BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. 
GG5 
Alleged Poisoning by Opium.— A woman, named Bibby, has been convicted 
of the manslaughter of her child at the Manchester Assizes, and sentenced to fifteen 
months’ imprisonment. The dead body of the child was found secreted in a corded box 
at the Euston Station. It was supposed that the child’s death was caused by an over¬ 
dose of laudanum, carelessly administered by the prisoner, who was in the habit of 
giving it six, eight, or ten drops at a time, under the name of “ quietness.” The post¬ 
mortem examination showed congestion of the lungs, and fluid blood in the right 
cavities of the heart. No opium was discovered in the stomach. 
^ Alleged iDeath from drinking Paraffin Oil.—An inquest has been held at 
Castleford on the body of a glass-founder, named George Leach, who is supposed to 
have been poisoned by imbibing paraffin oil. Leach was found stretched on the ground, 
stiff and livid, and died in about twenty hours after he was found, without ever having 
given any tokens of sensibility. The testimony of Mr. Kemp, who had made a post¬ 
mortem examination of the bod} r , showed that it was completely imbued with a sub¬ 
stance smelling strongly of paraffin ; but neither he nor Mr. Fairley, analytical chemist, 
were aware that paraffin or any similar substance had ever caused death. He had tried 
four ounces of paraffin, in two doses, upon a dog, and found after sixteen hours that the 
animal was little the worse for what it had taken, and seemed likely to recover. The 
jury were unable to arrive at any definite conclusion, and returned an open verdict. 
^ Poisoning by Essence of Almonds. —An inquest has been held at Bexley, 
Kent, on the body of a boy named Clements, thirteen years of age. Deceased had been 
a page in a gentleman’s family, and while some pomade was being prepared with 
essence of almonds in the kitchen of his master’s house he tasted the liquid, and in a 
few hours afterwards suddenly became ill, then insensible, and died in a short time. A 
fellow-servant, who had also tasted the liquid, was with difficulty saved from a similar 
fate.—The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death,” with a suggestion that it 
would be conducive to the public safety if such articles were labelled “ Poison.” This 
addition to the verdict was caused by the remark of one of the jurors, who said he had 
been told that it was not customary to label Essence of Almonds “Poison,” but this, it 
appears, referred to that only which had been deprived of prussic acid. 
BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. 
The annual meeting of the members of the British Pharmaceutical Conference will 
be held at Birmingham, in September this year, at the time of the visit of the British 
Association to that town. Of the subjects suggested for investigation the following have 
been accepted, either by the gentlemen who proposed them or by other members, and a 
paper on each question will be read at the meeting :— 
1. Extract of Fucus vesiculosus is occasionally prescribed for use in medicine. When 
made by the action. of proof-spirit, a green product is obtained; when by water, a red 
extract results. What is the most eligible form in which to exhibit any medicinal prin¬ 
ciples that may be present in the plant ? Accepted by J. Whitfield. 
2. Valerianate of Zinc. Describe an easy method of determining the purity of this salt 
as found in commerce. Accepted by F. Sutton. 
3. Valerianate of Iron. What is the best process for the preparation of this salt ? 
What are its characters, and how may its purity be most readily ascertained ? Accepted 
by F. Sutton. 
9. Ergot. What is its active principle, and what the best preparation for its adminis¬ 
tration ? Accepted by R. V. Tuson. 
10. On some of the rarer essential oils. By C. Umney. 
28. Euphorbine. Professor Tuson will add to some experiments he has already made 
■on this substance, and report the result to the Conference. 
33. Pereiriue. Dr. C. A. Martius will communicate a paper on this body. 
36. Some of the pill-masses of the Pharmacopoeia are of inconvenient consistence, or 
acquire that condition by keeping ; can this be obviated ? Accepted by E. Wood. 
43. On microscopic analysis applied to pharmacy. Continued by H. Deane and H. 
B. Brady. 
44. Distilled waters. Should these be prepared from the raw material, or from the 
■essential oil ? Can any be advantageously prepared without distillation? What are the 
