THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
103 
Aw£imli<* + 
14th March, 1886. 
The monthly meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Australia was 
held in the society’s room at Industrial Chambers, King William-street, on 
Tuesday, 3rd March. Present: The president, Mr. Harrison, in the chair, and 
Messrs. Grundy, Poole, Allison, Main, Ewans, Wells, Wood, Neville, and White. 
Several applications for membership were discussed, and the nominations 
of the previous meeting were passed. 
The desirability of appointing a board of examiners was mentioned, and it 
was resolved that such a board should be nominated at the next meeting of 
the society. The president stated that several were preparing themselves for 
the examinations. 
The vexed question of doctors’ dispensing commissions was brought up by 
Mr. Allison, who asked that a united effort should be made to abolish them; 
but, though this was considered desirable, his scheme was thought by several 
present to be impracticable. 
The proposal for a new rule handed in at last meeting by Mr. White was 
read and confirmed, 
A pleasing and encouraging feature in pharmaceutical matters here is the 
fact that so many are taking a practical interest in the examinations. If these 
were compulsory, and thus commercial necessities, this might not be wondered 
at ; but inasmuch as they are voluntary, and the status they confer honorary 
only, it is very satisfactory to note that, as the president of the society stated, 
several are desirous of gaining that better knowledge of pharmacy and higher 
standing in it which, if successful in passing the examinations, they will 
undoubtedly attain, because it will certainly be the aim of the examiners to 
make their test as thorough as possible. Of course, successful candidates will 
not find the honour quite barren commercially either. 
The existing depression has been somewhat increased by the unfortunate 
failure of the Commercial Hank, and the fact that several chemists are share- 
holders probably means that they will lose more or less heavily ; this is the 
more to be regretted when we consider the long hours and close work which 
most pharmacists experience in gaining a competence. 
Some cases of poisoning have occurred lately. 
On 2nd March Mr. F. Green, a traveller for Mr. H. Evans, tailor, of 
Adelaide, died at Salisbury, from an overdose of laudanum. At the inquest 
it transpired that the deceased, who was about twenty-five years of age, 
sent to a store in the township for some laudanum, to ease toothache. It 
was supplied to him, labelled poison. Green refused to take tea, and went to 
his room. As he remained there several hours, the servants of the hotel where 
he was staying knocked at the door two or three times, but, receiving no 
answer, supposed he was asleep. Late at night the landlord went to his room, 
and found, to his astonishment, that Green was apparently dead. Dr. J. P. 
Baker was called in, and discovered that deceased was still breathing, but 
irregularly. The symptoms all pointed to opium poisoning, and, although the 
doctor tried various means of restoration, Green died an hour or two later. The 
verdict was — The deceased came to his death accidentally, through taking an 
overdose of laudanum while suffering severely from neuralgia. 
On the same day the son of Mr. F. Semmins, of Gordon, died suddenly, 
through eating ant poison, which was placed under the safe. The child, who 
was about two and a half years old, ate the poison during its mother’s absence. 
