92 
Protection  Afforded  by  Law. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I    February,  1900. 
In  reading  our  present  Pennsylvania  pharmacy  law,  it  states  that 
only  pharmacists  shall  sell  drugs  and  poison,  and  dispense  same ;  we 
read  further  and  we  find  it  says  this  shall  not  apply  to  anything  used 
in  the  arts,  so  we  have  this  condition  existing :  A  person  wants  cya- 
nide of  potash,  he  comes  to  a  druggist  who  makes  the  sale  according  to 
law  and  its  requirements,  which  are  burdensome,  and  soon  that  cus- 
tomer finds  he  can  buy  the  same  cyanide  for  the  same  or  less  money, 
outside  of  the  drug  business,  without  any  burdensome  questions 
or  mortifying  signatures.  And  what  is  true  of  this  chemical  is  true 
of  a  host  of  others ;  for  instance,  all  the  dyestuffs,  all  the  insecti- 
cides, the  electrical  chemicals,  in  fact,  the  volume  of  material  which 
is  sold  by  qualified  drug  and  chemical  men  as  compared  with  the 
volume  of  material  used  is  infinitesimal,  and  I  feel  that  what  is 
needed  to  elevate  and  carry  the  drug  business  from  its  present  dearth 
and  sloth  to  a  condition  of  prosperity  is  not  an  increase  of  profits  as 
much  as  a  re-collection  of  this  lost  business  back  into  its  proper 
channel. 
In  advocating  my  idea  to  people  I  have  presented  this  argument  : 
"  The  drug  business  is  in  a  bad  condition.  We  are  not  making 
money.  Will  you  pay  me  $i  for  what  you  are  now  paying  85  cents  ?  " 
The  invariable  answer  is :  "  WThy,  some  men  are  making  money  in 
your  line  at  the  present  prices,  and  if  you  are  not  bright  enough  to 
get  the  money  out  of  your  business,  I  cannot  help  you ;  as  long  as  I 
can  buy  for  85  cents  I  will  not  pay  $1."  Again, "  the  drug  business  is 
in  a  bad  way.  We  are  men  educated  and  specially  qualified  to  sell 
poisons  and  articles  containing  poisons,  and  to  sell  them  to  you  we 
are  required  to  register  your  name,  etc.,  but  due  to  the  faulty  word- 
ing of  the  present  law,  you  can  obtain  these  articles  with  no  incon- 
venience, from  other  dealers.  Now,  do  you  prefer  that  these 
unqualified  dealers  shall  furnish  this  material,  knowing  they  have  not 
the  necessary  knowledge  to  caution  you  in  their  use  and  capable  of 
satisfying  themselves  you  understand  fully  how  to  handle  the 
product  without  harm  to  yourself  or  others,  or  would  you  prefer 
these  products  to  be  handled  by  the  qualified  men  ?  "  And  receive 
this  answer  :  "  By  qualified  men."  "  Will  you  help  us  by  your  in- 
fluence and  vote  to  secure  this  condition  ?  "  And  the  answer  has 
been,  "  Yes." 
A  physician  is  a  qualified  man ;  so  is  a  lawyer,  minister,  the 
saloon-keeper  and  the  plumber.    No  man  can  enter  these  pursuits 
