ORGANIZATION OF PHARMACY IN NORWAY. 
203 
interests of the public and those of the apothecary, they give 
rise nevertheless to some abuse. The price of dear substances, 
such as musk and opium, is still above the profit allow- 
ed by law to apothecaries ; it results from this, that the mer- 
chants bring large quantities, which they sell in secret. 
This abuse has led to the idea of adopting the Prussian tariff, 
in which all medicines are arranged according to their value, 
and according to the more or less frequent use of the medi- 
cine. The establishment makes a large profit upon the pro- 
ducts which are little costly, and used in small doses; its gain 
upon the dear articles is on the contrary very small. The 
interest of the apothecary, and that of the patient, is to use 
medicines of a moderate price, in all cases where high priced 
substances can be substituted by others of less cost. 
To compensate for the charges imposed upon apothecaries 
in Norway, there have been accorded to them some privi- 
leges. They can sell, at 20 per cent, reduction, medicines 
to physicians who practice in the scattered villages, and who 
themselves are forced to furnish them. The medicines for the 
use of the hospitals are bought without any reduction, because, 
as it is thought that the increase of these establishments di- 
minishes the number of patients, it was but just thatthe interests 
of the apothecary should not suffer. If there are two apotheca- 
ries in a town, they furnish by turns the medicines to the 
hospital. 
With such securities, the apothecary in Norway is sure of 
an honorable living ; and the physician and the patient can 
depend upon the efficacy of medicines. " Without doubt," 
says M. Martins, "some abuses exist as elsewhere, but they 
are inconsiderable in comparison with those under which we 
groan in France ; they are confined to these, that one apothe- 
cary will make greater weight than another, or will endeavor 
to insinuate himself into the good graces of the physicians ; 
but each of them being sure of making a living for his family, 
no one would have recourse to lying publicity or to shameful 
manoeuvres to take advantage of depravity, ignorance, or 
credulity. 
