Show Danger Lurking in Druggists Druggists' Scales Says W Weight e ig h t Exp Expert e r t I IBy By Ernest A. A Cooke Formerly Manager of the the Fairbanks British Scale F Factory Hon Member of British Association of Weights and Measures Inspectors I far I 1 I have havo only dealt in SO S these articles with short weight weicht Important as these considerations undoubtedly are there is lit nt least one ono asp aspect ct of oC the weights and measures proposition which is startling and amI almost unbelievable The fine scales used by druggists for tor prescription prescription pre pre- purposes are under no supervision sit at tt all b by the thc local In In- In All An scales scale lose their sensitiveness by wear damp and the erosive action of or volatile chemicals and this I Is particularly true of ot the highly sensitive balances bal bal- ances necessary f for r the accurate compounding of ot physicians physicians' presen pre pre- sen pt Ions mall many poi poisons on of f which a a. dose Is one-hundredth one of or a agrain grain remember rain remember that there nrc arc grains to a a. pound pound and and that thata a a. particle more or le less lesH a ma may mean In Ln certain cases the thc life or death of lIf tb tho patient It is saM said that a doctor can bury butT his mistakes but hut It is no nu fault of oC the doctor If his prescriptions are n not t accurately prepared neither neither is it the fault orthe of or the druggist providing pro he purchases purchases pur par chases scales which are guaranteed guaranteed guaran guaran- teed correct but who Is there to guarantee them They ma may be he damaged tl In hi transit and unless tested b by an expert no druggist druggist- could be expected to recognize such fllch a small mall degree of error as the difference above o referred to SCALE CONDEMNED There il is a type of prescription scale commonly used In the Western West cst ern era states tates which ha has been condemned condemned con con- 1 in several European countries and no scale of or such design Is h allowed to be used use for several technical reasons In the case caBs of ot these those fine balances tho the schedule of at errors tole tolerated rat cd In InI I England was arranged with the Ho Royal al Pharmaceutical society and the no Royal al College Collese of or Surgeons eon so 50 that British Inspectors of weights and measures should have the best possible advice protect V the public the doctor and the druggist alike e. e In Utah I believe o there Is no equipment suitable to for l' l testing such sudi Il h scales in pos possession of or the weights and anti measures s of officers ot- ot yet ret right here heTe in Salt Lake City are made some Iome of ot the most accurate and sensitive balances inthe in iu I the tho world nut But they thoy are made for tor assaying ores they ores they determine the value aue of mines which ar are of at I course cours of more value than human lives lI so obtain more moro attention ADVOCATES PACKAGE GOODS Like every overy expert who ha has studied the question in the interest of ur the public I advocate strongly a u definite standard for goods sold old In packages and here I expect ct to en encounter encounter encounter en- en counter opposition In Great I Britain a a. to few earnest reformers had striven for many years ye to ob obtain obtain ob- ob I tain thin tan tangible laws but but it was not until the Society of WeI Weights andI and Measures res I Inspectors Inspector wu was organIzed organized organ organ- I that the matter was taken seriously ant and arni then It required five years rears of almost continuous I tion lion before an act in a 3 modified V I form Corm parsed H 11 the House of Commons Com Corn mons In 18 to be followed In 1904 a against the lbs strenuous and anti I persistent oPP opposition of the powerful power power- ful fui Grocers Grocers' association of or an act I authorizing authorizing- tho the model re regulations which are arc now universally ad admitted ad- ad to he be the most compro- compro In tho world The Inspectors association fought down the opposition of or most of the organized guilds corporations corporations corpora corpora- and trade combinations in inthe Inthe inthe the countr country until the people were protected against frauds of ot practically the same character as ex exIst ex- ex in man many parts of America to to- to day clay OTHER COMMODITIES If when a person peron asks for tor a pound of ot butter or u n quart of milk he lie can demand and anti obtain it it 1 legally wh why should he not bo ho equally entitled to obtain similar rights in other commodities Is it because the members of ot the governing governing gov gov- bodies are Interested as the British Grocers' Grocers association were In opposing such reform or is it iton on only their indifference through I Ignorance of the tho necessity of ot It Whichever er it is the power is inthe inthe In the hands of both men and women In Utah luau to demand these re- re tom forms The They he would have come como man many years ears sooner in England had hati women possessed the fran frau chise L Let t the women exert their power here It was found necessary r for the I British hoard board of ot tra trade e to condemn man many types of scales cale because e the they facilitated the tho perpetration of ot frau fraud Most of or these types s arc are in use in Utah because because be because be- be cause Inspectors either cither do not know lenow how to test them or are arc afraid to condemn them It ma may be he that the law a lees does not support support 1 the Inspectors in condemning such scales but there should be bc no reason reason rea rca son wh why dealers lealer should not be prosecuted for