436  ENGLISH  AND  FRENCH  PHARMACY. 
that  they  found  the  man  lying  down,  and  called  in  a  physician, 
who  immediately  detected  poisoning  by  Chloroform.  The  bottle 
which  had  contained  this  substance  was  produced  in  evidence, 
as  well  as  a  bill  showing  the  sale  of  150  grammes  of  Chloroform 
by  P.,  Pharmacien  to  L.,  also  Pharmacien.  (To  this  bill  was 
attached  a  prayer  to  the  Virgin.)  On  this  account  P.  was  sent 
before  the  correctional  police  for  having,  contrary  to  law,  sold  a 
poisonous  substance  without  the  prescription  of  a  medical  man,  or 
without  the  name  and  residence  of  the  buyer.  The  suicide  was 
identified,  when  it  turned  out  that  the  name  the  individual  had 
assumed  when  he  had  bought  the  Chloroform,  was  not  his  own, 
but  that  he  was  a  Paris  tradesman. 
The  defence  was  that  the  individual  had  declared  himself  a 
Pharmacien,  and  his  word  was  taken  for  it. 
The  Court  condemned  the  defendant  to  six  day's  imprison- 
ment, and  a  fine  of  1000  francs. 
Now,  just  suppose  in  England  a  man  coming  into  Chemist's 
shop,  asking  for  one  ounce  of  Chloroform,  with  a  statement  that 
he  knew  its  nature,  properties  and  use — that  he  was  himself  a 
Chemist,  and  wanted  it  for  his  own  purposes ;  would  he  be  de- 
nied ?  But  in  France  the  majesty  of  the  law  is  absolute,  its 
authority  usurps  the  place  of  personal  discretion,  and  in  its  fur- 
ther interference  leads  us  to  a  third  point  of  difference  between 
English  and  French  Pharmacy. 
Wonderfully  would  the  English  Chemist  be  astonished  were 
his  meditations  to  be  interrupted  suddenly  by  a  committee  of 
inspection.  How  little  would  he  like  to  see  the  invading  troop 
examine  the  contents  of  his  shelves,  ransack  his  cupboards,  and 
explore  his  drawers.  True,  indeed,  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  City,  the  College  of  Physicians,  as  represented  by  its  cen- 
sors, is  still  in  the  practice  of  visiting  Chemists'  shops — nor  is 
their  work  superficially  performed,  for  they  carry  with  them 
hydrometers  and  a  few  simple  reagents,  and  when  any  thing 
amiss  is  found  they  cause  an  official  letter  to  be  addressed  to 
the  peccant  Chemist ;  but,  beyond  the  gates  of  Temple  Bar5 
their  visits  are  like  the  angels',  few  and  far  between.  Let  the 
prudential  Chemist  avoid  the  County  Court,  and  he  may  make 
his  physic  as  he  pleases,  and  so  long  as  he  hurries  no  one  to  an 
untimely  tomb,  may  keep  the  even  tenor  of  his  way.  The  British 
