.18 
DEBATES ON PHARMACY BILL. 
ment, and the clause can be added to the Bill now, or during the further progress of it 
through Parliament. 
The Lord Chancellor : I wish to point out to my noble friend that there are many 
poisons not sold in bottles, such, for instance, as strychnine, which is sold in very small 
quantities, and for various purposes, and both separately and compounded. The clause 
in the Bill refers to certain poisons, and some of the poisons mentioned cannot be put 
into small bottles; some poisons are carried in quills. I feel sure that great difficulties 
will occur in the operation of this clause if it be inserted in the Bill. In the preparation 
of medicines some ingredients are poisonous, which, when compounded, are not only 
not dangerous, but are beneficial-to the human system, and yet the sale of these poisons, 
not in the prescribed bottle, will lead to an infringement of the law ; and, again, if there 
can be no sale of any poison in compound, except in the poison-bottle, injury may be 
suffered by some persons. 
The Marquis of Salisbury : I must appeal to the noble lord not to press this clause 
in its present shape. If it be absolutely necessary to have a certain form of bottle, it is 
not for Parliament to describe what it shall be, but to leave that matter to another 
body. I see the noble lord has minutely described the sort of bottle he wishes to be 
used, and he says it ought to be “corrugated,” but what that word has to do with 
bottles I do not know. It may have something to do with iron. I think “ fluted” will 
be a more appropriate term to apply to bottles. Then the noble lord says the bottles 
ought to be opaque. [Lord Redesdale. No ; I have altered that.] Then, perhaps, 
it will be better if the clause be further altered, for I find amongst the list of poisons 
in the Schedule “ cantharides ” are mentioned as a poison to be sold in bottles; but how 
they will be got into small bottles it is very difficult to tell. As the matter stands, I 
fear w r e shall get into some absurdities. I do not think we ought to legislate in this 
way. It will be far better to leave the selection of a bottle, or to leave the matter with 
the Board of Trade, or the Privy Council, and let them say what sort of bottle ought to 
be used. If a certain bottle be described in the Bill it may cause a serious restraint on 
trade, and though not quite prevent the sale of poison yet do a great deal of harm ; 
indeed, more harm than good. 
Lord Northbrook : I object to this proposed clause, though I think that a regula¬ 
tion that bottles of a certain shape shall be used may, in some cases, be advantageous. 
But this Bill does not refer to or include all poisons which are traded in. Some of the 
poisons mentioned in the Schedule may be put into, and sold in bottles, but others can¬ 
not be sold in bottles. If it shall be enacted that poison shall be so sold in bottles of a 
certain shape, and they cannot be so sold, the people will be misled, and injury may 
result. I do not find that opium is mentioned in, or noticed in this Bill, and there¬ 
fore laudanum need not, as the Bill stands, be sold in these particular bottles. If great 
care be not taken in framing this clause, the people may be led into danger. 
Lord Redesdale : With regard to the objections of the Lord Chancellor and the 
noble marquis, I think they can be easily met. I feel strongly that poisons ought not 
to be sold in any sort of bottles, but that they shall be sold in bottles of a particular 
shape. I will remind your lordships that clause 19 of the Bill makes it unlawful to 
sell poisons in any box, bottle, and so forth, without being distinctly labelled with the 
name of the article, and consequently the objection of the noble lord who last spoke 
may have been overcome. The noble lord may raise objections to particular wrappers 
and boxes, but I confess I cannot see that there is any sound objection against describing 
a particular bottle in an Act of Parliament. It is suggested that this matter should be 
left to the Board of Trade, or be settled by the Privy Council, but how can either body 
make the thing so generally known in the ‘ Gazette,’ as can be done by an Act of Parlia¬ 
ment which is read throughout the country. There can be no better way of publishing 
any regulation than through an Act of Parliament. Under these circumstances, I must 
press the clause upon your lordships, because I think something ought to be done in 
this respect for the purpose of providing an additional protection to human life. In 
regard to bottles, if there be no description of any particular shape in the Bill, it will 
be some time before it can be generally known, but, on the other hand, if it be enacted 
that a certain bottle shall be used, and be known hereafter as the poison-bottle, it will 
be a piece of information soon spread throughout the country, and I believe that many 
most distressing accidents through the sale and use of poisons will be avoided. 
The Lord Chancellor : I will suggest to my noble friend that all poisons, whether 
