ARMY DISPENSERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2853, 18 August 1916, Page 6

ARMY DISPENSERS

ALLEGED CAVALIER TREATMENT

OF VOLUNTEERS.

The following, from tho editorial columns of tho British "Chemist and Druggist," voices a complaint which, it is stated, has some local application:— One of the most mysterious pharmaceutical events connected with the war is tho recent demand for dispensers. We reported the matter then from Blackburn, Manchester, and Sheffield, telegrams having been scut to Insurance and Pharmaceutical Committees, as well as paragraphs to some newspapers. The following is what tho ■'Livorpool Post".printed:— "The Royal Army Medical Corps are in need of a number of qualified chemists or dispensers of medicine to servo with tlia corps in Mesopotamia. The men are wanted at once, and are promised good pay, as well as an -unrivalled experience. Liverpool candidates should apply in the first instance at the Old Haymarket."

Wo suppose the corps has now gob enough, but we repeat that this sort of thing is not - good business. We have since tho beginning of tho war printed several thousand uames of men from pharmacy and the drug trado who have joined the Army, and several hundreds have gone into tho 1i.A.M.0. From many of the latter we have received complaints that although quali-fied-under tlie Pharmacy Acts they were not'put to pharmaceutical work, which in too many cases were given to men whoj prior to joining tho R.A.M.C., had no experience of the drug trado or pharmacy. This may explain why the War Offico'has not been able to find dispensers in this special department; men have become tired' ofy speaking about their grievance.. That is the fault of the system., particularly of i the marked disrespect which tho It.A.M.C. authorities liavo shown to pharmacists from the first week in August; 191-1, when tlioy advertised for dispensers and received so many offors from capable young pharmacists that they stopped the demand, and have jogged along in their own inefficient way since, until last week tlley revealed' to those who know that they have no system that they can draw -upon for getting the men whom they need to do tho work. When, tho war ends a lot of things will bo done in order to makeour system of government more busi-ness-like, and tho position of British pharmacists in Army service is one that should be' attended to. Last week's .telegrams and paragraphs were lamentable, bub this is not the time to say all that might bo said about the matter; but it is for pharmaceutical authorities all over the Empire to take a grip of it with a view to future action.