444 
MINUTES  OF  THE 
hole  to  illegitimate  traffic.  Whisky  is  only  a  few  cents  a  gallon  more 
than  the  tax.  It  cannot  be  made  for  less  than  sixty  cents  per  gallon. 
Many  think  it  is  illicit  distillation  that  keens  whisky  down  in  price.  This 
is  probably  true  of  all  districts.  Don't  let  us  obstruct  the  progress  of  the 
machinery  which  government  has  been  compelled  to  put  in  action  for  the 
protection  of  the  revenue.  Let  us  be  patient  under  the  burden,  and  when 
we  determine  the  real  character  and  source  of  our  grievances,  represent 
them  to  Congress  in  an  unassuming  way,  and  they  will  be  examined  and 
redressed. 
Prof.  Procter. — I  think  we  should  be  willing  to  let  Congress  do  its 
best  in  such  a  way  as  it  sees  fit,  but  I  do  not  see  why  we  should  let  our 
grievances  pass  unnoticed.  In  the  last  Pharmacopoeia  certain  liquors  were 
made  officinal,  and  we  are  therefore  bound  to  keep  them.  We  cannot  sell 
unmixed  brandy,  wine,  or  whisky,  without  having  a  license.  The  phy- 
sicians order  these  liquors,  and  we  must  break  the  law  or  take  out  a 
license.  If  we  take  out  a  license,  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  we  should 
want  to  do  enough  business  to  pay  for  that  license.  We  increase  the 
quantity  sold  ;  this  puts  temptation  in  the  way  of  our  clerks  and  appren- 
tices. Hence  some  apothecaries  have  come  to  be  mere  liquor  dealers  ;  they 
take  out  only  a  liquor  dealer's  license,  because  that  covers  everything. 
We  must  either  say  "  we  cannot  put  up  your  prescriptions,"  or,  getting  a 
license,  we  must  open  dram  shops, — for  it  will  gradually  happen  that 
liquors  will  be  dealt  out  otherwise  than  as  medicines,  if  sold  by  license. 
Prof.  Parrish  regretted  this  discussion  has  involved  so  many  points.  It 
is  a  very  extensive  subject.  He  was  in  favor  of  taxing  the  apothecaries 
who  sell  liquors  otherwise  than  by  physicians'  prescriptions,  and  he  did 
not  think  sales  of  liquors  by  prescription  were  now  taxable.  The  apothe- 
cary is  bound  to  see  that  the  prescription  is  legitimate,  and  not  false  ;  he 
believed  the  law  would  uphold  us  in  this  course.  He  was  opposed  to 
apothecaries  selling  liquors,  and  was  conscientious  about  it ;  refused  all 
but  by  prescription  ;  sends  such  customers  away  unsatisfied.  He  thought 
the  stamp  acted  as  a  premium  to  quackery,  when  it  was  meant  to  operate 
against  it.  The  quack  pays  only  four  per  cent. ;  the  manufacturer  of 
fluid  extracts,  etc.,  for  legitimate  use,  six  per  cent.  We  should  interfere, 
and  prevent  this  unequal  taxation.  I)r.  Squibb  says  that  wages  are  very 
high.  How  is  it  with  the  poor  women  whose  husbands  have  died  by  the 
war, — many  of  them  with  families  ?  Go  and  see  where  they  live,  and  how 
they  get  a  living  ;  find  how  intemperance  and  vice  are  crushing  them  down, 
and  how  they  die  for  want  of  proper  medical  care.  It  is  upon  these  peo- 
ple,— the  real  and  wretched  poor, — that  the  law  is  a  burden,  and  its  action 
oppressive. 
Then  as  regards  the  use  of  alcohol  as  fuel.  The  tax  has  stopped  this, 
and  cut  off  a  vast  revenue  if  the  price  could  be  kept  so  as  to  yet  use  it  for 
burning.  Mr.  Parrish  suggested  the  English  plan  of  giving  bond  for  its 
legitimate  use,  and  thus  lift  the  duty, — the  distiller  selling  under  the  di- 
rection of  an  excise  officer. 
