Commonwealth of Massachusetts. REPORT. To His Excellency W. MURRAY CRANE, Governor. SIR: The Revised Laws provide that the Board "shall annually, make a report to the governor and council of the condition of pharmacy in the commonwealth, of all its official acts during the preceding year and of its receipts and disbursements." The greater part of this matter will be found in the report of the secretary. The general condition of pharmacy in this State is not greatly different from that in recent preceding years. The stores in which the professional side of pharmacy is the prominent one and many in which the commercial side is more prominent are doing successful and satisfactory business. There are, as always, many stores in the State that have little excuse for existence, in which business is not so successfully conducted. The general work of the Board has been conducted as formerly, with the purpose of dealing justly and fairly with all concerned. Our agent's report shows that the violations of the laws under the supervision of this Board have been less in number than in the previous year, and that the greater part of such violations have been made by unregistered persons. In the granting of certificates for sixth-class liquor licenses the Board has been much embarrassed. The statutes require that pharmacists holding sixth-class liquor licenses shall keep a record of each sale and the detail of keeping such record is carefully prescribed. There is no apparent reason why pharmacists making legitimate sales should fail to comply with this requirement, but it is found that in many stores of unquestioned reputation no record or incomplete records have been kept. In some cities and towns it has been practically impossible to find a properly kept record book. The Board has found it impracticable to draw a line between stores of varying reputations, and in all cases has felt obliged to withhold certificates of fitness for a time, as the individual case seems to require. It is not the province of this Board to pass upon the usefulness or value of the records of liquor sales. The statute requires that they shall be made, and it is one of the duties of this Board to enforce this requirement. The attention of the Board is frequently called to stores operated by unregistered persons, sometimes as a permanent arrangement, but more often by registered proprietors leaving their stores in charge of unregistered clerks for days or weeks at a time. Such procedure is clearly a violation of the law, and when such violation comes to the attention of the Board, it is obliged to take action. LEGISLATION. The statutes provide (Revised Laws, chapter 76, section 17) that "The board may suspend the effect of the certificate of registration as a pharmacist for such term as the board fixes,” etc., but there is no provision for the disposal of the suspended certificate. It frequently occurs, therefore, that suspended certificates remain exposed in the stores as before suspension, and stores have been found in the past year operating under suspended or revoked certificates. The Board recommends that the laws be so amended that revoked or suspended certificates shall not be exposed, and that a penalty be provided for noncompliance with this provision. EXAMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR REGISTRATION. It is believed that the present method of examination of candidates for registration gives general satisfaction. The examination consists of four parts: first, written; second, oral; third, dispensing of prescriptions; and fourth, the identification of drugs. The percentage of those who successfully pass is comparatively small. The number of persons examined during the year ending Oct. 1, 1902, was 327. Of these, 96 passed, making a percentage of 29. One hundred and two of these persons were examined more than once, thus making the secretary's report show 449. On this basis the percentage is 21.4. It is not believed that this low percentage is due to over-rigid requirements, but rather to lack of proper preparation of candidates. Too many prepare themselves on the basis of learning questions and answers, thus failing to acquire a knowledge of the principles involved. The Board would again express the opinion that only by systematic study of the underlying principles of pharmacy, chemistry and materia medica, can candidates become proficient pharmacists and be entitled to registration. By the operation of the law that precludes the reappointment of the members of the Board, the term of Mr. Amos K. Tilden expires with this report. He has been a member of the Board for twelve years, and served as its secretary for the last three and one-half years. During this period radical changes have been made in the work and methods of the office. He leaves the Board with the love and respect of all with whom he has labored, and in his retirement the druggists of the State lose the services of a genial friend and the State a faithful servant. Respectfully submitted, BOSTON, MASS., Oct. 1, 1902. C. F. NIXON, President. |