570 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[January '4,1671. 
It liad been suggested that the limitation requiring 
the qualification of an apothecary in the manager of 
the general depot was unnecessary, and had the 
effect of excluding eminently qualified individuals 
from competition. The general feeling is, that such 
a man should be an analytical chemist of position, 
possessing a thorough knowledge of the manufac¬ 
turing and manipulating of drugs and chemicals. 
The Commissioners have stated that they in¬ 
tend producing another scheme, as every one has 
acknowledged the desirability of some action being 
taken in this matter. 
MEDICINES FOR THE IRISH UNIONS. 
The following is the text of the letter issued by the 
Poor Law Commissioners of Ireland, revoking then- 
previous sealed order for the appointment of an Apo¬ 
thecary-General to the Poor Law Unions of Ireland* 
in whose hands were to be concentrated the whole of 
the contracts for drugs and medical necessaries 
throughout Ireland:— 
“ rOOR LAW UNIONS APOTHECARY. 
“ Poor Law Commission Office, Dublin, 
“ oth January , 187b 
“ Sir,—Adverting to their recent order for the appoint¬ 
ment of a poor law unions apothecary, the Commissioners 
for Administering- the Laws for Relief of the Poor in Ire¬ 
land desire to inform the guardians that the time having 
now arrived for taking the first steps in execution of the 
order, they have determined not to proceed with it in its 
present shape. So much complaint has been made of the 
quality of the medicines supplied for use in workhouses 
and dispensaries that the Commissioners anticipated a 
general acquiescence on the parts of the Boards of Guar¬ 
dians in the adoption of an arrangement which appeared 
eminently calculated to secure good and reliable medi¬ 
cines in future for the treatment of the sick poor. Of 
the 163 unions in Ireland, however, 45, including North 
Dublin, South Dublin, Cork, and Belfast, have passed 
resolutions adverse to the arrangement proposed, nearly 
the same number have expressed themselves in favour of 
it, and the remainder have accepted it without expressing 
any opinion. Under these circumstances it is not the in¬ 
tention of the Commissioners to force the adoption of this 
arrangement upon so many unions adverse to the princi¬ 
ple involved. Suggestions have been made which, in the 
event of their issuing an amended order, it will be the 
duty of the Commissioners in the meantime to consider. 
For example, the mode of appointment laid down in the 
order is objected to, and a competitive examination of 
candidates suggested instead; but in the present state of 
the law the Commissioners do not feel themselves to be 
authorized to withdraw the direct appointment from the 
Boards of Guardians of the unions united for that pur¬ 
pose, though jmssiblv some different mode of making it 
may be adopted. It has also been suggested that the 
limitation requiring the qualification of ‘apothecary’ in 
the manager of the general depot was unnecessary, and 
had the effect of excluding eminently qualified individuals 
from competition; this point will also receive attention in 
the preparation of any amended order. The application 
of the co-operative principle to the poor law unions 
which would have been effected by this order in regard 
to drugs was probably not contemplated in the Irish Poor 
Law Act of 1838; and although that Act contains powers 
enabling Boards of Guardians to purchase supplies in 
common, and to appoint a common officer for the pur¬ 
pose, it may be found desirable to bring the subject 
under the consideration of Parliament before any further 
steps are taken. 
“ By order of the Commissioners. 
“ B. Banks, Chief Clerk. 
“ To the Clerk of each Union.” 
It will be observed that the withdrawal is not un¬ 
conditional, and it has been resolved by the guar¬ 
dians to appoint a “Vigilance Committee” to watch 
whatever steps the Commissioners may take in the 
matter, whether by sealed orders or seeking addi¬ 
tional legislation. It seems to be the intention of 
the Commissioners to lay the future appointment 
(probably inspectional) open to analytical chemists 
and pharmacists of repute. 
The executor of the late Mr. Cole, of Hamp¬ 
stead, has written to say that it will be his duty to 
pay over to the Benevolent Fund of the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Society a bequest of nineteen guineas out of 
that gentleman’s estate. 
It will be seen by reference to page 571 that Mr. 
John Carr, of 171, High Holborn, has been chosen 
by the Council to fill the vacancy caused by the 
resignation of Mr. Cornelius Hanbury. 
The necessity of examining drugs supplied to 
workhouse dispensaries is illustrated by Dr. Leeper, 
of Keady, who states that he has been supplied with 
train -oil for cod-liver oil; opium so impure as to be 
almost useless; muriated tincture of iron unfit for 
use; spirits of wine, which should be 50 over-proof, 
not quite 10 over-proof; tinctures which mouldered, 
and ointments unfit for use. The British Medical 
Journal, after the above statement, adds, “ There is 
at present no inspection in England any more than 
in Ireland, and it will be eminently necessary to 
provide it in the new metropolitan dispensaries. 
We suggest this subject to the attention of the Poor 
Law Board.” 
The third volume of the Chicago Pharmacist 
having been completed, it is announced that an 
alteration will be effected in its future appearance, 
by the use of “ solid ” instead of “ leaded ” type, and 
the omission of the “ prices current.” It is calcu¬ 
lated that these changes will give room for about 
one-tliird more matter, without increasing the size of 
the Journal. 
We are glad to notice that the suggestion that a 
hyphen should be used to separate the syllables in 
the name of the new disinfectant, Clilor-alum, was 
adopted last week in the columns of the Lancet. 
We learn from Nature that the cultivation of cin¬ 
chona has so fully succeeded in the Neilglierry liills, 
in India, that the first shipment of bark from a pri¬ 
vate plantation, to the extent of 4000 lb., is taking 
place. 
