May, 1880. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
5 
The statement of the prisoner at the inquest was then read 
over. 
Mr. Johnson, recalled by His Honour, said if there had been 
any santonine in the powder it must have been a very minute 
quantity. 
Adolphus Mortensen, recalled, said he brushed up the 
medicine on the floor with a feather, and put it in a paper, 
and put paper and all in the bottle. 
His Honour pointed out that the prisoner, in his account of 
the matter, said that he found the paper on the shelf, and put 
all into the bottle. 
Mr. Finlay son then addressed the jury on behalf of the 
Crown, putting all the points of the case very lucidly. 
Mr. Molesworth then addressed the jury for the defence in 
an eloquent and able speech of forty minutes’ duration. He 
quoted the cases of Regina v. Webb, v. Noakes, v. Spencer, to 
show that the death of Mrs. Harrington was a misadventure 
only, and the prisoner was entitled to an acquittal, as had been 
got in the cases referred to. 
His Honour then summed up, pointing out that it was 
necessary, in the interests of the community, for the jury to 
take a firm view of the case. There was no doubt that this 
poor woman was poisoned by strychnine. She took one of the 
powders, and the other remained. The only defence was 
misadventure. It was not a question of admixture ; it was a 
question of substitution. There was no doubt, however it 
happened, this dose was made up half jalap, half strychnine, 
instead of half jalap and half santonine. How was it that 
such a thing could happen as a chemist sending out a poison 
for a drug ? Who of us could be sure that he would not be 
poisoned if we had chemists amongst us who substituted one 
drug for another. His Honour proceeded to condemn the 
unclean way in which the drugs had been gathered off the 
floor, and said that in a chemist’s shop it was reasonably 
expected that everything should be in good ordqr, and the 
drugs kept separate. He also deprecatingly adverted to the 
circumstance of a person being allowed to mix up drugs 
without having had a prescription. He further said that he 
did not see how the jury could acquit the prisoner of unpardon- 
able negligence. He did not wish to appear to press the case 
against the prisoner ; but for the safety of the public it was 
necessary that if it was proved that the deceased was killed 
by want of ordinary care the prisoner should be punished. 
If they considered that this death was caused by the want of 
reasonable skill, they could not acquit the prisoner. In this 
community, where medical skill and advice could not be 
always obtained, it was necessary, in the interest of the safety 
of the public, that all reasonable precaution should be used by 
those to whom the people looked for treatment. 
The jury then retired, and after an absence of about an hour 
and a half returned with a verdict of guilty, with a strong recom- 
mendation to mercy, on the ground that no previous charge 
had been brought against him, and also on account of his age. 
The prisoner, in answer to the usual question as to whether 
he had anything to say, replied that he had two things to say. 
Referring to the proportion of chemicals, he said that it was 
very difficult to decide in analysis the respective quantities of 
two alkaloids such as strychnine and santonine. He could 
not feel himself that he had done any harm through careless- 
ness, and he could not explain how it occurred. He could not 
explain how the strychnine got into the bottle, but it was 
through no mistake of his. He was satisfied His Honour would 
deal fairly with him. 
His Honour, addressing the prisoner, said he was very sorry 
to see him in that position. He had had the advantage of a 
temperate trial. He had been ably defended by superior 
counsel. The case had been mercifully put by the gentleman 
who prosecuted on behalf of the Crown ; the medical gentle- 
men and the Government analytical chemist had given their 
evidence with great clearness ; and the jury had given great 
consideration to the case. It seemed to him that the prisoner 
had substituted one drug for another, or one poison for 
another drug. The prisoner had been many years in business, 
and, perhaps, his eyes were not so good as they had been. 
Nobody thought the prisoner did it wilfully ; but the law held 
negligence to be criminal. The jury were justified in assum- 
ing that this was his first offence. There was no evidence 
that the prisoner had made any mistakes before. But he 
(His Honour) must mark his sense of the gravity of the offence. 
We might all be poisoned unless special care were exercised. 
After a most careful consideration of the whole case he (His 
Honour) sentenced him to one year’s imprisonment. 
