i 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
SECOND SERIES. 
VOL. VII.—No. VIII.—FEBRUARY 1st, 1866. 
THE SUITS IN CHANCERY RELATING TO LETTS’S CAPSULES. 
If any of our readers should have thought, because for three or four months 
we have had nothing to say about the law proceedings, threatened and in pro¬ 
gress, to which innocent dealers in articles to which metallic capsules are 
attached have been subjected,—that therefore all cause for complaint against the 
originator of these proceedings, and all fear of further annoyance from the 
same source, for past, present, or future transactions in business of every-day 
occuirence, have been satisfactorily settled and permanently removed,_we are 
sorry to say they have calculated upon a result that is not in accordance with 
t le facts of this extraordinary case. The suits in Chancery, which have been 
instituted against a large number of retail dealers for selling articles capped 
with metallic capsules, on the ground of such capsules being an infringement of 
iui. Betts s patent, are still proceeding, and, as usually occurs in such cases, the 
issue is uncertain, excepting that heavy law-costs will necessarily be incurred. 
V e believe that all the defendants in these suits are innocent of any intentional 
"violation of the law. They have none of them made any capsules, nor have 
they knowingly purchased them of makers who infringe Mr. Betts’s patent 
rights. It is on this assumption, and with this assurance, that we have advo¬ 
cated, and continue to advocate, their cause. Several of them are Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Chemists,, and as such are entitled to advice and assistance from the 
Journal which is devoted to their interests. The following letter, addressed to 
the Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society, in answer to inquiries made with 
the view of supplying information to members throughout the country, will 
tend to show how the case now stands, and what course it is proposed to pursue 
with reference to the pending suits:— 
U 
1, East India Avenue, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C., 
vr T , „ “ January 17, 1866. 
Julias Bremndge, Esq., 
“ Secretary Pharmaceutical Society. 
Dear Sir,—In answer to your inquiries respecting the present position of 
i harmaceutical Chemists with regard to the sale of articles capped with metallic 
capsules, we beg to enclose copy of a highly satisfactory opinion written by 
i r. Lddis, the learned counsel who settled the answers of seventeen'retail 
chemists defendants to suits by Mr. Betts. 
We concur in Air. Eddis’s opinion, and in accordance with it purpose con- 
VOL. VII. UR 
