September 30,1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
271 
^Jmnnactutital Journal, 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1871. 
Communications for this Journal, and boohs for revie tv, etc., 
should be addressed to the Editor, 17, Bloomsbury Square. 
Instructions from Members and Associates respecting the 
transmission of the Journal should be sent to Elias Brem- 
ridge, Secretary, 17, Bloomsbury Square, TF . C . 
Advertisements to Messrs. Churchill, New Burlington 
Street, London, JF. Envelopes indorsed “ Bharm. Journ.” 
THE APPLICATION OF THE PHARMACY ACT. 
Though we liave lately heard much about phar¬ 
maceutical monopoly, and the limitation of the right 
to sell drugs has been spoken of as though it were a 
ground for reproach, cases are constantly being re¬ 
ported in the daily papers which show that the in¬ 
terests of the public would be more secure if that limi¬ 
tation were more rigidly enforced than it is. Only last 
week we reported the case of the grocer at Weeley 
selling laudanum in place of syrup of poppies; and 
tliis week we have another case, in which laudanum 
was given by mistake for tincture of rhubarb. 
A provincial paper, in speaking of tliis case, asks 
who is the Local Secretary of the Pharmaceutical 
Society at the place where this occurred; and the 
writer goes on to say that he should take care not 
only of the interests of chemists and druggists, but 
should also see that grocers and others do not sell 
poisons ; and we take the opportunity of mentioning 
the opinion thus expressed, because we have reason 
to believe it is one not uncommonly entertained. 
A little reflection, however, will suffice to show 
that such an opinion involves a serious misconcep¬ 
tion of the duties a Local Secretary of the Society 
may be expected to perform. It would, in fact, con¬ 
vert those officers into a land of special police, and, 
in many instances, might interfere seriously with 
their own business. In regard to tliis point it can¬ 
not be too strongly urged that under the Pharmacy 
Act 18G8 any one has the power of proceeding 
against those who deal illegally in poisons, and it 
would seem that the persons who should do tliis are 
those who may be injured. We are constantly re¬ 
ceiving letters from members of the trade complain¬ 
ing of the sale of drugs by grocers and other un¬ 
qualified persons as a practice that is unfair and 
prejudicial to themselves, and we would recommend 
to all such a careful study of the Act and its pro¬ 
visions, for we feel sure they would thereby come to 
see how easily they could protect themselves by its 
aid. 
While spealdng of the Pharmacy Act, it may not 
be amiss to refer again to the very general ignorance 
prevailing as to the requirements of the Act in the 
sale of poisons. Tliis is conspicuous with magistrates- 
and coroners. Li one of the inquest cases reported 
tliis week a druggist was “ severely censured ” by 
the coroner for selling laudanum without registering 
the sale, and told “ it was a fortunate tiling for him 
that the evidence went to prove the deceased had 
not died from taking laudanum, otherwise the ver¬ 
dict would have been a veiy unpleasant one as far 
as Mr. Field was concerned,” because, as the- 
Coroner affirmed, “ it was contrary to law for any 
chemist to sell poison without registration.” It is- 
inexcusable that those whose business it is to ad¬ 
minister the law should commit such flagrant errors,, 
and thereby, perhaps, inflict unmerited injury on 
persons who are in no way open to blame, but who 
have, as in this case, acted strictly in accordance 
with the Act. 
THE COMING SESSION. 
Before the next number of the Journal appears,, 
the holiday season that precedes and follows the 
meeting of the Pharmaceutical Conference will have 
come to an end, and the usual routine business of 
the Society will have been recommenced by the 
evening meeting, which takes place next Wednesday, 
On that occasion our readers are aware there will be 
another of those inaugural addresses which have 
been for the past three years not only a source of 
much gratification, but also, we are bold enough to 
say, a means of exercising a most potent beneficial 
influence on those who had the good fortune to hear 
them. This year the series of addresses delivered, 
by Brady, Deane and Schaoht will be worthily con¬ 
tinued by a pharmaceutist who has always been a 
staunch supporter of the Society, and has done much 
to promote the interests of liis craft in Scotland. Not. 
only for these reasons, and on account of his mature- 
experience, but also because he is a thorough repre¬ 
sentative of Scottish character, we urge upon every 
one who can manage it not to miss the opportunity 
of hearing John Mackay. 
COD-LIVER OIL JELLY. 
Preparations of cod-liver oil appear of late to> 
have attracted an unenviable notoriety. If tlio 
“palatable” cod-liver oil lately introduced be not- 
more pleasant than the discussion which took place- 
in tliis Journal in reference to it, we fear that pre¬ 
paration would find little favour. And now a simi- 
| lar difficulty has arisen in reference to the cod-liver 
oil jelly, wliicli many of our readers will remember 
was exhibited at the Liverpool Meeting of the Con¬ 
ference. We believe that both, or, at any rate, one- 
of these preparations has enjoyed the advantages of 
that kind of semi-editorial advertisement by tlm 
medical journals which they have lately adopted in 
common with their comic contemporaries. Some¬ 
time ago a pharmaceutical correspondent drew our 
