14  Pharmacists,  Physicians  and  Nostrums.   { Am- jJa0n.r;8^6frri1' 
Nor  is  it  strange  that  among  the  large  class  of  educated,  conscientious 
and  high-minded  physicians,  who  have  more  or  less  to  suffer  *  by  the 
iniquities  of  unworthy  competitors,  and  who  keenly  feel  the  disgrace 
which  these  reflect  upon  the  profession  at  large  as  well  as  among  the 
public,  the  demand  for  adequate  legislation  f  is  increasing,  in  order 
"  to  check  the  unbridled  license  of  the  lower  class  of  practitioners,  and 
to  protect  the  community  against  the  disastrous  activity  of  a  multitude 
of  untrained  and  reckless,  yet  regularly  graduated,  practitioners."! 
That  the  public  apply  to  the  pharmacist  for  their  supply  of  medicines 
of  their  own  selection,  is  but  an  evidence  of  the  superior  trust  which  he 
possesses  in  the  general  regard  of  the  people,  who  are  well  aware  of 
the  fact  that  American  pharmacy,  by  its  own  exertion  and  energy,  has, 
of  late,  raised  its  status  much  nearer  to  the  European  standard.  Nor 
is  that  all ;  it  is  still  advancing  quietly  and  without  any  presumption, 
indeed,  but  with  such  success  that  empiricism  and  incompetency,  so 
largely  prevailing,  and,  as  generally  admitted,  on  the  increase,  among 
physicians,  are  more  and  more  falling  into  oblivion  among  pharmacists. 
Under  these  circumstances,  medical  writers  should  exercise  due 
regard  and  discretion  in  criticising  pharmacists  in  their  legitimate 
attempt  to  check  and  relieve  an  evil,  whose  magnitude  is  largely  the 
consequence  of  the  shortcomings  of  a  great  part  of  the  physicians  of 
the  land.  The  present  move  on  the  part  of  pharmacists  to  counteract 
the  use  of  nostrums,  by  instructing  the  people,  by  means  of  an  annual 
almanac,§  in  regard  to  their  composition  and  danger  is,  perhaps,  the 
wisest  method.  It  has  been  successful  in  other  countries,  and  is,  at 
least,  worth  a  trial  here  ;  while  in  regard  to  the  before-mentioned 
causes  of  the  success  which  the  nostrums  have  attained  in  our 
country,  as  substitutes  for  medical  aid,  it  is  certainly  the  most  discreet 
and  forbearing  means  within  the  reach  of  the  pharmacists.  They,  of 
course,  are  well  aware  of  the  incompleteness  of  their  effort,  as  they 
cannot  expect  a  sweeping  change  so  long  as  the  shortcomings  and 
disqualification  of   so  large  a  portion  of   practitioners  continue  to 
*  Dr.  Wm.  T.  Edgar,  President's  Address  before  the  Medical  Editors'  Association. 
"  St.  Louis  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal,"  May,  1875,  P-  23x- 
f  Dr.  Stephen  Smith.  "  Public  Health  Service  and  Medical  Education  ;v  an  ad- 
dress before  the  American  Public  Health  Association.  "  New  York  Daily  Times," 
November  13th,  1874. 
X  Dr.  H.  C.  Wood,  Jr.,  "  Lippincott's  Magazine,"  December,  1875,  p.  711. 
\  The  Popular  Health  Almanac,  edited  by  Fred.  Hoffmann. 
