ON THE CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS BILL. 
483 
Mr. Ayrton.'] 604. Are there not some cases, not inconsiderable, in which medical 
men write prescriptions in a way which leads to mistakes, such as morphine instead 
of opium?—There are very many cases, I confess, as a physician, where well-educated 
Pharmaceutical Chemists may have opportunities for correcting the mistakes made by 
physicians writing, for example, in a hurry, or when disturbed by being spoken to 
whalst writing. 
665. Physicians and surgeons are apt to make mistakes, are they not, in the modes 
in which they write prescriptions ?—They are liable to do so. 
666. And if not corrected they lead to calamities?—Decidedly. 
Dr. Brady.] 667. That would show the necessity of having Pharmaceutical Chemists 
better educated ?—Yes. 
Mr. Ayrton .] Do you think it desirable that Pharmaceutical Chemists should be 
well educated in assisting physicians and surgeons in conducting their business ? A 
well-educated Pharmaceutical Chemist u r ould be and should be of immense value to 
physicians in curing their patients, by supplying them with good material. 
669. Is that one of the leading purposes for which you would have them examined ? 
—That is one of them. 
682. In the case of a chemist, he is only to sell the commodity, and the purchaser 
takes it with his own risk ; do you see any analogy in that case and the case of a 
clergyman being tested for the purpose of accepting an endowment ?—If the captain 
of a ship or an engineer is examined, or if a barrister or a clergyman is examined, 
before either can become a clergyman or a barrister, or perform the functions of a 
captain of a ship, each is obliged to submit to some examination as to what his know¬ 
ledge is ; therefore, I think, applying the analogy, it is quite fair to ask that a chemist, 
who deals in drugs winch aifect health or life, should be examined. 
691. And at the same time I understand you to say, the person who so sells them 
must be strictly prohibited from using or applying those, drugs for the use or benefit 
for which they are sold?—I did not say strictly prohibited ; they should not oe en¬ 
gaged in medical or surgical practice systematically. 
692. That would prohibit the person wdio sells the drug from suggesting the use ot 
it ?—A man may know that opium would check diarrhoea, but he does not know 
what the nature of diarrhoea is, and consequently may not know in what cases to 
use it. _ . 
693. If you require this examination into the knowledge of the use with which the 
drugs are to be applied, would you not give the man the right of prescribing the use 
or application of the drug ?—He is taught what doses are, but not when to give them, 
or why; he is taught merely what drugs are. 
694. You would keep him strictly within the limits of the mere sale of the drugs, 
without allowing him to interfere with the application of them ?—He otherwise would 
be doing what he is really not competent to do : he may be able to prescribe for a 
sore-tliroat, or to give a dose of aperient medicine, but it would be impossible foi him 
to undertake the treatment of disease, for which the Committee must admit that a 
special education is essential. 
698. Is it the practice of .surgeons to make up their own prescriptions ?—I hey are 
endeavouring to get rid of that habit. . 
699. In the country ?—It must be done there, because it is very difneuit to hnct 
chemists everywhere; but, where it can be done, the practitioner is keeping aloof 
from the dispenser in his practice. 
700. What advantage is there to society in this division of labour ?—In the greater 
improvement in the character and properties of drugs, and in the practitioner charging 
for visits and not for medicine. _ . 1 
704. Is there not an obvious distinction in the compounding of those which are 
not dangerous to life and those which are ?—Simples, by being compounded, may 
become dangerous. ,. 
705. Do you think the restriction is sufficient, if it is limited to the compounding 
and selling, simply, or as compounds, poisonous substances ?—I think simples may 
be sold; but compounding drugs should be by those who know what they are about. 
It would be for the public good. 
