198 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
occasions on which the business of the association w T as transacted, but it was in 
the evening gatherings that they w'ere, in the best sense of the word, a Society ; 
they came together to communicate to each other the result of their individual 
experience,—sometimes to have opinions confirmed, sometimes corrected,—but 
always, he believed, for mutual advantage, lie looked back with satisfaction 
to the meetings of last session, which had been as well attended and pleasant as 
any the Society had ever held, and he trusted the coming session would be as 
successful. When they met last year they were all expectation for the British 
Pharmacopoeia, but now that it had been in their hands for some months there 
was as much, or more, uncertainty respecting it than before, and he did feel 
it was desirable that, if possible, this Society should make some effort to re¬ 
move that uncertainty : he thought many expected a revised edition, but he be¬ 
lieved there w T as no ground for such expectation ; another edition would doubt¬ 
less come in due time, but they might have to w r aitlong for it, and in the mean¬ 
time there should be uniformity of practice among dispensers. Good or bad, 
the British Pharmacopoeia was their legal authority ; and it was a great incon¬ 
venience on receiving a prescription from a customer which had been previously 
prepared elsewhere to feel doubtful whether P.L. or P.B. had been the guide of 
the former dispenser; in many cases, such for instance as infusion of gentian, 
the difference would be apparent and, although really immaterial, would shake 
the confidence of the patient. 
The Poison question was attracting great attention just now, and he thought it 
very probable that some legislative action would be taken on it during the next 
Session of Parliament; it might be well to introduce some provision on this 
subject into the new Pharmacy Bill, but that was a matter for grave considera¬ 
tion ; it was one of the most difficult questions they had to deal with; there 
had been a discussion on it in the Conference at Bath, but he could find no 
satisfactory measures proposed. If poison-closets were established nobody knew 
where to stop, and between different poisons in the closet there must be great 
distinctions ; still the public, who knew nothing of the practical difficulties of 
the trade, seemed to demand some action, and it became the Pharmaceutical 
Society to be prepared. This public desire had been much stimulated by the 
recent report of Dr. Taylor, and there was one case mentioned therein to wdiich 
he, the President, must refer. It was one in which it was alleged that four 
packets of oxalic acid had been sold by a druggist in mistake for Epsom salt, 
and death had been caused thereby. Now the circumstances corresponded so 
perfectly with those of an established case of fraud, that the identity of the 
two seemed almost certain. Epsom salt had been asked for, and w 7 as really 
supplied ; but it was proved that the purchaser, whose life had just been heavily 
insured, had on the same day bought half a pound of oxalic acid, and although 
the remaining packets labelled Epsom salt contained oxalic acid, they contained 
also in the folds of the paper Epsom salt, and w r ere sealed with wax differing 
from that used by the druggist. A verdict of Suicide w 7 as given after a length¬ 
ened investigation. Pharmaceutists w r ere liable to such a danger as this amongst 
others. 
The first evening of the session was usually devoted to the distribution of 
prizes ; this must be always a pleasing duty ; it w r as a pleasure to be brought 
face to face with successful men, indeed success itself made a man interesting, 
but in this case the success had been achieved in their own institution, and was 
satisfactory evidence that the system adopted had worked well. The President 
hoped the reports which he now called on the Professors to give would further 
prove this. 
