The French Fee System. 
89 
C. DROITS DE VISITE (DROGUE ET £PICE). 
These fees are collected to cover the expenses of the annual 
inspection of drug and spice stores, in order to test the quality 
of goods offered for sale. This inspection has been required 
from a very early period. A decree dated August, 1536, placed 
this duty upon the doctors of the faculty of medicine in the 
University of Paris, but no record can be found of any fees col¬ 
lected for this service. During the Revolution another act was 
passed, which required all pharmacists and druggists to submit to 
aperiodic inspection; and subsequent consular decree compelled 
the payment of a fee for each visit of the inspector. The receipts 
from this source went to the support of the inspectors in each de¬ 
partment. The result was, that the receipts exceeded the ex¬ 
penditures or cost of the service in some places, while in others 
there were large deficits, which the consul general refused to 
make up. It naturally followed that the law was badly executed 
in many places. To remedy this state of affairs a new law was 
enacted in 1866, which requires all the fees to be paid into the 
state treasury, out of which all the expenditures under this head 
for the entire country were taken. 
At present each pharmacy is required to pay six francs per 
visit and each druggist or dealer in spices pays four francs. 
The inspection is undertaken in the interest of public health, 
and is, therefore, in essence a sanitary measure. 
D. DROITS DE INSPECTION DE FABRIQUES ET DEPOTS D’EAUX MINER- 
ALES. 
The inspection of mineral waters is another sanitary measure 
which dates back to the old regime in France. In 1823 an ordi¬ 
nance was passed to the effect that all manufacturies and reposi¬ 
tories of mineral waters must be inspected at least once a year. 
The fees collected for this were likewise a part of the revenues 
of the departments at first, but were afterwards transferred to 
the state treasury. After numerous laws and decrees regard¬ 
ing the amount which might be collected, the fees were finally 
abolished and the office made unsalaried; as it was understood 
that the reputation which appointment to this position con¬ 
ferred on a physician, was sufficient reward. 
