72 
DEBATES ON PHARMACY BILL. 
Mr. Ayrton : This amendment will not meet the case which the right honourable 
gentleman, the Member for Caine, seems to have in view, because any man will be able 
to make up a prescription which is signed by a practitioner, and if he should take a 
paper professing to be so signed that will be no offence. My right honourable friend is 
always, though impartially, severe in his reasoning; he says, in effect, you shall not sell 
a man a cord because he may hang himself, nor sell him a poison because he may 
poison himself, nor sell him a pistol because he may shoot himself, and he seems 
anxious to make the sale of any of these commodities a felony. I do not see that that 
can be done. A chemist ought not to be prevented from dispensing medicines with 
poison in the compound because another person may poison himself. I do not think 
the amendment proposed Avould in practice work, and therefore I hope the right 
honourable gentlemen will not press it. 
Mr. Neate : I do not suppose that any single member of this House can write a pre¬ 
scription that would be understood by any chemist or druggist in the kingdom. I shall 
vote against the amendment. 
Mr. Lowe said he must insist on dividing the House. 
Lord Elciio : Dividing now will be equivalent to postponing the Bill. Does my 
right honourable friend mean to insist on his amendment? 
Mr. Lowe : Yes ; certainly. 
The House then divided. 
For adding the words . . 2 
Against it.14 
Majority.12 
The division showing that only 10 members (less than a house) were present, the 
House stood adjourned at half-past two o’clock. 
Monday, July 20th, 1868. 
The amendments to this Bill were again considered. The amendment of Mr. Lowe 
above mentioned was again proposed, and on the question being put, that the words 
“under the written prescription of a legally qualified medical practitioner ” be inserted, 
it was resolved in the negative; and, instead thereof, it was agreed that the following 
words be added :—“ provided such medicine be labelled in the manner aforesaid with the 
name and address of the seller, and the ingredients thereof be entered, with the name of 
the person to whom it is sold or delivered, in a book to be kept by the seller for that 
purpose.” 
On the motion of Mr. Ayrton, the following words were struck out of clause 2 :—“ and 
the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (hereinafter referred to as 
the Pharmaceutical Society) may from time to time, by resolution, declare that any ar¬ 
ticle in such resolution named ought to be deemed a poison within the meaning of this 
Act; and thereupon the said Society shall submit the same for the approval of the 
Privy Council, and if such approval shall be given, then such resolution and approval 
shall be advertised in the ‘ London and Edinburgh Gazettes,’ and on the expiration of 
one month from such advertisement the article named in such resolution shall be deemed 
to be a poison within the meaning of this Act.” 
Tuesday', July 21st, 18G8. 
On the motion of Mr. Ayrton this Bill was read a third time and passed. 
HOUSE OF LORDS. 
Friday, July 24tk, 1868. 
On the consideration of the Commons’ amendments to the Sale of Poisons and 
Pharmacy Act Amendment Bill, 
The Duke of Marlborough : My Lords,—I have been asked to move your Lord- 
ships to agree in the main with the Commons’ amendments. There are two or three 
exceptions to be made. In the first place, in line 6, after the word “ Act,” leave out to 
the end of clause 2 ; and there are one or two consequential amendments. To all the 
other amendments I move, that this House do agree with the said amendments. 
The Lord Chancellor put the question, and, without discussion, the House dis¬ 
agreed with the amendments above specified, and agreed to all the other Commons’ 
amendments. 
