620 
LEEDS CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
consideration of the meeting the proposed regulations for keeping, selling, and dispens¬ 
ing poisons which are to be submitted to the next Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Society. Mr. Thompson laid down certain geueral principles in favour of liberty 
in preference to needlessly fettered action, and expressed his fears at the present ten¬ 
dency to over-legislation. With regard to laws only imperfectly observed it was 
evident that they were especially to be deprecated, since advantage was taken of them 
by the unscrupulous. The present scheme for giving security was entirely mechanical, 
and took no cognizance of that much more efficient safeguard from error, viz. the 
trained habit of carefulness which should be one of the most important fruits of our 
educational arrangements. To some portions of the regulations there were very grave 
objections, as, for instance, the enforced use of distinctive bottles for liniments, etc. 
Now, this would not extend to medicines dispensed by medical practitioners, and hence 
it might fairly be considered as likely to cause accident rather than avert it. Mr. 
Thompson concluded by reminding his fellow-members that in past years they had suc¬ 
cessfully resisted the imposition of unreasonable restrictions upon the sale of poisons, 
and asked if they were now willing to bind this grievous burden upon their own 
shoulders? 
He moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Abbott, and carried 
with one dissentient;— 
“That this association protests against the recent proposal to make any special 
methods of storing and dispensing poisons binding upon chemists, believing that such 
legislation is altogether unsuited to a body of educated men, already abundantly respon¬ 
sible, and that it would also be useless to the public.” 
Mr. R. Reynolds strongly condemned the proposed regulations, and moved the fol¬ 
lowing resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Yewdall, and carried unanimously 
“That the committee draw up a memorial to the Council of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, protesting against the proposed compulsory regulations for the storing and dis- 
uensing of poisons, adding their reasons for dissent therefrom, and that they take steps 
to procure for the memorial signatures of, chemists and druggists in the town and 
district.” 
In compliance with the resolution of the last monthly meeting, the committee met at 
the library of the association on Thursday, March 17th, when a memorial to the 
Council was drawn up, and the following statement of reasons was unanimously agreed 
to. Arrangements were made for a canvass of the town to procure signatures to the 
memorial. 
A Statement of Objections to the Proposed Regulations for Keeping , Selling , and Dis¬ 
pensing Poisons, to accompany the Memorial to the Council of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, from the Chemists and Druggists of Leeds. 
“ 1. That in the business of chemists and druggists in provincial towns the stock of 
poisons comprises supplies kept in the shop itself, and reserves stored in a warehouse, 
cellar, or other rooms. The regulations would equally apply to all ‘ poisons ’ under 
whichever of these circumstances, and they would in many cases deal with large quan¬ 
tities in the hands of persons who were retail traders. 
“ The option offered by the regulations would fail to afford reasonable facilities for 
keeping such reserves, since aconite, belladonna, and ergot of rye require to be kept 
under special conditions as to dryness, whilst it might be very inconvenient to keep 
other ‘ poisons’ in the only part of the premises meeting this requirement. 
“ Further, that the option of peculiar bottles, and of bottles tied over in a peculiar 
way, would be inapplicable to many solid ‘poisons,’ and consequently that there is no 
choice of methods of storage in such cases. 
“Further, that in the case of such liquid ‘poisons’as syrup of poppies, compound 
tincture of camphor, etc., no bottles answering the requirements of the regulations, and 
at the same time capable of storing such a quantity as a few gallons, are procurable. 
« Finally, the regulations do not, and probably caunot be made, to define any exemp¬ 
tion of wholesale traders, and yet it is evident they are quite unsuited to such members 
of the trade. 
“ 2. That the selection of a peculiar bottle which could be distinguished by the sense 
