is argued that in case a state has a right to shut out liquor, it has an equal right to shut out food stuffs, clothing, machinery or any other commodity. A conference of prohibitionists in Washington has decided to ask congress to pass what is known as the Kenyon-Sheppard Bill, which specifically prohibits the shipment of liquor into any state or community if the local laws prohibit traffic in intoxicating liquors. The bill is vigorously opposed by many who claim that it is unconstitutional. Among the leaders in the prohibition movement are many who advocate Woman's Suffrage as a means of securing national prohibition of liquor traffic. Others point out that prohibitionists are given more to preaching than practice and that the liquor interests follow businesslike methods in controlling legislation. It is an indisputable fact that during the recent political campaign the candidates fought shy of the prohibition question. President-elect Wilson, while cornered in the old prohibition state of Maine, went so far as stating that prohibition is a local question, to be controlled by communities. He did not commit himself on prohibition as a national issue. The government is interested in the liquor traffic to the extent of $300,000,000.00 derived annually from internal revenue. Pharmacists, like those in other callings, are divided on the prohibition question, but it is generally recognized and admitted that pharmacy has a hard time in prohibition communities, because the sign of the drug store is taken advantage of as a shield for illegal traffic. Some go so far as to favor a complete separation of pharmacy and the sale of intoxicating liquors even for medicinal purposes. The public, however, continues to look to the drug store as the place to buy medicinal liquors and prohibitionists have an idea that a pharmacist by training or some supernatural power should be able to distinguish at a glance whether a customer is in need of alcohol as a therapeutic agent or merely desires to quench his thirst. The Kenyon-Sheppard Bill is of interest to the retail pharmacist, but is not likely to cause any united action through local, state or national organizations of pharmacists. |