600 ADULTERATION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 
establishment of the Pharmaceutical Society, the members 
of which, being specially educated in the knowledge of drugs, 
are better able than heretofore to make proper selections and 
to detect adulterations. Several witnesses, too, have borne 
testimony to the great advantage which would ensue if Poor 
Law guardians and managers of hospitals and other similar 
institutions would, instead of accepting, as they too often do, 
the lowest tender for drugs, and, indeed, for articles of food 
also, cause them to be properly inspected, and, if needful, 
analysed, before admitting them into use. 
“ Though not coming strictly within the scope of the 
inquiry intrusted to them, your committee cannot forbear 
calling attention to the evidence concerning patent medicines, 
the sale of poisons, and the state of the pharmacopoeias of 
the three kingdoms. 
(i With regard to patent medicines, there can be no doubt 
that the public health is endangered by the use of several of 
these compounds ; and your committee are of opinion that 
the stamp duty, by giving them a seeming Government 
sanction, has an injurious influence in encouraging their 
sale and consumption, and should be abandoned, whenever 
this can be done with a due regard to the wants of the public 
revenue. 
<c The unrestricted sale of poisons is a matter of pressing 
importance, and deserves the early attention of the Legisla- 
ture. At the present moment, the most violent poisons may 
be universally sold, without any restriction except such as 
is afforded by the sense of moral responsibility on the part of 
the dealer. It is needless to point out the serious conse- 
quences which frequently ensue from this unrestrained free- 
dom. To take a familiar instance — it is stated in evidence 
that the essential oil of bitter almonds, and what is called 
c almond flavour, 5 of various strengths, and containing highly 
dangerous elements, are openly and commonly sold for 
culinary purposes, and, in the hands of servants wholly 
ignorant of their properties, used in quantities often dan- 
gerous, and sometimes fatal. It is well worthy of considera- 
tion whether the sale of poisons should not be forbidden, 
unless under the authority of a medical prescription, or 
under such conditions, as to witnesses and formal entries of 
the names and addresses of purchasers, as may secure the 
needful amount of caution. 
<c The evil arising from the existence of three distinct, and, 
in some important instances, widely differing pharmacopoeias 
for the three kingdoms, is one too evident to need enforce- 
ment. The result is, that many of the prescriptions of one 
