718 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[March 4,1871. 
regards tlie second, I am disposed to think that some such 
regulations as those recommended by the Council ave neces¬ 
sary, and that it is to our own interest to adopt such. They 
can (if carried out in a right spirit) be so arranged as to 
adapt themselves to the varied requirements of either large or 
small establishments, and the country will, sooner or later, 
demand some such concessions at our hands. 
Pew who know anything of trade arrangements generally 
will dispute the fact that practices such as the following are 
rather the rule than the exception:—Bottles and packages 
containing poisons, interspersed among others containing 
innocuous substances and non-poisonous preparations, and 
without any mark of distinction, beyond the ordinary label, 
to point out the dangerous contents. And whilst, on the one 
hand, the occurrence of comparatively so small a number of 
fatal accidents from misadventure may be taken to indicate 
the general care and attention paid to our duties, a careful 
inquiry into the causes of these fatal cases when they do occur 
generally points, on the other band, to some little laxity 
in the arrangement or storing of goods, or to the want of 
some striking distinction in the bottles in which poisonous 
applications and non-poisonous medicines have been sent out. 
Reflecting upon this sort of thing, I some time since 
adopted a plan almost identical with that proposed by the 
Council, and the arrangement has certainly added much to 
my comfort and peace of mind, for just before doing this a 
mistake occurred in my own shop (from want of this), which 
would, in all probability, have proved a fatal one had not the 
suspicions of the patient been aroused by noticing some dif¬ 
ference in the medicine. 
I am quite as great an advocate for sending out liniments, 
lotions, etc. in poison-bottles; and this, not only because I 
believe it may bo often a means of preventing persons from 
getting hold of the wrong bottle, but because in two or three 
cases of fatal poisoning well known to me, the accident has 
arisen through the bottle being sent for a repetition of medi¬ 
cine, and instead of this a poisonous lotion had been dis¬ 
pensed. 
It is true that persons will bring these bottles for sweet 
nitre, castor oil, etc., but we never find they object to ex¬ 
change them for others, and we are rather the gainers than 
otherwise by so doing. Of course, if we be expected when a 
customer comes for two-pennyworth of laudanum and opo¬ 
deldoc to give a poison-bottle in place of any old dirty bottle 
they may bring, we should be rather losers by the transac¬ 
tions. It will require some little consideration how to meet 
such cases. Probably a small strip of glass paper gummed to 
the bottle would answer all requirements. 
There seems to be no difficulty in understanding the mean¬ 
ing wished to be conveyed by the Council in the following:— 
“ But with reference to the obligations which the regulations 
would impose, they venture to say that no vexatious proceed¬ 
ings will be adopted to inquire into their observance.” Of 
course, should any accident occur, it would most likely go 
much harder with those who shall not have complied with 
the regulations, and very justly so. 
It is much to be desired that, instead of the Council meet¬ 
ing with vexatious opposition, they may have the support of 
the trade generally; for, although it may be true that no 
amount of regulations will altogether prevent accidents hap¬ 
pening, still they must have a tendency in that direction, and 
the public will, I am sure, rightly value this guarantee from 
us that nothing is left undone by the trade that may conduce 
to their safety. And I most earnestly hope the Council will 
not by any pressure sought to be brought to bear upon them 
shrink from doing what they have, I think, wisely concluded 
to be their duty. 
One wno has known the Drug Trade 
MOKE THAN THIRTY YEARS. 
