154 
THE CHEMIST AND DKUGGIST OP AUSTRALASIA. 
June 1, 1887. 
purely educational Society. At the same time k will necessi- 
tate the careful selection of Council, to secure an efficient 
representation of chemists. 
Christchurch, May 10, 1887. 
In addition to the business mentioned in the Official Report 
the Pharmacy Board received an application asking for mem- 
bership of the Pharmaceutical Society. The Registrar had, 
of course, to reply that the Pharmacy Board was a separate 
institution, and had no connection with the Pharmaceutical 
Society. 
Phabmacy Act Amendment Bill. — Owing to the short term 
for which the New Zealand Parliament are met, it was not 
considered judicious to push forward the Amendment Act, but 
to hold it over for the New Parliament after the general elec- 
tion. To the surprise of all interested the report came down 
that the Hon. P. A. Buckley, in the Legislative Council, had 
moved the second reading of the Pharmacy Act Amendment 
Bill, which would provide for the registration of members of 
the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland without undergoing 
examination. The Hon. Br. Menzies moved the adjournment 
of the debate till Friday the 6th May, on the ground that he 
understood members of the Society of Ireland were not recog- 
nised in England. The Pharmacy Board promptly dealt with 
the matter, with the result that the Hon. Dr. Menzies “having 
ascertained that the Pharmacy Board did not oppose the Phar- 
macy Act Amendment Bill,” said “ he would take no further 
action in the matter.” The Bill was read a second time, on May 
6th, 1887. As far as can be ascertained the Bill here referred 
to simply provides for the registration of persons holding cer- 
tificates from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, and is in 
no sense the Amended Pharmacy Act of the Pharmacy Board. 
This is a specimen of Colonial Legislation. There may be no 
connection between the measure introduced into the Legislative 
'Council by the Hon. Patrick A. Buckley and the rejected appli- 
cant (as a pharmaceutical chemist upon the ground that he 
held qualifications from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland), 
but the hurried attempt to legalise the recognition of Irish 
certificates is suggestive. Before the Bill arrives at the ‘ ‘com- 
mittee” stage we are hopeful that it will be displaced by the 
Pharmacy Act Amendment Act brought forward by the Phar- 
macy Board. The introduction of the Hon. P. A. Buckley’s 
BillrousedthePharmacyBoardto immediate action, and copies 
of their Bill are by this time in the hands of Members of both 
Houses. It is anticipated that the President of the Phar- 
macy Board (Mr. Ross) will visit Wellington, and with the aid 
of the Wellington representatives of the Board place the 
Amended Pharmacy Act in the hands of a suitable member of 
the House of Representatives and secure the support of all 
members interested in the advancement of educational mat- 
ters. Jit is well understood that the provisions asked for in 
the Hon. Patrick A. Buckley’s Bill is one which the Phar- 
macy Board will have the power to make (subject to the ap- 
proval of the Governor-in-Council), after the passing of their 
own Bill; hence the decision by the Hon. Dr. Menzies to take 
no further action in apposing the Amended Act as introduced 
by the Hon. P. A. Buckley. 
With the decision of the Pharmacy Board to supply The 
Chemist and Dmggist of Australasia with official reports of 
their minutes and proceedings, simultaneously may be observed 
for the first time a brief account of their meeting amongst the 
locals of the Lyttelton Times, the leading ‘‘daily” in the district, 
thus enabling their constituents to learn the principal items 
of procedure, the details being reserved for these columns. 
The Board evidently recognise the power of the Press in af- 
fording prestige and publicity to themselves as a governing 
body and the community by whom they were elected. 
Poisoning by Scheele’s Acid. — A merchant, named J. J 
deLambert, was found dead in his office, at Oamaru, on May 
2. On April 12 he had bought some prussic acid from Mr. 
Nicholas Dodds, chemist, saying that he wanted it to poison a 
large dog; four days later he called again, and asked for some 
more prussic acid. He said the cork of the bottle he had pre- 
viously purchased had broken off, and in trying to pick it out 
with his knife he had spilt the acid. He then purchased more 
acid, which was put in a glass-stoppered bottle. He paid for 
the prussic acid and a small account at the same time. Both 
bottles were found empty near his body. The sale was duly 
entered in the poisons book. The jury returned a verdict of 
suicide while of unsound mind. 
