-October 2G, 1872.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
337 
to increase its weight or bulk, unless he declares such 
•admixture thereof before delivering the same and no 
other.” But who should decide, and how many analysts 
were there throughout the country who would agree as 
to what was and what was not injurious to health P 
Again, what was the exact meaning of the words “ such 
admixture ” in the clause he had just quoted ? Already 
he had been made acquainted with the opinions of high 
legal authorities differing very considerably from each 
■other in the interpretation of these words; for while 
some held that it meant a simple declaration of the fact 
that the article sold was a mixture, others were of 
opinion that it would be necessary to specify the sub¬ 
stances of which the mixture was composed, and 
■others again held that the exact proportions of those 
substances must also be stated. But it would be for the 
magistrates to decide this difficult question. Again, 
with respect to drugs, how was the case to be met when 
there was no adulteration whatever of the article sold, 
notwithstanding that it was absolutely worthless and 
inert, either from its having undergone decay, as in the 
case of roots and leaves, or from its having been grown 
in a country where its active principles were not de¬ 
veloped, as with rhubarb, senna, etc., or from a fraudu¬ 
lent abstraction of those active principles, as in the case 
* of cinchona bark, opium, etc. ? It was evident that to 
meet those cases they ought to have a clear and compre¬ 
hensive definition of the word “adulteration,” and until 
that was given, as in the Seeds Adulteration Act, 
1869, and the Licensing Act, they would not have a 
workable Adulteration of Food Act, which should pro- 
■tect the public from inj ury and fraud without interfering 
with the legitimate objects of trade. He thought it 
would be far better to refer the matter to some central 
authority whenever a dealer considered himself aggrieved 
by the report or certificate of a local analyst, and to let 
that authority decide definitely for the information of 
the magistrate. The penalties for adulteration were 
greatly enlarged, and they applied to persons engaged 
in the preparation of adulterated articles as well as to 
those who sold them. Imprisonment also might be 
given in second and subsequent offences, and the names 
and addresses and offences of the persons convicted 
might be published and advertised. There was a power 
•of appeal to Quarter Sessions, and, in certain cases, ton 
higher court. The adulteration of intoxicating liquors 
was provided for by the Licensing Act of 1872. The 
.schedule of deleterious ingredients which it was unlawful 
to mix with the liquors sold or exposed for sale men¬ 
tioned cocculus indicus, common salt, copperas, opium, 
Indian hemp, strychnine, tobacco, darnel seed, extract 
•of logwood, salts of zinc, or lead and alum, and the list 
might be enlarged at any time. Looking at the multi¬ 
tude of Acts of Parliament which dealt with questions 
of adulteration, and to the divided authority and juris¬ 
diction of the matter, it was evident that what were re¬ 
quired were a consolidation of the law and a very clear 
and explicit declaration of the thing to be dealt with as 
well as of the authority and its duties, powers, rights, 
and obligations. Dr. Letheby concluded by briefly re¬ 
ferring to the Government inquiry recently made at 
Whitehall by Lord Methuen and other Commissioners 
into the regulations issued by the water companies un¬ 
der the Metropolis Water Act, 1871, remarking that it 
-was to be hoped that when the constant service was in 
full operation in the metropolis, they would be able, un¬ 
der the provisions of the Act, to do away with the filthy 
butts of the poor and substitute for them a constant sup¬ 
ply of water by means of a waste-water^pre venter ex¬ 
ternal to their houses. 
Dr. Tripe expressed an opinion that the medical offi¬ 
cers of health should not undertake the additional duties 
of analysts under the various new Acts unless properly 
•qualified assistants were supplied to them; and Dr. 
.’Stevenson,'of Guy’s Hospital, said his only fear as to the 
Adulteration Act was that it might fail for want of pro¬ 
per definitions. The Act, the latter gentleman observed, 
had already caused some excitement and apprehension 
among tradesmen, for he had been often solicited of late 
to testify as to the purity of articles sold, but he had, of 
course, declined to do any such thing. The discussion 
was principally as to whether the medical officers should 
accept, if they were offered them, the analytical work 
under the Acts, and this matter in the end was referred 
to a committee. 
Lord Eustace Cecil, M.P., said the Adulteration of 
Food Act was carried through at the fag end of the 
session, and he had not previously expected for a mo¬ 
ment that it would become law. But when he observed 
that the food question was not touched by the Public 
Health Bill, he determined to do what he could in his in¬ 
dividual capacity to carry the Bill, which then stood in 
the name of Mr. Muntz. Ho only co-operated with 
that hon member on the understanding that the Bill 
should be compulsory and not permissive, and he at once 
changed the word “may,” whenever it occurred, into 
“shall.” Had that been allowed to stand the 5th 
clause would have made the appointment of analysts 
positively compulsory, and the local authorities would 
have been obliged to" select the officers forthwith. He 
passed his amendment to that effect through the House 
at two o’clock in the morning, but next day he was in¬ 
formed by a member of the Government that the clause 
as it then stood would trench upon the question of local 
taxation, and that he must proceed more cautiously if he 
wished their support. He therefore put in the words 
“ may, and when required so to do by the Local Govern¬ 
ment Board shall,” appoint an analyst, and that altera¬ 
tion was assented to by the Government. On the ques¬ 
tion of the third reading, however, he was told that, un¬ 
less he withdrew all his amendments, the Bill would not 
pass, and he did accordingly withdraw them. But he 
admitted that he used a little piece of stratagem to effect 
his object. He obtained the support of his brother, 
Lord Salisbury, who consented to introduce all his 
amendments in the House of Lords, where they were 
carried. The Bill came down to the Commons and 
passed, without alteration, in a House of about a dozen 
members. All the amendments, however, had previously 
been carefully considered by the Government, and if 
there had been anything wrong in legal phraseology, 
they had every opportunity to alter them. A definition 
of articles injurious to health was thought to have been 
sufficiently provided by the incorporation into the Act 
of the Pharmacy Act, which contained a schedule of 
poisonous ingredients; and as for adulteration, he be¬ 
lieved the intention of Parliament was that anything 
done in the way of fraud in the adulteration of food 
should be considered as a breach of the Act. It appeared 
to him to be a small consideration what were the pro¬ 
portions of the ingredients, provided that something had 
been mixed with the article, and anything done to_ in¬ 
crease its weight or bulk was a sufficient adulteration. 
If there was any difficulty as to the interpretation of the 
statute, the best plan would be, at the first opportunity, 
to state a case for the decision of one of the superior 
courts. He must say that the words were submitted to 
lawyers at the time they were put in the Bill, and were 
said to include a fair and workable definition of adultera¬ 
tion, and he should be most disappointed if it proved 
otherwise. If any amendment of the measure was, aftei 
a trial had been given to it,, found necessary, he would 
use his best efforts to secure it. 
^arliamentarg jjjfato fmtttatgs. 
Suicide by Prussic Acid. 
At the inquest to inquire into the death of Mr. Picker¬ 
ing, of Derby, reported last week* Mr. Burnham, .drug¬ 
gist, Osmaston Road, spoke as to the deceased coming to 
* Ante, p. 318. 
