April 5, 1873.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
799 
stead of doing so, however, she bought a two ounce bottle 
of cough medicine from a chemist. The medicine was 
administered three times a day, according to directions, 
but on one occasion the remaining contents of the bottle, 
about an ounce and a half, were administered, and the 
child died. There was the evidence of the chemist to the 
effect that he made up as much as two gallons of this 
medicine at a time, and that he used laudanum, vinegar, 
and other ingredients. ' He sold large quantities of it, 
with directions upon the bottle. The chemist stated that 
the quantity of laudanum in the bottle would not amount 
to more than eight drops, and that if the whole contents 
of the bottle had been taken at once that would not have 
been sufficient to cause death. The vinegar was subse¬ 
quently analysed, and it was then found that the vinegar 
was largely adulterated with hydrochloric acid. The 
chemist stated that he had bought the vinegar from a 
wholesale dealer, and that he was not aware of any adul¬ 
teration. The bottle was examined, and instead of con¬ 
taining only a few drops of laudanum, it contained a 
much larger quantity of laudanum, and half the quan¬ 
tity would have been sufficient to cause death. The 
charge on the depositions was that the prisoner was 
guilty of negligence in administering an over-dose of 
the medicine, and that question involved to some extent 
the question of her knowledge. If the chemist who sold 
the medicine was under the impression that the ingre¬ 
dients were not adulterated, or that it did not contain 
more than eight drops of laudanum, one could hardly 
imagine how the prisoner could have had a greater know¬ 
ledge, and therefore it was difficult to say how reckless 
negligence could be made out against her. However, if, 
after examining the witnesses, the grand jury should be 
of opinion that she intentionally administered a large dose 
of the mixture, so as in any way to affect the health of 
the child, then the offence would be primd facie one of 
manslaughter. But some one was exceedingly culpable in 
adulterating the vinegar. He had not heard that any 
steps had been taken in reference to that matter. 
When the grand jury had concluded their labours the 
foreman, addressing his lordship, said in the case of Mary 
M‘Grath, charged with the manslaughter of her infant 
child on the 5th February, the grand jury had not been 
able to find a true bill. From the evidence which was 
placed before the jury, however, they felt that there was 
culpable negligence somewhere. There was a chemist 
who mixed a certain cough medicine, which on analysis, 
was found to be of the most dangerous and poisonous 
character. There was no doubt but death had resulted 
from the administration of the mixture. Vinegar had 
been used in its preparation, which was found to be highly 
adulterated and a most dangerous compound. The grand 
jury felt that they could not be discharged without first 
bringing these facts before the court in the hope that an 
investigation would take place. This vinegar had been 
sold to the chemist, and was in all probability being ex¬ 
tensively sold elsewhere, and the grand jury felt it would 
be impossible to estimate the amount of injury which 
might be sustained through its use. They hoped, there¬ 
fore, that some investigation would take place, and if 
culpable negligence was found some steps should be taken 
in the matter. 
The judge remarked that he agreed with the jury in 
what they thought. Adulteration with hydrochloric acid 
was a most serious matter, and he hoped the opinion ex¬ 
pressed by the grand jury would lead to an investigation. 
—Liverpool Daily Post and Daily Albion. 
*** This case appears from the report to be somewhat 
obscure, for though the presence of hydrochloric acid in 
vinegar must be regarded as an aduleration, it could 
scarcely be poisonous or even dangerous.— Ed. Ph. Journ. 
Action against a Druggist for a Mistake. 
On Wednesday, March 26, an action to recover the 
sum of <£*200 was brought in the Record Court, Belfast, 
against Mr. Gibson a druggist, for selling the plain¬ 
tiff a quantity of extract of belladonna in the place of 
extract of dandelion, whereby injury was caused to the 
plaintiff. 
From the evidence, it appeared that Miss Doherty the 
plaintiff’s sister, went to Mr. Gilson’s shop to purchase 
some extract of dandelion, and was supplied with a box 
containing what was represented to be that substance. 
She and her brother having taken a portion of it were 
seized with illness, the man especially being delirious. A 
medical man was called in who pronounced the illness 
to be caused by belladonna poisoning, an opinion that 
was confirmed upon an examination of the residue in the 
box. 
For the defendant it was urged that the drug had been 
supplied in his absence, and that there had been no neg¬ 
ligence on his part, as the jar in his shop containing 
belladonna, was distinctly labelled “ poison ; ” also that 
the plaintiff had suffered no permanent injury. 
The jury, after some deliberation, returned a verdict for 
the plaintiff of £5 damages and 6d. costs .—Belfast News- 
Letter and Telegraph. 
Prosecution under the Adulteration Act. 
On Friday last, at the Clerkenwell Police Court, the 
case of prosecution for the sale of adulterated tea came 
on for hearing. As reported on p. 755, this case was 
adjourned for a fortnight, in order to allow the magistrate 
to consider an objection to a conviction on the ground 
that the analyst had not stated in his certificate whether 
the adulteration was injurious to health ; Mr. Barker 
said he had come to the conclusion that he had the 
power to convict, and he imposed a fine of <£10 and costs. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Contrasts. Dedicated to the Ratepayers of London. 
London : Strahan and Co. 1873. From the Pub¬ 
lishers. 
Geological Stories : A Series of Autobiographies, in 
Chronological Order. By J. E. Taylor, F.G.S. Lon¬ 
don : Hardwicke. 1873. From the Publisher. 
The Action of Heat upon Hydrated Salts. By 
C. R. C. Tichborne, F.C.S., M.R.I.A. From the 
Author. 
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and 
Animals. By Charles Darwin, M.A., F.R.S., etc. 
With Photographic and other Illustrations. London : 
John Murray. 1873. From the Publisher. 
Hotcs anil Queries. 
ANALYSIS OF AGARICUS FCETENS.—M. Sacc 
contributes to the Comptes Rendus of the French Academy 
the following analysis of this fungus :— 
Water. 
67*20 per cent, 
Mannite. 
*60 
Pectic Acid. 
*09 
Fibrin . 
4*66 
>> 
Bassorin. 
1*55 
>> 
Woody matter. 
20*09 
Colouring and odoriferous sub- 
stances. 
*68 
yy 
Ash : . 
5*18 
yy 
100*05 
yy 
