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editorial  iOtpatlnienf. 
Fatal  Cases  of  Poisoning;  Pharmaceutical  Carelessness. — Within  the 
last  two  or  three  years  the  deaths  by  poisoning,  accidental  and  designed 
have  been  unusually  numerous.  Hardly  a  Medical  or  Pharmaceutical  journa 
comes  to  hand,  but  presents  some  account  of  such  catastrophes.  These 
cases  may  be  divided  into  three  classes  ; — 1st,  accidental  poisoning;  2d,  in- 
tentional suicidal  poisoning  ;  3d,  and  intentional  murderous  poisoning.  Of 
the  latter  class  the  celebrated  case  of  Palmer  in  England,  who  victimized 
friends  and  relations  for  lucre  merely,  is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary. 
Domestic  troubles,  taking  their  origin  in  ill-assorted  marriages,  are  a  fruit- 
ful source  of  both  murderous  and  suicidal  poisoning ; — and  occasionally 
revenge  for  real  or  fancied  wrong  has  resorted  to  poison  as  the  agent  for 
its  gratification.  In  cases  of  this  character,  pharmaceutists  are  rarely  im- 
plicated, further  than  is  occasioned  by  the  laxity  of  law  and  castom  in 
reference  to  the  sale  of  poisons,  which  under  plea  of  use  for  vermin  may  be 
obtained  with  comparative  readiness.  But  a  few  days  since,  the  papers 
recorded  an  instance  where  a  man  poisoned  himself  and  family  by  putting 
a  shilling's  worth  of  arsenic  in  the  morning  coffee,  resulting  in  the  death 
of  three.  Poison  bought  for  vermin  is  carelessly  left  in  a  position  where  it 
gets  accidentally  admixed  in  food,  death  ensues,  and  occasions  but  a  pass- 
ing remark  from  the  editor  who  records  the  occurrence.  When,  however, 
through  the  agency  of  an  apothecary,  poisoning  ensues,  that  public  opinion, 
so  lenient  in  the  former  case,  rises  up  in  judgment  upon  the  delinquent, 
and  sometimes  consigns  him  to  the  prison,  as  has  occurred  recently  in 
England.  Why  is  this  ?  Because  the  community  repose  confidence  in  the 
apothecary  as  a  conservator  of  tha  public  health,  and  expect  him  to  possess 
those  qualifications,  natural  and  educational,  requisite  to  carry  out  the 
important  duties  of  his  profession. 
Pharmaceutists  are,  however,  made  of  the  same  materials  as  other  men — 
the  same  deficiencies  of  education — the  same  variations  of  the  intellectual 
and  moral  faculties.  Nature  makes  no  special  class  designed  to  fulfil  the 
onerous  and  responsible  duties  of  pharmacy  with  unerring  certainty.  In 
order  that  posterity  may  have  those  duties  performed,. it  is  necessary  that 
boys,  (and  girls  too,  if  these  are  to  be  employed  as  pharmaceutical  assistants) 
in  this  generation,  should  be  taught  them,  and  to  be  able  to  learn,  they  must 
be  afforded  the  opportunity  to  practice  at  the  counter.  But  it  should  be 
under  the  surveillance  of  qualified  persons.  To  expect  more  than  this  in 
the  present  unprotected  condition  of  pharmacy  is  like  expecting  people  to 
be  expert  swimmers  before  they  go  in  the  water !  Some  cannot  learn  to 
swim  even  with  the  latter  privilege,  and  so  some  men  can  never  become 
expert  and  reliable  pharmaceutists,  owing  to  natural  deficiencies  and  want 
