346  Current  Notes  for  Future  History,     { Am-j°1uyr;1f0h3arnJ' 
faults  by  measures  inspired  by  his  own  ignorance  and  prejudice,  or 
by  the  cupidity  of  persons  who  might  be  benefited  by  such  laws." 
Unfortunately,  the  above  statement  is  too  true,  and  as  a  consequence 
we  are  suffering  from  an  oversupply  of  what  might  be  called  restric- 
tive legislation.  On  the  other  hand,  measures  that  are  progressive 
in  their  tendency,  and  would  result  in  ultimate  good  for  the  com- 
munity at  large,  are  entirely  ignored.  As  an  illustration  of  this  we 
may  cite  the  bill  that  was  introduced  into  the  Pennsylvania  State 
Legislature,  with  the  object  of  making  it  compulsory  for  candidates 
for  examination  as  registered  pharmacists  to  be  graduates  of  a  recog- 
nized school  of  pharmacy. 
The  Cocaine  Habit. — The  reported  excessive  use  of  cocaine  has  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  law-makers  in  a  number  of  States.  Several 
of  the  State  Legislatures  have  already  adopted  bills  restricting  the 
legitimate  sale  of  this  chemical,  while  in  others  similar  measures  are 
pending. 
The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  has  recently  approved  a  bill  that 
had  been  passed  by  the  State  Legislature,  which  provides:  "That 
no  person  shall  sell,  furnish,  or  give  away  cocaine,  or  any  patent  or 
proprietary  remedy  containing  cocaine,  except  on  the  written  pre- 
scription of  a  registered  physician,  or  of  a  dentist,  or  of  a  veterin- 
arian; nor  shall  any  such  prescription  be  refilled  ;  nor  shall  any 
physician,  dentist  or  veterinarian  prescribe  cocaine  or  any  patent  or 
proprietary  remedy  containing  cocaine,  for  any  person  known  to 
such  physician,  dentist  or  veterinarian  to  be  an  habitual  user  of 
cocaine." 
"  Provided  that  provisions  of  this  act  shall  not  apply  to  persons 
engaged  in  the  wholesale  drug  trade,  regularly  selling  cocaine  to 
persons  engaged  in  the  retail  drug  trade." 
Persons  violating  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  act  are  to  be  sen- 
tenced to  pay  a  fine  of  not  more  than  £100,  or  to  undergo  an  im- 
prisonment of  not  more  than  six  months,  or  both,  at  the  discretion 
of  the  court. 
The  American  Medical  Association,  at  its  fifty-fourth  annual 
session  held  at  New  Orleans,  May  5,  6,  7  and  8,  1903,  transacted 
considerable  business  that  is  of  more  than  passing  interest  to  the 
pharmacist.  Among  other  matters,  the  "  Principles  of  Medical 
Ethics"  that  were  endorsed  at  this  session  contain  several  sections 
that  more  or  less  directly  involve  the  members  of  the  pharmaceu- 
tical profession.   The  first  of  these  is  section  8,  of  article  I,  chapter  2: 
