EDITORIAL. 
467 
this  kind  have  occurred  in  Philadelphia,  and,  we  doubt  not,  elsewhere.  It 
has  been  our  custom  for  many  years  past  to  keep  this  solution  in  summer 
in  a  refrigerated  closet,  to  prevent  loss  by  evaporation,  and  always  to  re- 
frigerate a  newly  received  bottle  before  attempting  to  open  it,  if  in  warm 
weather,  and  even  then,  to  hold  the  stopper  with  some  force  whilst  loosen- 
ing it. 
The  same  precautions  are  applicable^  concentrated  ether,  nitro  muriatic 
acid  and  similar  preparations. 
In  accidents  to  the  eyes  from  ammonia  after  the  immediate  use  of  cold 
water,  rose  water  with  sassafras  mucilage,  holding  in  solution  a  grain  of 
acetate  of  lead  to  four  fluid  ounces,  should  be  freely  applied,  and  to  the 
blistered  skin,  lime  water  and  linseed  oil,  spread  on  linen  cloth. 
Sale  of  Poisons  by  Apothecaries — Damages  adjudged. — We  learn, 
through  the  Boston  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal  of  June  24th,  1858,  that 
"  a  verdict  of  $100.70  was  rendered  in  the  Superior  Court  of  that  city 
against  Emery  Souther,  an  apothecary,  (in  good  standing,)  for  the  alleged 
delivery  to  a  customer,  Mrs.  Bean,  of  a  quantity  of  belladonna,  instead 
of  balmony  or  snakehead  ( Chelone  glabra^  an  herb  employed  by  botanic 
practitioners.  The  herb  was  put  up  by  a  boy  who  was  quite  sure  he 
had  given  balmony,  and  who,  moreover,  produced  in  Court  the  package 
from  which  he  had  taken  it.  The  evidence  for  the  plaintiff  was,  that  Mrs. 
Bean  became  very  sick  in  the  night  after  partaking  of  a  tea  made  from  the 
herb,  and  that  her  symptoms  were  those  of  poisoning  from  belladonna. 
We  do  not  learn  that  the  leaves  employed  by  Mrs.  Bean  were  examined 
by  experts,  and  pronounced  to  be  those  of  belladonna,  which  would  be  the 
only  sure  test.  We  were  not  present  during  the  trial,  but  from  the  report 
of  the  case  we  have  great  doubts  as  to  the  justness  of  the  verdict.  The 
amount  of  damages  claimed  was  $4,000." 
This  is  a  case  worthy  the  attention  of  apothecaries.  If  it  be  true,  as 
alleged,  that  the  boy  sold  balmony  and  not  belladonna,  and  that  the  sick- 
ness was  produced  by  other  causes,  it  is  a  hard  case  for  the  defendant.  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  package  of  herb,  although  labelled  "  balmony,"  was 
really  belladonna,  wrongly  labelled,  then,  although  the  apothecary  may  not 
be  acquitted  in  the  view  of  the  law,  he  has  his  redress  against  the  party 
who  originally  put  up  and  mislabelled  the  herb.  It  is  highly  probable, 
should  the  latter  view  be  true,  that  the  package  was  pressed  in  the  manner 
of  the  Shakers'  herbs,  so  as  to  render  it  difficult  by  appearance  to  recognize 
the  botanical  characters  of  the  plant.  This  affords  another  instance  of  the 
need  of  botanical  knowledge  among  druggists  and  apothecaries,  and  points 
to  the  propriety  of  keeping  herbs  in  an  unpressed,  easily  recognizable 
form.  We  should  be  glad  to  learn  from  our  Boston  friends  the  true  history 
of  the  case. 
