April 8, 1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
800 
I' 
THE 
PROPOSED POISON REGULATIONS. 
MEETING OF CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS 
AT SHEFFIELD. 
On Thursday evening, March 30th, a Meeting of 
Chemists and Druggists was held at the rooms of the 
Pharmaceutical and Chemical Association, to consider 
the regulations which have- been proposed for adoption 
by the Pharmaceutical Council as to the storing, dis¬ 
pensing and sale of poisons. 
Mr. J. T. Dobb, the President of the Association, 
occupied the chair, and stated that if the regulations 
were passed at the meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society 
in May, they would be sent to the Privy Council and 
would very soon afterwards become law. Many chemists 
and druggists thought the regulations were too stringent, 
that they would interfere with their privileges, that 
chemists and druggists were sufficiently well educated 
and qualified to dispense poisons, and that special legis¬ 
lation for them was not required. The subject was a 
most important one, and the meeting had been called in 
order to obtain an expression of opinion from the chemists 
and druggists of the town. 
Mr. Wilson moved, ‘‘That this meeting regards the 
proposed compulsory regulations for the storing and 
■dispensing of poisons as an unwarrantable interference 
with the freedom and independence of the trade, uncalled 
for by the public and without leading to their greater 
safety; and further, this meeting desires to impress upon 
the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society the serious 
personal and legal responsibility already resting upon 
chemists and druggists, which naturally makes them 
adopt the most careful precautionary measures to prevent 
accidents ; and as every business is so varied and peculiar 
in its character and circumstances, each principal should 
xemain at liberty to make such arrangements as will 
best suit his own case to secure safety, and therefore 
the proposed legislation upon the subject would be un¬ 
wise, inconvenient and unnecessary ; and this meeting, 
while recognizing with respect the Pharmaceutical 
Council, pledges itself to oppose energetically the pro¬ 
posed compulsory poison regulations.” 
This was seconded by Mr. Stevenson. 
Mr. Preston objected to the proposed regulations, 
but at the same time thought some regulations were 
needed, and that certain regulations might be suggested 
which every member of the trade could agree with. Ho 
objected to the clause in the resolution—“ and, therefore, 
any definite legislation upon the subject would be un¬ 
wise, inconvenient and unnecessary”—and moved, as an 
amendment, the proposition with the clause omitted. 
This was seconded. 
Mr. Radley was opposed to the regulations, and sug¬ 
gested that the Pharmaceutical Society should send to 
every member of the trade recommendations as to poisons 
which they might adopt or not, as they thought fit. 
This was objected to by Mr. Hudson, who considered 
that if they laid themselves open to receiving recom¬ 
mendations, the Privy Council would think the regula¬ 
tions were necessary. 
Mr. Cubley spoke in favour of the resolution, and ex¬ 
pressed his opinion that if the regulations were enforced, 
innumerable accidents with poisons would arise within 
twelve months after their coming into operation. 
After some further discussion, at the suggestion of Mr. 
Cocking, Mr. Wilson consented to alter his resolution 
so that the words “ the proposed legislation ” were in¬ 
serted instead of the words “any definite legislation.” 
Mr. Preston then withdrew his amendment, and the 
resolution as amended was carried unanimously. 
Mr. Radley proposed, “ That in the opinion of this 
meeting the best means to prevent accidents in the 
storing, dispensing and selling of poisons is the im¬ 
proved education of the chemists and druggists, secured 
by the Pharmacy Act, 1868, which will accomplish all 
that is required for the protection and safety of the 
public.” 
Mr. Ward seconded the motion, and after some dis¬ 
cussion it was adopted unanimously. 
Mr. Cocking moved and Mr. Preston seconded, “ That 
partial legislation on the subject of poisons is impolitic 
and unjust, and that any regulations which do not apply 
equally to surgeons, apothecaries, veterinary surgeons, 
hospitals and dispensaries cannot be deemed satisfactory 
to this meeting.” N 
The motion met with cordial approval; and in the 
course of a brief discussion upon it the Chairman ex¬ 
pressed his opinion that some surgeons required to be 
looked after more than chemists and druggists, as they 
allowed their medicines to be dispensed by the boys who 
looked after their horse and carriage, who cleaned their 
boots, and who filled up the remainder of their time by 
making themselves useful about the house. The motion 
was unanimously adopted, as was another to the effect 
that the resolutions be forwarded to the Pharmaceutical 
Council. 
A cordial vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded 
the proceedings. 
MEETING OF CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS AT 
BIRMINGHAM. 
A Meeting, convened by the Midland Counties Che¬ 
mists’ Association, was held, March 31st, in the Com¬ 
mittee Room of the Temperance Hall, Temple Street, to 
consider the proposed new regulations with respect to 
the sale of poisons. The chair was taken by Mr. 
Arblaster, President, and there were present Messrs. 
Palmer, Dymond, Crookes, Miller, Sanderson, Brown, 
Price, Grieves, Lucas and others. 
In commencing the proceedings, the Chairman said 
the question was one of great importance to all of them. 
It would be in the recollection of most present that at 
the meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society in May last 
the proposed poison regulations were the great subject 
of discussion. The regulations which were then sub¬ 
mitted were negatived after very considerable discus¬ 
sion; but a resolution was passed in the following 
terms“ That the subject be taken into consideration 
by the incoming Council; and that a further report be 
made to the next Annual Meeting.” From that time— 
from May last till the present time—he believed the sub¬ 
ject had continually engaged the attention of the Phar¬ 
maceutical Society, and they had again proposed regula¬ 
tions somewhat similar in character to those of last 
year; but they had tacked on a clause relating to the 
dispensing of liniments, embrocations and lotions in par¬ 
ticular-shaped bottles. With that exception, the regu¬ 
lations were the same as before. They now stood as 
follows:— 
“ 1. In the keeping of poisons, each bottle, vessel, box 
or package containing a poison shall be labelled with 
the name of the article, and also with some distinctive 
mark indicating that it is poison. 2. Also in the keep¬ 
ing of poisons, each poison shall be kept on one or other 
of the following systems, viz. ( a ) in a bottle or vessel 
tied over, capped, locked or otherwise secured in a man¬ 
ner different from that in which bottles or vessels con¬ 
taining ordinary articles are secured in the same ware¬ 
house, shop or dispensary; or ( b) in a bottle or vessel 
readily distinguishable by touch from the bottles or 
vessels in which ordinary articles are kept in the same 
warehouse, shop or dispensary; or (c) in a bottle, vessel, 
box or package kept in a room or cupboard set apart for 
dangerous articles. 3. All liniments, embrocations and 
lotions containing poison shall be sent out in bottles 
