DEBATES ON PHARMACY BILL. 
63 
Clause 11 was agreed to. 
On clause 12, which provides that evidence of qualification shall be given before 
registration. 
Lord R. Montagu : I propose to amend this clause, as follows : “ no name shall be 
entered in tbe register except of persons authorized by this Act to be registered; nor 
unless the registrar be satisfied, etc.” 
The amendment was agreed to. 
The clause as amended was ordered to stand part of the Bill. 
On clause 13, 
Lord R. Montagu : I propose to amend this clause by inserting that the register 
shall be printed and published in the month of January in every year. 
The amendment was agreed to. 
The clause as amended was ordered to stand part of the Bill. 
Clause 14 was agreed to. 
On clause 15, 
Lord R. Montagu : I propose to amend the clause by altering the wording “ any 
person keeping an open shop for the retailing, dispensing, or compounding poisons” to 
any person who shall sell or keep, etc., and by the insertion of the following words: 
“ or who shall compound any medicines, except according to the formularies of the 
British Pharmacopoeia, unless otherwise specially directed in written prescriptions,” shall 
for every such offence be liable to a penalty of five pounds, etc. 
Mr. Lowe : I object to the addition of the words proposed by my right honourable 
friend. The British Pharmacopoeia is no doubt a very excellent work, and although it 
has not been many years before the public, no doubt it is working its way on its own in¬ 
trinsic merits; speaking, however, on the opinion of medical men of eminence, it is not 
desirable that it should be forced on the public by Act of Parliament, but rather that it 
should be left in its present position. It may be right to do so, but the time has not yet 
arrived when we can force it on the public. 
Lord R. Montagu : The object of my amendment is this, that if a chemist has a 
prescription to compound according to the British Pharmacopoeia he shall not compound 
it according to any other Pharmacopoeia, so that a different medicine to that intended by 
the physician shall not be compounded. 
Mr. Lowe : What are medicines of tbe British Pharmacopoeia ? 
Lord R. Montagu : The Pharmacopoeia of London, the British, and Edinburgh are 
different, and the effect of my amendment is, that if a physician prescribes according 
to the British Pharmacopoeia none other shall be compounded. 
The Irish Attorney-General : It is a matter of considerable importance ; I was told 
by a physician, that if a prescription I had for the eye when in Dublin had been com¬ 
pounded in London instead of in Dublin I should have received considerable injury, as 
one would have been so much stronger than the other. 
The amendment was agreed to. 
On the motion that the clause as amended stand part of the Bill, 
Mr. W. E. Forster: I want to know why you insert the words “unless specially 
directed.” 
Lord R. Montagu : Merely because it is necessary. What I mean is this: that if 
a prescription is taken to a chemist founded on the British Pharmacopoeia, he shall not 
substitute those of the London Pharmacopoeia. 
Mr. Thomas Caye : The words, I think, go a little further than that; for when not 
defined, the chemist shall be compelled to use the British Pharmacopoeia. 
Lord R. Montagu : I don’t think the words carry it so far as that. 
Mr. Thomas Cave : They are capable of that meaning; but what is the chemist to 
do if the physician omits to put B. P. or L. P. ? In that case I think it should be stated 
the chemist is to use the British. 
Lord R. Montagu : I have no objection to the introduction of words to that effect. 
Mr. Lowe : Had we not better leave the clause and reconsider it on the report ? In 
the meantime we can take advice upon it. 
The Irish Attorney-General : 'the provisions of the Bill are throughout intended 
for Great Britain, and, consequently, they cannot be made applicable to Ireland. The 
better plan will be to pass this clause, and afterwards bring up a short clause providing 
that the Bill shall not extend to Ireland. If desirable, it can be made applicable next 
year to Ireland by the introduction of a short measure for that purpose. 
