416 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[November 23, 1S72. 
one else. And it has been proved to he a fact, that 
without the practical training in a shop, it is almost 
an impossibility for a young man, no matter how full 
of theoretical knowledge he may he, to pass his exa¬ 
minations. For the want of practical knowledge gained in a 
shop, young men who have attended laboratory prac¬ 
tice at Bloomsbury Square, who have been well up in all 
but practical experience in a shop, have been plucked. 
Professor Attfield inculcates the desirability of making 
it compulsory that before a youth presents himself for 
examination he must have been apprenticed a certain 
number of years to the trade; indeed, a young man 
who has received his education in a school of phar¬ 
macy, without any practical experience in the routine of 
a shop,(would be unqualified to conduct a business, and 
not likely to succeed if he were to make the attempt. 
The judicious combination of the profession with the 
trade is the great object to be attained, for while it is 
of the highest importance that those who dispense 
medicines should be duly qualified as chemists, it is 
equally necessary to sustain their commercial charac¬ 
ter as druggists. Professor Redwood says the subjects 
involved in the Minor examination, and the extent of 
knowledge implied by the description of it given in the 
bye-laws, appear to him to be such as young men of 
average ability, with the scholastic acquirements indi¬ 
cated by the Preliminary examinations, ought to be able 
to acquire in a three or four years’ pupilage with a 
competent master, and attendance during part of the 
time at lectures or classes for systematic instruction. 
Even without lecture attendance, if the pupil be 
properly aided in his studies, he may, as many 
do, successfully prepare for this ordeal; and to corroborate 
this view of the Professor’s we have instances of young men 
not only passing the examinations, but seizing upon the 
highest prizes the Pharmaceutical Society has to bestow. 
Amongst such examples Mr. Betty, when addressing the 
chemists at Glasgow last week, mentioned the name of 
Mr. Talbott, who was the successful candidate for the 
first Bell Scholarship, and who resided in a small country 
town and had no help but his class-books ; also Mr. 
Betty informed them that the present holder of the 
prize was self-instructed. Professor Redwood also says 
the examinations are not intended for the discovery of the 
extent of the candidate’s knowledge so much as his want 
of knowledge; they are designed rather as a test of his 
weak points than of his strong points. “It is not,” he 
says, “ a high degree of scientific attainment in any of 
the branches of knowledge comprised in this curriculum 
that is most wanted, but a general proficiency in all, and 
great ignorance in none.” In conclusion, I wish to 
impress upon my young friends that they must not ex¬ 
pect too much from Mr. Moss or myself (but I can 
assure them we are both willing and anxious to assist 
them and to do all that we can to help and direct them so 
far as we are competent—still, they must bear in mind, 
that they who help themselves are best helped) and to 
thank you all for the patience with which you have 
listened to me. 
The address was received with much applause, and at 
its conclusion, a cordial vote of thanks was given to Mr. 
Hallaway. 
The thanks of the meeting were also voted to Messrs. 
Southall, of Birmingham, for their present of a collec¬ 
tion of specimens of materia medica. 
A vote of thanks to the president closed the proceedings. 
Notice has been received of the death of the follow¬ 
ing :— 
On the 21st of October, Mr. Frederick William 
Sanders, chemist and druggist, of Great Hampton Row, 
Birmingham. 
Iprlfenwtttarg smlt fato fnimMnp. 
Alleged Violence in Administering Medicine. 
On Monday, November 11, an inquest was held at thG 
Wandsworth Union Workhouse, before Mr. Carter, on 
the body’ of Rhoda Williams, aged 72, who died on the 
previous Wednesday evening shortly after a sleeping- 
draught had been forcibly 7 administered to her by- tho 
nurses. A patient in the next bed but one to the de¬ 
ceased stated that the nurses attempted to give deceased 
a draught on Wednesday evening. She spat it out. 
Nurse Ward then fetched another, and pinched or held 
deceased’s nose and put the feeder in her mouth while 
the other nurses held her down. Deceased was conscious, 
and struggled to prevent the medicine being given. It 
was not more than five or ten minutes after the draught - 
was given that death took place. 
Dr. C'eely said deceased was suffering from dropsy', 
diseased heart and lungs in an advanced stage. Saw her 
on Wednesday' afternoon. She was delirious, talking 
rapidly' and incoherently'. Prescribed for her a stimu¬ 
lant. Ward came to witness and described the patient’s- 
state, wishing to know if she should give her a night 
draught. It was not laudanum, but a sedative. Witness 
ordered her to give one. It was customary' for the nurse- 
to have a bottle of the draught under lock and key'. It 
was a preparation of opium, supplied from the dispensary. 
Ward had a bottle. Witness supplied it, but did not 
make it up. Twenty minims was ordered to be given. 
It was in solution, containing tincture of opium. Ward 
did not come again till after the death of deceased. She 
said she had given the medicine, but did not say anything- 
about the first draught. Witness understood from her 
there had been some difficulty in administering the dose. 
First heard about the second dose on Thursday following 
from Ward, who said she had attempted to give the first 
dose, that it was spilt, and she then administered the 
second. Witness saw deceased a few minutes after 
death. There was no appearance of violence. About 
two tablespoonfuls of water was added to the quantity' 
of medicine ordered. Had made a post-mortem examina¬ 
tion. Found no evidence of violence on the external 
parts. The stomach was empty', and there was no ap¬ 
pearance of opium having been taken. The two doses, 
if taken, would have been a large, but not a dangerous 
quantity. 
Mary Ward, the nurse, said deceased was in bed in a 
very' bad state, delirious, and very' noisy. She attempted 
to get out of bed, and made use of bad language. Witness- 
went to Dr. Ceely, and asked if he would allow her to 
give deceased a night draught, as she was delirious. He 
consented, and witness obtained twenty drops of lauda¬ 
num, which she measured in a minim measure, and 
added two tablespoonfuls of water. Attempted to ad¬ 
minister it, but it was upset ; none of it went into de¬ 
ceased’s mouth. Prepared another draught, put some in 
her mouth, but she spat it out. Nothing was done by 
any' one to make her swallow it. Her nose was never 
touched : her hands were held to prevent her knocking- 
the feeder out of witness’s hand. The coroner summed 
up, and the jury returned a verdict of Natural Death.— 
Wandsworth ancl Battersea District Times. 
Attempted Suicide by a Chemist and Druggist. 
On Saturday', November 9, Mr. Hannaford, chemist 
and druggist, of Irthlingborough, was found in a drowsy' 
and partially unconscious state, he having taken a 
quantity' of laudanum. The usual treatment was had 
recourse to, and on Monday morning he had nearly' re¬ 
covered. After being left for a short time, however, he 
was found with his throat stabbed in four places, and the 
bed saturated with blood. The wounds were at onco 
dressed, and it is thought probable that he will recover. 
