ApriLi,^31'}    Precautions  in  Dispensing  Poisons.  169 
known  to  many  in  the  profession.  State  laws,  however  wisely  framed, 
will  not  prevent  accidental  poisoning,  and  education  is  not  always  an 
absolute  security  against  errors  in  dispensing.  A  temporary  aliena- 
tion of  the  mind  has  often  caused  serious  errors  in  compounding  pre- 
scriptions, even  with  those  well  skilled  in  their  profession.  It  should, 
therefore,  be  our  aim  to  have  all  potent  medicines  so  guarded,  and 
their  dispensing  so  regulated,  that  the  liability  to  error  would  be 
greatly  lessened,  if  not  altogether  prevented.  Having  given  the  sub- 
ject much  careful  consideration,  I  have  adopted  the  following  precau- 
tions in  my  own  establishment : 
1.  All  bottles  on  the  shelves  containing  such  substances  as  tincture 
of  aconite  root,  tincture  of  digitalis,  Fowler's  solution,  tincture  of 
opium,  tartar  emetic,  bichloride  of  mercury,  &c,  are  of  blue  glass, 
with  a  red  caution  label  on  the  back  of  each  bottle. 
2.  Extracts  of  aconite,  belladonna,  nux  vomica,  opium,  digitalis, 
&c,  are  contained  in  the  ordinary  jars  properly  labelled — and  then 
inclosed  in  a  tin  can,  also  labelled  with  red  letters  painted  on  the  tin. 
3.  The  powerful  alkaloids  as  strychnia,  veratria,  atropia,  morphia, 
and  such  articles  as  arsenic,  hydrocyanic  acid,  &c,  are  kept  in  their 
original  bottles,  in  a  closet  under  lock  and  key,  and  when  dispensed, 
the  assistant  dispensing  calls  another  to  witness  that  the  article  and 
quantity  dispensed  corresponds  with  the  prescription  ;  a  note  is  taken 
by  whom  the  prescription  was  vised. 
This  plan,  strictly  adhered  to,  furnishes  an  efficient  safeguard,  and 
is  attended  with  so  little  trouble,  that  it  may  be  readily  adopted  in 
every  store. 
All  my  labels  for  poisonous  drugs,  liniments,  and  medicines  for 
external  applications,  are  printed  on  bright  red  paper — some  of  which 
have  a  sanded  border.  The  object  of  this  is  that  even  in  the  dark,  by 
the  sense  of  touch  they  may  be  distinguished  from  other  labels — 
whilst  their  color  and  peculiar  appearance  in  daytime  will  render 
them  conspicuous. 
The  sanding  of  the  labels  is  attended  with  some  trouble,  and  I  find 
it  necessary  to  do  it  in  the  store — but  nothing  should  be  considered 
too  troublesome  that  will  guard  human  life  from  the  possibility  of  ac- 
cidents in  the  dispensing  of  medicines.  Labels  may  be  sanded  by 
covering  the  part  to  be  sanded  with  thick  elm  water,  and  then  dusting 
over  it  No.  1  flint  sand,  and  allowing  them  to  dry, 
Bottles  of  various  colors  have  been  used  in  dispensing  poisonous 
