Am  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Feb.  1, 1871.  J 
Editorial. 
93 
and  which  affords  a  ready  method  of  nailing  the  lie  to  every  package  of  the 
counterfeit — 
Viz  :  "  1  gramme  of  sulphate  of  quinine,  4  grammes  of  ether,  and  2  grammes 
of  aqua  ammonia,  should  form  a  clear  solution." 
■Philadelphia,  Jan.  26,  1871. 
Relations  Subsisting  between  Physicians  and  Apothecaries  — This  sub- 
ject constituted  the  theme  of  a  paper,  read  by  Dr.  J.  H.  Burge,  President  of 
King's  County  Medical  Society,  (N.  Y.,)  before  that  society  and  published  in  the 
Kew  York  Medical  Journal  for  Oct.,  1870,  occupying  twelve  pages.  The  paper 
is  too  long  to  copy,  and  we  have  not  even  space  to  offer  an  abstract,  and 
"therefore  call  attention  to  it  so  that  those  who  have  access  to  that  Journal  may 
Tead  it.  The  subject  is  dispassionately  treated,  first  dwelling  on  the  conduct 
■of  physicians  towards  apothecaries,  and  then  on  that  of  the  apothecaries  towards 
physicians. 
The  main  points  of  complaint  by  apothecaries  are  well  stated  and  candidly 
admitted  as  just,  and  their  recognition  advocated. 
Thus: — "For  example,  may  he  (the  apothecary)  not  reasonably  expect  that 
we  should  recognize  his  professional  character,  and  not  look  upon  him  simply 
.as  a  vendor  of  drugs  ? 
"That  we  should  not  steal  away  his  custom  by  an  endeavor  to  join  the 
;apothec>ary's  art  to  the  duties  of  physician. 
"  That  we  should  by  no  careless  insinuations  lessen  the  proper  confidence 
'Which  his  patrons  repose  in  him. 
"That  we  should  write  our  prescriptions  so  legibly  that  there  can  be  no 
■doubt  of  our  intention,  and  so  fully  and  accurately  as  to  burden  him  with  no 
responsibilities,  except  such  as  properly  belong  to  his  office. 
"  That  we  should  depend  upon  the  fees  of  our  own  professional  services  for 
emolument,  and  never  seek  directly  to  draw  revenue  from  the  apothecary's 
till. 
"  Until  we  are  willing  to  accord  these  rights  and  such  as  they  imply,  to  the 
pharmaceutist  it  will  be  idle  to  talk  of  the  other  side  of  the  question." 
On  the  other  hand,  Dr.  Burge  contends  that  the  physician  has  as  just  a 
right  to  demand  "that  his  prescriptions  should  be  dispensed  by  practical  drug- 
gists and  graduates  of  some  legal  and  reliable  college  of  pharmacy.'' 
That  he  should  in  preference  encourage  those  who  discourage  quackery. 
That  the  evil  of  prescribing  over  the  counter  should  be  abated. 
That  the  terms  of  the  prescription  should  be  rigidly  adhered  to,  and  substi- 
tution avoided. 
That  he  has  a  right  to  be  served  with  pure  medicines. 
These  are  the  main  points,  which  are  discussed  with  illustrative  examples  of 
the  manner  in  which  apothecaries  have  disregarded  them.  The  difficulty  after 
all  is,  that  in  both  professions  there  are  men  not  governed  by  professional 
rules  ;  men  who  are  ignorant  of  their  duties  ;  men  who  are  unscrupulous  and 
trench  on  the  rights  of  others,  and  hence  the  mutual  complaints  that  arise. 
Apothecaries  know  better  than  physicians  how  many  in  the  medical  ranks 
disregard  the  rights  of  apothecaries  and  tempt  them  to  do  things  in  self-de- 
I 
