Medicine: Under the Counter

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Going over the court cases it closed in June, the Food & Drug Administration found that a higher proportion than ever before (14 out of 43) involved illegal, under-the-counter sales of dangerous drugs. In nine of the 14 cases, the drugs were sleeping pills containing barbiturates.

In St. Louis, a woman put the finger on the Harry W. Schaum Drug Co. because she feared that her daughter, confined in a state institution for drug addiction but soon to be released, would promptly get a fresh supply. In Chicago, a man reported to the FDA office that he had found his wife drugged with products bought from the Fair Price Drug Co. (on a previous drug spree she had landed in jail). There were similar complaints from smaller cities, e.g., in North Platte, Neb. (pop. 12,429) four druggists had illegally sold barbiturates, sulfas and abortion drugs. These firms and others were convicted.

The National Association of Retail Druggists was appealing to the public not to tempt the druggist. It distributed posters for display behind the counter: "Please do not ask us to violate federal and state laws which make it unlawful for us to sell you certain restricted drugs . . ."