330  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.     { Am  jSy^ iS.arm* 
touch  with  the  progress  being  made  in  the  work  of  establishing  higher 
standards  of  qualification  may,  perhaps,  be  surprised  to  know  that 
the  time  is  not  very  far  distant  when  it  will  be  possible,  because  of 
enlightened  public  sentiment,  to  bring  to  justice  those  who,  directly 
or  indirectly,  are  identified  with  the  conditions  outlined,  and  who, 
up  to  the  present,  have  followed  their  unprincipled  methods  with 
apparent  immunity  from  penalty. 
That  this  condition  obtains  can,  perhaps,  be  impressed  upon  you 
by  quoting  the  official  opinion  of  the  Attorney-General  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, to  whom  I  referred  a  question  relating  to  these  matters  for 
his  reply.  Tersely  the  opinion  resulting  from  the  practices  of  cor- 
porations and  from  physicians  who  employ  those  not  licensed  to 
practice  medicine,  and  also  from  the  action  of  those  commercial  con- 
cerns that  foist  upon  the  community  products  alleged  to  be  a  cure 
for  this  or  that  affection,  evolved  the  question  whether  or  not  these 
things  (advertising  and  selling  alleged  cures  for  this  or  that  disease) 
could  be  done  without  becoming  amenable  to  the  law  ?  This  elicited 
the  following  reply;  after  citing  the  Acts  of  Assembly  governing 
the  practice  right :  "  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  no  one,  whether  act- 
ing for  himself  or  under  employment  by  corporation,  can  practice 
medicine  without  a  full  compliance  with  all  of  the  requirements  laid 
down  by  the  Acts  of  Assembly  above  referred  to."  These  Acts 
contain  penalties  for  violation  of  their  provisions,  which  are  styled 
misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  thereof  in  the  Court  of  Common 
Sessions  in  the  proper  county  an  exemplary  fine  can  be  imposed. 
The  case  put  by  you  differs  in  no  respect  from  the  ordinary  cases  of 
practicing  medicine  without  a  license. 
These  advertisements  practically  profess  to  cure  this  or  that  ill 
with  such  and  such  a  concoction.  They,  therefore,  that  is  the  manu- 
facturers themselves,  by  alleging  cures,  are  undoubtedly  acting  in 
the  capacity  of  a  physician,  because  they  offer  their  services  as  a  phy- 
sician to  cure  and  care  for  various  diseases ,  deformities  and  injuries  / 
A  person  who  undertakes  to  do  the  work  of  a  doctor,  which  is  the 
treatment  of  all  diseases,  does  not  evade  responsibility  by  any  com- 
mercial trick  or  method. 
By  organizing  to-night  and  establishing  an  educational  centre  ot 
such  moral  force,  the  object  of  which  is  to  educate  your  patrons  so 
that  they  will  be  disposed  to  relinquish  the  intention  of  purchasing 
nostrums  and  alleged  cures,  and  intelligently  pursuing  the  wiser 
