THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
77 
Now, apart from the fact that “spirits of salt” will not solder tin, and in 
view of the flux being chloride of Zinc , would it not have been safer to test fo r 
Chlorine and zinc before forming the above speculation? And is it not much 
more probable that a fragment of the solder (itself perfectly harmless) was boiled 
down with the sample of fish, from which the tin and lead were extracted ? And is 
it not atrocious that upon this very doubtful ground the Board of Health should 
take upon itself to caution the public against using that particular brand of 
fish ? The exact expression is, “ To use great caution in the use of fish bearing 
this brand.” The abominable injustice of this notice is as apparent as its 
irrationality. But I can add a significant item of information concerning this 
brand, which has not been very long before the public. It is one of the best 
going. The makers used to work only for the trade, and goods of the choicest 
and most expensive brands have come from their works, but they have lately 
entered the open market. 
As I know nothing of the gentleman whose report is quoted, I omit his 
name, and only subscribe my own. 
SYDNEY GIBBONS, F.C.S. 
TASMANIAN PHARMACY. 
To the Editor of the Australasian Journal of Pharmacy. 
Dear Sir, — I am at a loss to discover Jliow your Tasmanian correspondent 
should have made so glaring a mistake as he does in his letter dated 10th 
January, inst., in which he states that the chemist in Tasmania is designated 
•“ Dealer in Poisons,” and that such has been his title since 1835. 
The present Medical Act of the colony requires that anyone who wishes 
to sell or vend medicines must have served at least three years’ apprenticeship, 
and must pass an examination before the Court of Medical Examiners in all the 
usual subjects. 
In 1857, the year in which I passed, the license given was to enable the 
holder “ To dispense medicines in the island of Tasmania and its dependencies.” 
Since then the verbiage has been altered, and the license now runs, “ To 
vend medicines in the island,” &c. Not a word about “ dealing in poisons ” 
in either. 
As the law stands at present no one must sell or vend any medicine or 
drug within two miles of any registered chemist. There is no provision for 
receiving or registering any qualification as a chemist and druggist from any 
other body but their own Court of Examiners, though I believe this has been 
done lately, whether lawfully or not I will not argue. — Yours respectfully, 
Tasmania, 29th January, 1886. AP, 
The following letter has been received from a student in pharmacy who left 
this city last year to study medicine in America : — 
“ Jefferson’s Hospital, Philadelphia. 
“ I am happy to say that I arrived here safe on 27th ult., after having spent 
two enjoyable months in dear old England. Your letter of introduction to 
Professor Maisch has been a great help to me. The Professor laid the foundation 
stone, as it were, and now I am hard at work. We are over six hundred 
medical students, and are kept well to our work. The first lecture commences at 
10 a.m., by Professor Holland, on medical chemistry and toxicology ; the second 
lecture at 11 a.m., by Prof. S. W. Gross, M.D., on the principles of surgery 
