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■which even in the best regulated establishments may sometimes 

 occur, arising from press of business ; and fourthly, from deficient 

 knowledge or ability of one or more of the assistants in the shop, 

 or of the proprietor. 



"We hold that in the first three instances named, it is the duty of 

 the physician to stand between the apothecary and the patient, as far 

 as possible ; and in the last that he should be governed by the cir- 

 cumstances of the case — drawing a distinction between an error 

 made by a younger assistant accidentally engaged, and a case of cul- 

 pable ignorance or carelessness in the superior. 



7th. As the apothecary should be able to distinguish between good 

 and bad drugs, in most cases, and as the substitution of a weak or 

 inert drug for an active one, may, negatively, be productive of seri- 

 ous consequences — we hold that the intentional sale of impure drugs 

 or medicines, from motives of competition, or desire of gain, when 

 pure articles of the same kind may be obtained, is highly culpable, 

 and that it is the duty of every honest apothecary or druggist to 

 expose all such fraudulent acts as may come to his knowledge. But 

 in reference to those drugs which cannot be obtained in a state of 

 purity, he should, as occasion offers, keep physicians informed of 

 their quality, that they may be governed accordingly. 



8th. As there are many powerful substances that rank as poisons, 

 which are constantly kept by apothecaries, and prescribed by physi- 

 cians, and which are only safe in their hands, as arsenious acid, 

 vegetable alkaloids, ergot, cantharides, etc. — we hold that the apo- 

 thecary is not justified in vending these powerful agents indiscrimi- 

 nately to persons unqualified to administer them, and that a pre- 

 scription should always be required, except in those cases when the 

 poisons are intended for the destruction of animals or vermin — and 

 in these instances only with the guarantee of a responsible person. 

 And we hold that when there is good reason to believe that the pur- 

 chaser is habitually using opiates or stimulants to excess, every 

 conscientious apothecary should discourage such practice. 



9th. No apprentice to the business of apothecary should be taken 

 for a less term than four years, unless he has already served a por- 

 tion of that time in an establishment of good character. Appren- 

 tices should invariably be entered as matriculants in the school of 

 pharmacy, and commence attendance on its lectures at least two 