giving short weight If It the inspector is sufficiently in instructed In- In and cap capable of doing doing- his dut duty without fear of oC the conse conse- MUST BE E DETECTIVE The fact is that an inspector of ot wel weights and measures requires tobe to tobe be he an detective and po possess possess pos pos- sess consid considerable e mIle m mechanical edna I cal kno knowledge of ot scale sc construction He ITo should be bo encouraged to make maliC I an ait art of his profession B with the assurance of or a permanent position I or it is not worth his while to acquire the knowledge h by study and hard work In German Germany I France rance and ancI England the examination examina examina- tion inspectors have to pass Is very severe ere but after alter a a. reasonable period they thep get to know the tricks of every enry trader in their district and are arc a real terror to dealers A J trained inspector can cm see by the tho manner In which a a. dealer 1 uses useR hl his scales whether he is swindling or not flot and usually catches him in the act It is not generally g known that scales scale can c-an beHO be beHO HO so adjusted that a II load Joad placed onono on onono ono one point of tho the platform will wm weigh wel-h light placed at another point it will weigh hea heavy SCALE CONSTRUCTION CONST I In man many cases cages dealers bu buy anti and antisell sell ell over th the same That ThatIs I Is IN wh why Inspectors should understand under tinder stand tand scale construction that the they rna may may detect whether such mich scales are u incorrect b by accident or design Manifestly to fol say a a. a platform pt scale weighs two pounds In heavy I on un one point and two pounds light on another the lie dealer Jea r. r bu buying buying buy buy- I In ing on the slow point and selling selling- on Cu tho lie fast ast point makes 1 I per pel cent nt I frau fraudulent profit This can be he done on almost an any I scalp scale if 11 not correctly adjusted And both buyer huyer and tI seller I may I watch the operation while being robbed x Since it Is IH possible for fOI a ecale scale mechanic to adjust scales In the I manner Indicated th the state should employ a skilled mechanic of at their I own who would aSt assist the authorities I ties In administering the law haw and i instruct in inspectors how to detect I j t V fraudulent scales weights anti and 1 measures What I Is needed is efficiency efficiency effi effi- I and impartiality In Tn tho the execution of or public p duties if Ir you yuu I want econom economy and hone honesty t- t In trade Officers holding such uch a a. highly specialized position a ax as Inspector of or I weights and measures tt should be under civil chil I service rul rules s and arid re reI ro- ro I such au an officer I grows more moro valuable every ery year car If Jf properly supported but if it he is to tobe toU tobe U be the the- sport of er e every wind of oC politics poli tics the people pe must pJ pay for it it like every overy other graft in the high cost of living This high cost is summed up in one word extortion If public offices ar are extorted for or political vice set the tho public have got to pay Jay for fOI it I INFERIOR GOODS There ro are certain brands of or tinned and bottled goods sold in inthis inthis inthis this cit city which are arc marked with Hh their net contents In half one two pounds anti and so on In cum competition petition with them other packers or manufacturers sell similar sim sim- liar ilar or 01 Inferior goods containing smaller maller quantities at a a. slightly lower price depending on the well known fact that purchasers rarely take talio the weight and quality Into consideration but are arc the he victims of oC expert salesmen who naturally push the lie goods gooda they make the most profit on One Ono of or the reasons for insistence on a u standard weight ht of contents whether it be bread meats condiments condiments condi condi- ments fruit vegetables or any other product Is t to establish fair competition A department protects tho the public pub hub lie lic against adulteration of tho the contents contents contents con con- tents and bOo no to tu a great extent l secures fee fee- C- C cures the quality Now Nov we want powers power given to inspectors to se secure e e- e euro cure a standard in weight Tho rho public then lien has only one thing to Bother other about about price They Thoy would be enabled to know the value bothIn both bothin in iii weight and quality just as well wen wenas as the salesman HOME INDUSTRIES Since most of oC the necessary food products are now manufactured and pa packed ked in Utah t this Utis is reform would bo be directly encouraging enco to hom home industries Let Iet our housewives house V wives insist upon Utah manufacturers manufacturers packing their thuir goods in cans cansor 01 or other packages of or standard pounds or multiples of a pound anti and andIn In return pledge themselves to purchase purchase purchase pur pur- pur- pur chase only onh Utah o lon Ionic honk as the price is 19 no hl higher hr than Imported Imported imported Im Im- im- im ported packages and let Jet the public public pub pub- lic lie utilities commissioners rs see seo that the threatened combination of or canneries can can- nones is IR prevented from cornering cornering- supplies to raise prices You will then be able to get et a a. pound or 01 half haJt pound or whatever you OU ask for and know what you ou are paying for and if It foreign manufacturers manufacturers manufacturers manu manu- send their goods Into Utah of or Illegal megal weight such goods will wm bo be seized by the Inspectors of ot weights and measures as I can canT V prove Is Js done in other slates |