That the medical profession in all sections of the country is clearly in favor of pure food and drug legislation was plainly evidenced at the Conference of the Committee on Medical Legislation, of the American Medical Association, with the National Legislative Council, held at Washington, D.C., December 13th to 15th inclusive.
State legislation was discussed at some length and the representatives of the several State Medical Associations who were present expressed themselves in no uncertain way as being in favor of the individual States endorsing the Federal Food and Drugs Act.
The proceedings of this conference have been published in pamphlet form, comprising sixty-eight pages of closely printed material. This pamphlet contains much that is of interest to pharmacists, and may be obtained from the Secretary of the Bureau of Medical Legislation of the American Medical Association, 103 Dearborn Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
The available literature on pure food and drug legislation is rapidly assuming huge proportions. In addition to the liberal space that is devoted to the question in the current numbers of pharmaceutical journals, a number of reprints of material of this kind have appeared. Not the least interesting of these reprints is a pamphlet of sixty-four pages entitled:—
The Food and Drug Act as it relates to drugs, examined and explained in connection with the rules and regulations for its enforcement. This pamphlet is published by the National Druggist, St. Louis, Mo., and contains in addition to the law itself and the regulations pertaining to it, a number of interesting decisions and much additional material bearing more or less directly on the proper interpretation of the Food and Drugs Act.
Digest of National Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, by Mahlon N. Kline, is the title of a pamphlet containing upwards of seventy-two pages that has recently been sent out with the compliments of the Smith, Kline, French Company, Philadelphia. In addition to a transcript of the Food and Drugs Act, and of the rules and regulations for the enforcement of the same, this pamphlet also contains a number of additional opinions, replies and explanations that have been published from time to time; also a legal exposition of the Food and Drugs Act by George L. Douglas, attorney for the Proprietary Association of America; extracts from the recently published “Standard of Purity for Food Products,” and much additional information of interest to retail pharmacists.
The Ladies’ Home Journal Bill, or a corresponding measure to regulate the manufacture and sale of so-called patent medicines, has been introduced in upwards of ten of the State legislatures now in session. This bill, originally published in the Ladies’ Home Journal about a year ago, is essentially a formula on the label bill and provides, in addition, that preparations containing one or more of certain specified drugs be labeled poison.
Anti-narcotic legislation is also receiving a fair proportion of attention. The most drastic of these measures is probably the one that has been introduced into the legislature of the State of New York, at the instance of the Evening Journal. This bill prohibits the sale of opium, chloral, cocaine, eucaine or acetanilid, or any preparation containing them, except on the original written prescription of a physician, dentist or veterinarian.
In several States, notably Texas and Missouri, bills are pending that are designed to improve or to revise the laws governing the practice of pharmacy.
Patent Reform Bill.—Representative Currier, Chairman of the House Committee on Patents, has introduced a bill to substitute the much discussed Mann bill. This bill, popularly known as the Currier bill, is practically a revival of the reciprocity feature of the original Mann bill, but is not restricted to medicine, or medicinal products and includes patents of all kinds.