11 
VoL. ii., No. 1. THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
^ist of Amtralasia " — has been very favourably commented 
upon by the pharmacists of the city. They have not yet had 
the opportunity of discussing the question in a body, owing to 
the large amount of other business set down for the last 
general meeting of the Society ; it will, however, be discussed 
at the next, when I imagine something definite will be done 
in the matter. It must not be forgotten that our Society is 
still young, but it is energetic, and quite capable of carrying to 
a successful issue this scheme, should it be taken in hand. 
Among other things, the question of expense will have to be 
taken into consideration, and though we might not be able to 
be so lavish with our entertainments and amusements as 
wealthier and more favored organisations, yet our delegates 
will not tind lacking that hospitality which is characteristic 
■of Australia. 
Typhoid fever has again made its appearance in Adelaide. 
The number of persons now suffering from it is unusually 
large. 
Business in Adelaide and the colony generally is showing 
distinct signs of improvement. A large influx of population 
is taking place, owing principally to the good reiDorts of our 
new goldfields, the sanitary arrangements of which, however, 
-do not seem to give general satisfaction. 
i\Ir. Charles Cross, of “ Indigestion Drops ” fame, recently 
delivered a lecture on “ Proverbs ” at the Gawler Institute. 
The funds raised by the lecture were in aid of the local 
Benevolent Society. 
Mr. Wm. Bickford has been re-elected Mayor of Brighton, 
Intercolonial Medical Congress in Adelaide. — Very satis- 
factory progress continues to be made in connection with the 
effort to hold an Intercolonial Medical Congress in Adelaide 
during the jubilee year, 1887. It will be remembered that at 
the annual meeting of the South Australian branch of the 
British Medical Association, held in 188G, a committee was 
appointed to take steps for the establishment of this Congress. 
At the monthly meeting held in August, Dr. Poulton was ap- 
pointed hon. secretary, and the committee added to their 
number Professor Watson. Early in September the pre- 
liminary announcement was issued to all practitioners in 
Australia, stating that the Association proposed to inaugurate 
during the month of September, 1887, a short series of special 
meetings for the discussion of subjects relating to public 
medicine, hygiene, medicine, and surgery; that the Congress 
would not extend over more than one week ; that the run by 
rail from Melbourne would occupy about seventeen hours, and 
that special facilities for travel would be afforded by the rail- 
way authorities and the steam shipping companies ; that the 
sittings would be open to all accredited members of the pro- 
fession throughout the world, and it was considered especially 
desirable that gentlemen resident in or visiting the neighbor- 
ing colonies should be largely represented ; that the com- 
mittee cordially invited the contribution of papers to initiate 
discussion ; and that in connection with the Congress and the 
Exhibition it was intended to hold a conversazione and other 
entertainments, and conjoint trips to objects of interest in the 
neighborhood of Adelaide would be arranged. Representa- 
tions had also been made to thO Agent-General and Sir 
Samuel Davenport respecting the desirability of securing a 
display of scientific and surgical apparatus and appliances at 
the Jubilee Exhibition. The University Council had 
generously granted the use of such rooms as the Congress 
might require during the August-September vacation of 1887. 
In October the provisional committee reported progress to the 
Association, and were instructed to proceed with their labors. 
On November 16 a circular was issued inviting the co-opera- 
tion of all practitioners, the enrolment of members, and ask- 
ing for nominations to the position of President. The circu- 
lar letter stated that the branch had decided to hold the Con- 
gress at Adelaide in August-Sexhember, 1887, the University 
vacation, to last not more than six days, or such time as might 
be hereafter determined. This preliminary action had been 
taken by the South Australian Branch of the British Medical 
Association, which, however, wished the meetings to be under 
the direct guidance of the whole body of the x>rofession in the 
colony, as it was desired that the meetings should be o>f a 
thoroughly representative character. The attendance from 
the sister colonies was anticix>ated to be large and influential. 