The New Zealand Drug Company inform us that Mr. W. 
Barnett, pharmaceutical chemist, successor to Mr. J. Stevens, 
Victoria Street, Christchurch, announces himself as a surgi- 
cal and mechanical dentist, and has perfected an arrangement 
by which rubber can be vulcanised more effectually. 
Mr. R. S. Cook, late of Geraldine, has commenced busi- 
ness at Leeston, in the premises vacated by Mr. Douglas. 
Mr. W. P. Townsend is about to make considerable improve- 
ments in his City Pharmacy. 
Mr. R. Brien, we are informed, returns to Gould and Co., 
Christchurch, on account of Barraud and Sons, of Wellington, 
having decided not to re-establish their business. 
(from our own correspondent.) 
Dunedin, May 18, 1887. 
Parliament assembled on the 26th April, for the despatch 
of business. It is generally understood that during the present 
session the Customs Tariff will be thoroughly overhauled, and 
re-modelled. A circular issued by the Protection League of 
Otago, has been shown to the chemists and druggists here, 
many of whom have signed the same. The petition is as 
follows : — 
We, the undersigned chemists and druggists, carrying on 
business in Otago, respectfully suggest, “ in view of the 
probable alteration of the Tariff,” that the following altera- 
tions be made : — 
Firstly. — That all crude and uncompounded drugs be ad- 
mitted in free of duty. 
Secondly. — That Druggists’ sundries remain as at present. 
Thirdly. — That all patent and proprietary medicines be 
taxed 25% ad valorem. 
As will be seen elsewhere, one of these suggestions has been 
adopted. 
The regular quarterly examination in connection with the 
Pharmacy Board was held on April 20. Messrs. T. M. Wil- 
kinson and R. P. Bagley acted in the capacity of examiners 
at Dunedin. Only one candidate, a Mr. Griegson, who is a 
recent arrival from home, presented himself. The result has 
not been made known up to the present. 
Mr. Dowie, a faith healer, paobably known to most of your 
readers, has just completed a tour of the colony. In ev^y 
town he has visited he has either fell foul of the Press, the 
doctors, Jews, or Freemasons, owing to his strong vocabulary. 
At Auckland he was at first credited with performing two 
wonderful cures, which drew from Doctors Wright and Ander- 
son a most emphatic denial, who declared that any cure ef- 
fected was through the medium of their prescriptions and not 
by any of Dowie’s prayers. 
Mr. Neil, herbalist, of Dunedin, who does a big business 
throughout New Zealand, in the numerous preparations 
put up by him, has gone over to Melbourne with the intention 
of establishing a trade in that city. 
Mr. Harry Jay, having left Messrs. B. Bagley and Son’s es- 
tablishment, is away to Blenheim, where he has secured an 
engagement with Mr. Elson, chemist, of that town. 
The Bruce Hei'ald reports the other case mentioned, that of 
Mr. J. Mortimer, of Worth Branch, whose death resulted from 
the effects of inhaling the fumes of phosphorised grain, which 
he had procured for poisoning rabbits. He placed the grain 
in an outhouse, and shortly afterwards spent some little time 
in the same building cleaning a gun. He noticed that there 
were white fumes about, but paid no particular attention to 
the fact, not thinking it of any consequence. Sometime after- 
wards he felt very unwell, and commenced to throw up black 
vomit, and was soon suffering great pain. This went on, 
more or less, for a couple of days, when Dr. Stewart was sent 
for, who administered magnesia, and succeeded in giving relief, 
so much so that it was thought by all that Mr. Mortimer 
would recover. A reaction set in, however, and a few days 
following he breathed his last. The vomit was quite luminous 
in the dark. Mr. Mortimer was an old and respected resident 
of the district, and much sympathy is felt for his widow. 
Messrs. B. Bagley and Son’s establishment presents quite a 
gay appearance at night time, Mr. Bagley having brought into 
use a number of small carboys, each holding about half a 
gallon, which are arranged in a row along the bottom of win- 
dow, and being filled with different bright coloured waters the 
effect is very pleasing. 