The prisoner on hearing his sentence fell down on the floor 
of the dock. He was lifted by the police and removed. 
The court then adjourned sine die. 
BALLARAT. 
THE BALLARAT DISTRICT CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The monthly meeting of the association was held on Wednes- 
day evening, 21st May, at Lester’s Hotel, There was a fair 
attendance of members. Mr. T. P. Palmer, president, took 
the chair at twenty minutes past nine p.m. The minutes of 
the previous meeting were read and confirmed. 
A letter was read from Mr. D. M. A. Gray, manager of the 
Melbourne Friendly Societies’ Dispensary, in reply to one to 
him from the hon. secretary, relative to the cost of maintaining 
the dispensaries. It was resolved that the minimum price for 
all future tenders for dispensing for friendly societies be 7s. 6d. 
per member per annum. 
The President referred in feeling terms to the death of the 
late Mr. Joseph Longstaff, whom all had known so long and 
so agreeably. It was resolved that a letter of condolence, 
signed by the officers of the association, be sent to Mrs. Long- 
staff. 
The hon. secretary stated that he had attended the meeting 
of the Pharmaceutical Council, on 7th May, as also the 
adjourned general meeting that was held afterwards ; had 
voted for the new offices, considering that they were much 
needed, were central, suitable, and commodious ; had 
endeavoured to re-introduce the motion of Mr. Whittle with 
respect to voting for members of council by ballot instead of 
proxy ; but the subject was considered as having been finally 
closed at the last meeting. The adjourned general meeting 
was not largely attended, the sitting of the council being 
rather long, and several members of the society who had come 
early went away before the meeting commenced. The asso- 
ciation endorsed the hon, secretary’s action in voting for the 
new offices. 
Addition of articles, with prices agreed upon, for new list 
as follows Glass syringes, 3ij and J oz., Is.,* 1 oz., Is. 6d.; 
2 ozs., 2s. Pancreatic emulsion, 4s. and 7s.; Walton’s cake 
annatto, Is. 6d.; Fulwood’s do. — 1 oz., 6d. ; 2 ozs., Is. 6d.; 4 ozs., 
Is. 6d. (two for 2s. 6d.). Walton’s liquid — 4 ozs., Is.; 6 ozs., 
Is. 6d.; 8 ozs., 2s. 6d.; pint, 3s. 6d,; quart, 6s. Revalenta — 
h oz., 2s. 6d.; 1 oz., 4s. 6d. Extract of meat, 2s. and 3s. 6d. 
The president stated that he and the hon. secretary had 
waited upon one of the members of the association with 
respect to the infringement of the price-list, and that the 
matter had been explained. 
Some accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting 
closed, as usual, with a vote of thanks to the chair. 
The remains of the late Dr. Nicholson were conveyed to 
the New Cemetery on the 7th June, the funeral cortege 
leaving the deceased’s late residence, Albert-street, at two 
o’clock. Although in accordance with the wishes of immediate 
friends the funeral was a private one, still the late doctor was 
held in such general estimation that a very large number of 
persons were anxious to pay the last tribute of respect to his 
memory, and the consequence was that the funeral procession 
was a long one. The pall-bearers were Drs. Owen, Radcliffe, 
J akins, and Hudson, and Messrs. A. Anderson and W. Little. 
The funeral was conducted in strict accordance with the rules 
of the Ballarat Funeral Reform Association, and was divested 
of all the ‘ ‘ trappings of woe” which usually characterises such 
sad ceremonials. The Rev. H. E. Cooper officiated at the 
grave. 
MODIFIED EXAMINATIONS. 
In order to afford intending candidates some idea of the 
character of the examination before the Pharmacy Board, we 
publish the last examination papers : — 
The Twelfth Modified Examination.— 7th June, 1880. 
Questions in Materia, Medica . 
Time allowed, one hour.— Examiner, J. Bosisto. 
1. Name the tree from which mastich is obtained, and state 
in what way the characters of mastich differ from those of 
sandarach. 
2. Name the active principles of the following plants 
Belladonna, gentian, ipecacuanha, nux vomica. 