It was desired that the number of subscribers should be large, 
that the success of the Congress might be assured, and the 
honour of the colony sustained. Ladies would be invited to 
the social and ceremonial meetings of the Congress, but would 
not be admitted to its business meetings. Though promises 
to a Guarantee Fund would be thankfully received, it was 
earnestly hoped that the General Fund might reach such 
an amount as to render any recourse to the guarantee un- 
necessary. A payment of one guinea was required from 
intending members to necessary funds. 
That would constitute membership, and would entitle 
each member to a copy of any transactions which 
might be published. In response to that circular sixty mem- 
bers of the profession had given in their adherence to the 
object, and subscrix^tions of over £50 had come to hand, while 
more were payable and promised. From New South Wales, 
Victoria, New Zealand, Queensland, Fiji, and England com- 
munications had been received announcing not only the cordial 
co-ox>eration of the leading Societies, but that of practitioners 
who intended to attend and contribute x^apers. Letters ex- 
pressive of good wishes for the Congress and promising literary 
aid had been received from the medical organs of Australia. 
A meeting was held on Saturday night, December 11, at the 
Adelaide Hospital. It was largely attended, and many gentle- 
men absent were represented by report of 
the committee was adopted. It recommended that 
the Congress be held during the August and September 
vacation of the Australian Universities, lasting not 
more than six days ; that the Governors of the Australian 
colonies be asked to become patrons of the Con- 
gress, following the precedent of the International Congress 
held in London in 1881 ; that the Presidents and Chairmen of 
the various Medical Societies in Australasia become Vice-Pre- 
sidents of the Congress ; that the meeting elect a President 
and Executive Committee, with full power to act on behalf of 
the subscribers ; and that a Reception Committee be axii>oiiited, 
of which Dr. Stirling had expressed his willingness to take the 
Presidency. Dr. Verco was unanimously elected President of 
the Congress, and an executive committee of twenty members 
was appointed, with power to add to their number. The com- 
mittee comprised the leading members of the x)i’ofession in the 
city and country. The general tone of the meeting was 
enthusiastic, and the expressed desire was to make the Con- 
gress a thorough success. The Congress will be divided into 
sections in respect to the great branches of medicine and sur- 
gery, and x^apers will be read on each of them, discussions 
succeeding. With the pains which are being taken to make 
the xu’oject a success there can be no doubt of the result. 
TA SMAN IA. 
(eroii our own correspondent.) 
Hobart, Dec. 18. 
The Poisons Act for Tasmania has x^assed, and was issued 
a few days ago in the Government Gazette. To my mind the 
Act more particularly fails in Clause 14, where it makes ex- 
ception to packets of poisonous mixtures, as we have had 
already one case of suicide through “Rough on Rats.” I 
think it a great omission not to have included vermin killers 
in Part I, Schedule I, as in the English Act. Our legislators 
here cannot say this was not x^ointed out to them, for this and 
other discrexiancies were to my own knowledge shewn to 
several members of both Houses. 
I cannot say the Act is view'ed with much favor amongst 
Hobart chemists. With regard to your x^roposition of an in- 
ternational Pharmaceutical Conference at Adelaide there is no 
doubt that if it can be arranged it would be a most highly 
desirable gathering, and it might do.much towards attaining 
the object which all colonial chemists should wish — the inter- 
change of diplomas with Great Britain, but I am afraid that 
the opposition of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain 
will be too powerful to gain this end for some years to come, 
at any rate federation of the whole of the Australian colony 
would have to be complete before one could have the least 
show of success, and without interchange of colonial certifi- 
cates as a basis Tasmania is willing for recix>rocity but Vic- 
toria is not. 
I don’t think there will be any difficulty in getting two 
chemists elected to the Board of Examiners, for 1 learn that 
the medico-masters do not raise any objection. I think it is 
a pity that this matter was allowed to lapse some time ago 
when the subject was under discussion by the Chemists’ Asso- 
ciation, but I believe there was a slight misunderstanding 
