750 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[March 18, 1871, 
and gently rounded at the ends; coloured yellow. Cross 
section: polygons strongly coherent and regular, much 
like those of hemp, hut the central opening is larger; 
coloured yellow, darker at the rim. 
Kciv Zealand Flax. —Bundles of cells of the leaves, 
easily separated with a needle into stiff little fibres, pro¬ 
vided with a canal of uniform width. The sides are 
rolled inwards; coloured yellow. The cross section 
resembles that of jute, but the corners of the polygons 
are rounded off. They are coloured yellow by iodine 
tincture.— Journal of Applied Chemistry. 
MEETING IN NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. 
A Meeting of chemists and druggists was held in the 
lecture-room of the College of Medicine, Newcastle, on 
March 13th, to consider the poison regulations as pro- 
jiosed by the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society, and 
other business. Mr. J. W. Swan, having been called to 
the chair, opened the proceedings by saying it would 
be desirable to discuss, in a conversational manner, the 
merits of the proposed regulations before passing any 
formal resolution upon the subject. He remarked that 
if the regulations were adopted, and we were to practise 
a minimum of what would then be required, the re¬ 
quirement would be that all vessels containing poison 
should be distinguished in some exceedingly slight man¬ 
ner from those which contained non-poisonous substances. 
One great objection to a compulsory measure was, that 
the enforced precaution to be general must of neces¬ 
sity be slight, probably much less stringent than the 
precautionary measures which would otherwise have 
1 icon voluntarily adopted. As to special forms of poison 
bottles, as a particular pattern was not, and cannot be, 
universally adopted, the connection between a particular 
form of bottle and its contents, being invariably of a 
poisonous nature, could not by any possibility take hold 
of the public mind. Such bottles would, by the public, 
be put to all the natural uses of bottles in general, and 
at last be used quite indiscriminately. It appeared to 
him they had two or three courses to pursue in the 
matter. One was not to do anything at all; another 
was to support the Council in carrying out these com¬ 
pulsory regulations. Another course was to recommend 
some modification of the regulations; but if they wished 
to be left to themselves in the management of poisons, to 
use their own judgment, then the obvious course for 
them to pursue was to oppose the new regulations. 
Mr. Biiady explained the present position of the 
question as between the Privy Council, the Council of 
the Society and the members; and reviewed some of the 
reasons which might be given against the enactment of 
the regulations brought forward by the Council, con¬ 
demning any increase to the present compulsory code as 
probably entirely unnecessary and certainly premature. 
Mr. R. H. Brockett supported the remarks of the 
previous speakers; and after some further observations 
from the meeting, which expressed itself as being 
strongly opposed to the regulations, he moved the fol¬ 
lowing resolution, -which was seconded by Mr. Glover 
and carried unanimously:— 
“ Considering the great diversity of arrangements ne¬ 
cessary in different pharmaceutical establishments, this 
meeting thinks it impracticable to draw up any code of 
regulations for the keeping of poisons which it would 
be desirable to enforce alike in all.” 
The Chairman said he did not see the necessity for 
compulsory regulations, for practically no serious danger 
to the public at present existed. 
Various gentlemen present having expressed their 
conviction that the number of cases of poisoning which 
were sought to be prevented by the proposed regula¬ 
tions was very small, and likely to become gradually less 
under the operation of the Pharmacy Act, and that any 
compulsory derangement of existing precautions would 
result in a present, if not a permanent, increase of 
danger. Mr. R. Elliott moved— 
“ That it is not desirable to attempt any additions to 
the compulsory regulations for the keeping and selling 
of poisons already contained in the Pharmacy Act, till 
experience has shown that the latter do not afford all 
reasonable protection against errors on the part of phar¬ 
macists. 
The resolution, having been seconded by Mr. Wilkin¬ 
son, was carried unanimously. 
Mr. B. S. Proctor said that remarks having fallen 
from Mr. Brady and other gentlemen that it might bo 
desirable for the Council to submit a code of regulations 
which they could recommend for voluntary adoption 
wherever practicable, he would suggest that the addition 
of a label stating the dose was the most desirable addition 
to the name of the article, as a means of promoting an 
intelligent caution in the handling of dangerous drugs. 
He said he had taken so prominent a part in the dis¬ 
cussion of the question in the Journal, that he would 
not now move any resolution upon the subject; his 
desire being rather to elicit the expression of opinion 
from others than to advocate his own. He had already 
advocated this proposition, and now would only add that 
he considered it eminently useful, practical and simple, 
and calculated to encourage a thoughtful attention to the 
labels; in this respect contrasting with many distinctive 
marks or stoppers which had been proposed, which he 
thought likely to encourage the habit of knowing the 
bottle by its stopper or its general appearance, thus 
withdrawing part of the attention which should be con¬ 
centrated upon the label. If the meeting agreed with 
him in this respect, he would be glad to see a resolution 
proposed embodying the suggestion. 
A general conversation ensued, after which it was 
moved by Mr. T. E. Watson, seconded by Mr. J. C. 
Ritson, and carried unanimously,— 
“ That the following be suggested to the Coimcil of 
the Pharmaceutical Societv as a suitable basis for regu- 
lations to be recommended for voluntary adoption:—• 
11 In the keeping of Poisons. 
“1. That all poisons should be labelled with their 
name. 
“ 2. That poisons which are used internally should 
also bear a label stating their usual adult dose. 
“3. That poisons which are not used internally 
should bear a label with the words ‘ not for internal 
use.’ 
“ In the sale of Poisons. 
“ 4. That the above regulations should be observed 
in cases of ordinary sale, though not necessarily in 
dispensing.” 
Mr. Greenwell, M.P.S., moved and Mr. Alfred 
Brady, M.P.S., seconded the following resolution— 
“ That in the opinion of this meeting reporters should 
be admitted to the meetings of the Council of the Phar¬ 
maceutical Society, with the view of affording to the 
members of the Society fuller information respecting 
the management of its affairs.” 
The Chairman remarked that though the whole body 
of chemists and druggists, now being in some measure- 
under the control of the Pharmaceutical Society, had a 
right to criticize its management, he was glad to see thatr 
this resolution was moved and seconded by members of 
the Society. 
The Chairman said a meeting which had been so 
unanimous in its resolutions could not close more appro¬ 
priately than by all the gentlemen present contributing 
to defray the expenses incurred by those who had taken 
the trouble of drawing attention to the important ques¬ 
tion they had just been discussing. 
In response to this invitation fourteen gentlemen sub¬ 
scribed to the defence fund and towards the expenses of 
the meeting. 
On the motion of Mr. Glover, a vote of thanks to the 
Chairman was carried by acclamation. 
