Feb. 1, 1887 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
36 
Medical Legislation. — The Legislative Council on Jan. 20, 
appointed a select committee to inquire into the state and 
operation of the laws now existing for the regulation of the 
practice of medicine and surgery in New South Wales, with 
power to send for persons and papers, and with leave to sit 
during any adjournment of the House. The committee is to 
consist of Sir Alfred Stephen, Mr. Dodds, Mr. Jacob, Mr. 
King, Mr. Mackellar, Mr. Norton, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Suttor, 
Mr. Watt, and Mr. Creed. The dissolution, we presume, will 
necessitate the reappointment of the committee in the new 
Parliament. 
Beatby and Hinchcliffe’s S. W. Bottles. — An action has 
been brought by Mr. A. T. Edwards, of Sydney, agent for 
Bratby and Hinchcliffe, against Wm. G. and Catherine 
Kirchner, trading as Newcastle Ice, and ^Erated Waterworks, 
for £236 18s., damages for breach of agreement to purchase 
100 gross of lOoz. export bottles, and 100 gross of 5 oz. export 
bottles, ordered from plaintiff. The bottles were delivered in 
January last year ; defendants accepted delivery, but asked 
for credit as there had been some delay. Credit was therefore 
given till June, bht the account was not then paid, and after 
some correspondence, the defendants, in August, repudiated 
the transaction. Defendants argued that the bottles did not 
arrive in accordance with the order given, and they were of 
inferior quality. A verdict by majority was given for the 
plaintiff, one juryman disagreeing. 
Poisoned by Acid. — On January 5 the City Coroner (Mr. H. 
Shiel, J.P.) held an inquest concerning the deafh of a girl 
named Ellen Mary Neely, 14 years of age. On Jan. 3 
the girl’s mother gave her some poisonous liquid acid, in- 
tended for cleaning electroplate with, in mistake for fluid 
magnesia. The acid, it appears, was purchased irom a 
hawker two months previously, and was then poured into a 
bottle labelled “ Dinneford’s Fluid Magnesia,” this vessel 
being handed to the vendor for the purpose. The bottle was 
placed with others on the mantelpiece in a bedroom by the 
unfortunate girl herself, and it seems to have been very soon 
forgotten. Immediately upon the sufferer drinking the fluid 
she complained that it burned her a great deal, and she very 
shortly afterwards foamed at the mouth. She died about six 
hours later. After a brief deliberation the jury found,— 
“ That Ellen Mary Neely died from the effects of a certain 
poisonous acid administered to her by her mother,' who, at the 
time she handed it over, believed it to be fluid magnesia.” They 
aflded, — ” The jury are of opinion that hawkers should not be 
allowed to sell poisonous compounds, no matter for what pur- 
pose intended, without having been labelled ‘ Poison.’ ” 
The Australian Drug Company inform as that Mr. Hood, of 
Leichhardt, has sold out to Mr. Graham, and has purchased 
the business of Mr. McGowan, of North Shore. 
NEW ZEALAND. 
(fbom our own correspondent.) 
Dunedin, January 12, 1887. 
THE INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE. 
Now that the Pharmaceutical Conference is over, I suppose 
almost every Chemist and Druggist in Australasia has asked 
himself what practical benefit he is to derive from the resolu- 
tions agreed upon. It must be apparent to everyone that the 
various measures adopted are in reality only the first step 
towards what all hope will result in a better state of pharmacy 
throughout the colonies, but it yet remains for the different 
Governments to sanction and make law what we as chemists 
and druggists require. As far as my judgment goes, I think it 
will be a very difficult task to get each of the several Parlia- 
ments to agree to what Mr. Blackett would have. We must 
all admire the zeal which this gentleman has thrown into the 
cause, but I think, so far as most of the colonies are con- 
cerned, it is too early in the day to pass such stringent 
measures. In Victoria, we all know, and admit them to be 
ahead in pharmaceutical affairs, and little difficulty may be 
experienced in getting the Victorian Legislature to confirm 
the resolutions as adopted, hut here in New Zealand I think, 
when the matters are brought before Parliament, the members 
will not lose sight of the obstacles which exist to giving the 
Pharmacy Board so much control or authority over the pub- 
lic. 
