391 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [November 12, 1870. 
to the principle involved in the issue of such a periodical 
by a body like the Pharmaceutical Society, and hoped 
that in time the ‘ Joumal ’ would be simply the record of 
the proceedings of the Society, and that the trade and 
miscellaneous matters demanded by the chemists through¬ 
out the country would be supplied by the issue of an in¬ 
dependent weekly publication like the ‘ Lancet.’ 
After referring to other practical matters, the Pre¬ 
sident concluded by urging the members and associates 
to unite together in endeavouring, by mutual conces¬ 
sions, to carry out the work of the Society, and the 
general advancement of pharmacy. 
A cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Atherton for his in¬ 
teresting address was moved by Mr. Rawer, seconded 
by Mr. Fitzhugh, and carried unanimously. 
The following programme of lectures and classes in 
connection with the School of Pharmacy of this Associa¬ 
tion has been arranged for the ensuing Session :— 
Chemistry .—A course of thirty lectures, by Mr. George 
Elders, M.B., on “Inorganic Chemistry,” to com¬ 
mence on Monday evening, November 7th, at the rooms 
of the Association, and be continued weekly. Time, 9 to 
10 p.m. Fee for the course, os. 
Pharmacy and Materia Me die a .—A course of twenty- 
six lectures, by Mr. Mayfield, M.P.S., at the rooms of 
the Association, commencing on Wednesday evening, 
November 9th, at 9 o’clock. 
These lectures have been arranged with special refer¬ 
ence to the requirements of the Examinations of the 
Pharmaceutical Society. Fee for the course, 5s. 
Botany .—Arrangements will be made for a course of 
lectures on “Structural and Physiological Botany,” to 
commence in the Spring, full particulars of which will 
be announced in due course. 
Preliminary Examinations. — Although not forming 
part of the ordinary technical education provided by the 
Society, the Council have arranged for a class, provided 
a sufficient number of associates make application to 
join. (No arrangement will be made for less than ten 
candidates.) Fee for a course of twelve lessons, 5s. 
Until further notice, the Library and Reading Room 
will be open on Monday and Wednesday evenings, from 
8.30 to 10.15 p.m. 
Applications for information and tickets for the 
various courses of lectures should be made to the 
Honorary Secretary, Mr. J. T. Mayfield. 
fmccMnip df jirientifa Emetics. 
BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. 
Meeting at Liverpool. 
Wednesday , September 14 th. 
(Continued from paeje 376.) 
The Storing of Poisons. 
BY EDWARD SMITH, F.C.S. 
One of the most important and interesting questions 
at the present moment on the pharmaceutical tapis is 
“ the storing of poisons.” 
From the tone of the medical and general press, it is 
very evident that the public consider the Pharmacy Act 
to have thrown the onus of suggesting and providing 
efficient means to prevent “ as far as possible the lament¬ 
able calamities from accidental poisoning which so often 
shock the public mind,” on the Pharmaceutical Society, 
i. e., practically on ourselves; and therefore, whether we 
agree with, or differ from, the reasons which induce the 
public to require this at our hands, it is very clear that 
unless we set our house in order, and, to the best of our 
abilities, provide some plan of storing poisons more in 
accordance with the wishes, and with some regard for 
the tender susceptibilities, of physic-takers, we shall 
presently find ourselves in an exceedingly unfortunate 
position, by having the power to act taken from us and 
placed in the hands of those who will turn a very deaf 
ear to any appeal or entreaties on our part. We shall 
probably find ourselves smarting under the imposition 
of unpractical and very irritating regulations, and pos¬ 
sibly compelled even to submit our pharmacies to the 
indignity of inquisitorial supervision by Government 
officials. 
Without entering into the general question as to the 
desirability, necessity, or otherwise, of any poison regu¬ 
lations, it appears to me that at the somewhat peremptory 
demand of the public, either from within or without, 
must some action proceed; and surely there cannot be a 
shadow of a doubt in our minds as to who are the most 
competent to undertake the matter. Our business is one 
of such a varied character—a combination, as it were, of 
the elements of a profession, with trade as a basis—that 
we cannot contemplate the interference of an external 
authority without shuddering at the inevitable result. 
If, then, we are best able to manage our business affairs 
and provide our own laws and rules, the soundest policy 
and the truest wisdom dictate that we should lose no 
time in facing and grappling with this poison question, 
which already ripples the sea of public opinion, and 
which may, if we are not wise enough to calm the rising 
storm, ultimately swamp all our hopes of self-govern¬ 
ment, and possibly convert the Pharmacy Act into an 
instrument of grievous oppression. For these reasons, I 
now venture to bring the subject before you, in the 
earnest hope that some satisfactory proposition may be 
evolved from the discussion which may follow, and that 
as the fruit of your deliberations, the Pharmaceutical 
Council will be enabled to frame regulations, equally 
satisfactory to ourselves and to the general public. 
When we come to consider the matter attentively, we 
soon discover there are two essential conditions on which 
every regulation must be based, viz. simplicity and elas¬ 
ticity. 
Any complex arrangements would speedily break 
down, and collapse by their own inherent weakness. 
The first strain put upon them would create a state of 
things very much more conducive to an accident than 
the entire absence of all regulations. Indeed it is highly 
improbable that they would or could be carried out by 
the majority of pharmacists, since it would entail an 
expenditure of time not often at the disposal of those 
engaged in business houses. Pharmacists are not, as a 
rule, in a position to retain the services of more assist¬ 
ants than they can fully employ; hence, during a press 
of business, either behind the dispensing counter or on a 
market-day, when perhaps scores of pounds of arsenic 
and other poisonous preparations are retailed over the 
counter, any but the very simplest regulation would, in 
point of fact, be ignored. 
Whatever plan we decide upon must, of necessity, 
therefore be so simple that it will safely bear the many 
and varied exigencies of everyday practical work. 
In addition to simplicity, there must also be elasticity; 
for not only have we to take charge of the few grains oi 
atropia or aconitia, but also 7 lb. parcels of oxalic acid 
and the hundredweight cask of arsenic. The same regu¬ 
lation should, if possible, cover every case. 
Now, on reflection, it is clear that in addition to the 
care habitual to those who have the handling of poisons, 
we can frame regulations based upon either one or both 
of the senses of sight and touch. The former we have 
embodied in the use of blue poison bottles; the latter in 
the various angular and peculiarly-shaped bottles that 
have from time to time been suggested. 
Hitherto, these ideas have only been carried out with 
regard to bottles, and it is really difficult to see how 
peculiarly-shaped parcels or casks can practically be 
used. I conceive we are compelled to fall back upon 
the sense of sight, 'which perhaps is the most acute ot all 
our faculties, and the best for our purpose, seeing that 
it is the one most intimately connected ■with the brain 
