42 
POISONING BY CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
on the 31st of March in each year, and, in the absence of this, the excise can 
surcharge as in other taxes. 
“ By the compulsory use of this certificate, I maintain that we shall secure the 
manufacturing of medicines and their sale to the public by qualified and certi¬ 
ficated persons, and thereby prevent the hawking of quack nostrums throughout 
the country. This practice is too familiar to my fellow-members to need a long 
digression. This would likewise prevent the exhibitions one often sees at mar¬ 
kets and fairs in the country and in the suburban districts of London, of hideous 
pictures illustrating the action of their vile drugs. 
“ I propose the penalty for infringement of the certificate should be £20. 
“ The Pharmaceutical Society to be compelled to prosecute on the evidence of 
sworn witnesses. 
“ Secondly,—I propose to abolish all distinctions between town, country, and 
London, in the price of the licences, and to make one uniform price for all who 
shall keep medicines for public sale, either prepared by themselves or others, 
having a printed label thereon; and that they must obtain a certificate before 
they can keep or offer a medicine for sale. This certificate to cost one guinea. 
“Thirdly,—All persons who shall sell patent medicines wholesale, not of their 
own manufacture, shall, in addition to the manufacturer’s licence (if he makes), 
or the retailer’s (if he retails), obtain a licence of ten guineas. 
“ Fourthly,—This division requires serious consideration; it has become a 
national evil, and ought, like the cattle plague, to be exterminated. I mean 
the wholesale introduction of what are styled patent medicines. As free-trade 
must exist in physic as in other things, I propose to place the foreign manufac¬ 
turer on the same footing as ourselves—he must pay the manufacturer’s licence, 
also the retail if he has a depot in this country ; and the wholesale licence must 
be paid whether the depot is separate or connected with another establishment; 
and these separate licences are to apply to every distinct patent. Manufacturers 
of one or more will be considered as one, and the depot where a foreign patent 
is purchased shall be considered the depot of the importer till the contrary be 
proved. 
“ I have endeavoured to point out each class of patents which come under our 
notice, and will now give you my estimates of the amount to be obtained from 
the various licences. 
“1. The manufacturer’s ........ £12,200 
2. 5 per cent. 5,000 
3. Retail chemists.13,000 
4. ,, dealers not chemists.10,000 
5. Wholesale.10,000 
6. Foreign patents. 5,800 
£56,000 ” 
POISONING BY SUBSTITUTION OF CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM FOR CAR¬ 
BONATE OF AMMONIA. 
Inquest held in Dublin on the late Mr. F. Grattan Guinness, 7th and 
8th of June, 1869. 
The above case of accidental poisoning has created in Dublin intense excitement, 
partly from the rarity of such accidents in Ireland, and also from the social position 
-which Mr. Guinness held. The inquest extended over two days. Mr. C. Swayne, the 
assistant who compounded the medicine, was in custody during the first and part of the 
second day’s proceedings. He was an assistant to the firm trading under the name of 
Hamilton, Oldham, Long, and Company, who have two establishments in Dublin, and 
are now about to open another at Kingstown. Mr. Darley, Q.C., appeared for the re- 
