24 
6th.  Apothecaries  likewise  are  liable  to  conimit  errors  in  com- 
pounding prescriptions, — first,  from  the  imperfect  handwriting  of 
the  physician  ;  secondly^  owing  to  the  various  synonyms  of  drugs 
in  use,  and  their  imperfect  abbreviation  ;  thirdly^  from  the  con- 
fusion which  even  in  the  best  regulated  establishments  may 
sometimes  occur,  arising  from  press  of  business  ;  and  fourthly , 
from  deficient  knowledge  or  ability  of  one  or  more  of  the  assist- 
ants in  the  shop,  or  of  the  proprietor. 
We  hold  that  in  the  first  three  instances  named  it  is  the  duty 
of  the  physician  to  stand  between  the  apothecary  and  the  patient, 
as  far  as  possible ;  and  in  the  last  that  he  should  be  governed 
by  the  circumstances  of  the  case — drawing  a  distinction  between 
an  error  made  by  a  younger  assistant  incidentally  engaged,  and 
a  case  of  culpable  ignorance  or  carelessness  in  the  superior. 
7th.  As  the  apothecary  should  be  able  to  distinguish  between 
good  and  bad  drugs,  in  most  cases,  and  as  the  substitution  of  a 
weak  or  inert  drug  for  an  active  one  may,  negatively,  be  produc- 
tive of  serious  consequences — we  hold  that  the  sale  of  impure 
drugs  or  medicines,  from  motives  of  competition,  or  desire  of 
gain,  when  pure  articles  of  the  same  kind  may  be  obtained,  is 
highly  culpable^  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  honest  apothe- 
cary or  druggist  to  expose  all  such  fraudulent  acts  as  may  come 
to  his  knowledge.  But  in  reference  to  those  drugs  which  can- 
not be  obtained  in  a  state  of  purity,  we  should,  as  occasion 
offers,  keep  physicians  informed  of  their  quality,  that  they  may 
be  governed  accordingly. 
8th.  As  there  are  many  powerful  substances  that  rank  as  poi- 
sons, which  are  constantly  kept  by  apothecaries,  and  prescribed 
by  physicians,  and  which  are  only  safe  in  their  hands,  as  arse- 
nious  acid,  vegetable  alkaloids,  ergot,  cantharides,  etc. — we  hold 
that  the  apothecary  is  not  justified  in  vending  these  powerful 
agents  indiscriminately  to  persons  unqualified  to  administer 
them,  and  that  a  prescription  should  always  be  required,  except 
in  those  cases  when  the  poisons  are  intended  for  the  destruction 
of  animals  or  vermin — and  in  these  instances  only  with  the  gua- 
rantee of  a  responsible  person.  And  we  hold  that  when  there 
is  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  purchaser  is  habitually  using 