ShV ^our numerous correspondents show that the poison 
question is a very vexatious one. It appears to me that 
every M.P.S. has some good arrangement of his own, and 
no other w ill suit him as well as the one he adopts for his own 
establishment. This is the case with me: my plan is to keep 
acid, hydrocyanic., etc., in a distinct place, and for the ordinary 
shop bottles containing per. ant. tart., tr. camp, co., tr. nucis 
vomicae, etc., I use, in addition to the ordinary label, one 
of Silverlock’s registered labels, and this simple plan is in all 
points better for my purpose than any I have seen recom¬ 
mended. It is very plain any uniform system will disturb 
every plan now adopted, and be very likely to produce that 
confusion and those mistakes sought to be avoided. In re¬ 
ference to dispensing bottles containing outward applications, 
the application of sand-paper appears to me the best plan, if any 
is necessary, as the sign can be removed in case the bottle be 
used for anything else. The proposed particular-shaped 
bottle may be used for anything, and create rather than pre¬ 
vent accidents. It will be a great annoyance to have one’s 
premises open to inspection, and this, I amsure, every mem¬ 
ber of the trade ought to protest against. 
February 2 Qth, 1871. M. P. S. 
Sir,—That Mr. Brady, Mr. Reynolds and others are op¬ 
posed to the poison regulations may be taken as sufficient 
evidence of the reasonableness of the opposition, and ought, I 
think, to make every one interested in the question pause 
before exchanging the liberty he now possesses of conducting 
his business in the way most agreeable to himself for a sys¬ 
tem by which he will be bound to conform to certain fixed 
rules. 
The main argument of those who advocate the change is, 
that unless we acquiesce now, we shall, by-and-by, be com¬ 
pelled to submit to a more irksome code. 
Such an argument is most humiliating, and is suited to 
any obstinate or tyrannical official who cares only for the 
carrying out of some pet scheme. 
If on the merits of the question we believe the regulations 
unnecessary, let it be so avowed, and steps taken, as on former 
occasions, to resist any Government interference. 
That part of the scheme which has reference to the storing 
or keeping of poisons I consider the most objectionable, in¬ 
asmuch as it partakes in so great a degree of an inquisitorial 
character. 
We do not admit that the public suffers by the existing 
method of keeping poisons. What, then, has the public, or 
Government on the part of the public, to do with our mode 
of keeping them ? It may have a right to say how, or on 
what conditions, it will receive them, or under what restric¬ 
tions they shall be circulated, but as to the keeping of poisons 
I submit that no case has been made out which would justify 
so objectionable an interference. * 
Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland. John R. Thompson. 
February 27th, 1871. 
Sir,—In view of the approaching Annual Meeting of our 
Society, when, if the logomachy be eager,— 
“ Collecti flores tunicis 
Cecidere remissis.” 
—it should also be dignified and moderate; and having givera 
a careful and dispassionate consideration to the Council’s; 
“ statement,” I think that reticence or neutrality would be- 
untimely. 
It is an axiom in military science, that no fortress is 
stronger than its weakest point. Now the “ statement ” pos¬ 
sesses one feature of weakness. The resolution authorizing 
its issue had not an unanimous adoption; hence its intrinsic 
importance and influence are materially diminished. 
Touching the proposed regulation,—any code would neces¬ 
sitate for its effectuation, a multitude of contributive and sub¬ 
sidiary conditions; which, while recognizing professional 
status and requirement, should not unduly interfere with or 
impede trade interests and convenience. The new Pharmacy 
Act, by raising the standard of qualification, insured to the 
public a security that no mere classified inventory of poison- 
bottles would have effected. For, without this pharmaceu¬ 
tical curriculum, 
“ ’Tis still to be 
Senseless to feel and with seal’d eyes to see.” 
Notwithstanding, no well-affected chemist will ignore those 
precautions which prudence and discretion dictate as proper 
and desirable safeguards. 
Leeds , February 28 th, 1871. Clement Pierson. 
Sir,—Surely the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society 
cannot be so ill advised as to persist in their attempt to force 
the obnoxious poison regulations on the trade, now ren¬ 
dered doubly offensive by the addition of a clause to regulate 
the dispensing of poisons. The opposition already mani¬ 
fested does not, I believe, represent one-tenth of that which 
exists. Many, like myself, have been waiting in the hope of 
seeing some formal announcement that the Council hadi 