There is even now a feeling that the examinations are too 
strict, taking into consideration the facilities which exist for 
apprentices preparing themselves. The geographical forma- 
tion of New Zealand alone will be a stumbling block in the 
way of forming one college of pharmacy, for supposing that 
such a college was established at any one of the four principal 
cities, would it not be necessary for a young man, after serv- 
ing his apprenticeship in another part of the colony, to re- 
move, to enable him to pass through the college examination- 
If instead of this we are to have lecturers appointed at each 
town, where are the funds to come from to maintain such? 
Interchange of certificates seems to be the only sore point on 
which there is any difierence, and it may be rightly said how 
can we recognise one or the other unless each colony has a 
uniform curriculum or standard of examination. Amongst a 
moving population such as we Australasians are, I think that 
apart from any such argument, so long as there is a respect- 
able standard at all, we should recognise our neighbours, and 
accept this certificate as sufficient passport for registration. 
Victoria stands alone in this matter, and if our friends in Mel- 
bourne will only rescind their iron law, I think there will be 
no difficulty with- any of the other Pharmacy Boards. 
I have not heard many expressions of opinion from the 
Dunedin chemists, but no doubt many have read the report as 
published in the November m/mber of The Chemist ajid Drug- 
gist of Australasia, and I feel certain that one and all of us 
unite in thanking the delegates who assembled to forward the 
interests of our profession. Although it may yet be early in 
the day, so far as most of the colonies are concerned, we all 
look forward to the time when the measures resolved upon re- 
ceive this confirmation. 
(from our own correspondent.) 
Christchurch, Jan. 15, 1887. 
Continuing our comments on the Intercolonial Conference, 
The sqbjects for examination. The resolution makes the 
qualifying examination analogous to the examination as con- 
ducting a Great Britain. It might be inferred that the method 
of conducting the “Practical Pharmacy” portion of the exam- 
ination in Victoria differed from that of Great Britain. It may 
be stated that the method for which Victoria apparently claims 
the invention, was adopted in London from the commencement 
of compulsory examinations. 
The uniformity of legislation in Pharmacy and the sale of 
■poisons — Even in the Conference there was a confusion as to 
what was meant by Pharmaceutical Society and Pharmacy 
Board — and their respective functions ; doubtless the confusion 
arises from the fact that in Great Britain the Pharmaceutical 
Society is the examining body, whereas in these colonies the 
same powers are vested in Pharmacy Boards. It is scarcely 
credible that New Zealand should have been in possession of 
a Pharmacy Act with power to examine as to competency and 
yet credited by our Victorian friends with not examining can- 
didates in Practical Pharmacy. A reference to past examin- 
ation papers will show that such is not the case. 
There was some satisfaction in getting an acknowledgement 
that our Amended Act contained even one clause worthy of in- 
sertion into “ The Acts of the -various colonies,” i.e. “That 
every open shop must be under the management of a registered 
pharmaceutical chemist.” Mr. Huntsman’s remarks upon 
this were truly practical. 
The penalty for violating clause 25 N. Z. Pharmacy Act, 
1860, reads “ five pounds.” Mr. Pond interprets five pounds 
for each offence, i.e. every day — is it not a matter of regret 
that such interpretation is not stated in the Act ? Such 
might not be the view of some “Resident Magistrate or two 
Justices of the Peace” to whom the 26th Clause gives 
power to hear offences and adjudicate upon. 
Pharmacy Boards. — Medical men unless they be pharma- 
ceutical chemists as well, are not to be members of Phar- 
macy Boards. Such is the intention conveyed in Mr Black- 
ett’s resolution, but was not pressed, and the matter dropped. 
Pharmacy Acts must, like other legislative measures, have 
a commencement, and extreme measures cannot be hastily 
taken, hence persons who were so disposed had opportunities 
afforded of “taking to the trade,” as it was termed, and 
became registered with little inconvenience, and yet in con- 
formity with the Act — this may account for a Victorian 
Chemist cited by Mr. Potts — as not knowing calomel from 
sugar. 
The New Zealand Act required a person to keep an open 
shop for the dispensing of prescriptions oUlegally qualified 
