PRESCRIPTIONS AND POISONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 224, 15 June 1908, Page 6

PRESCRIPTIONS AND POISONS.

VIEWS OF CHEMISTS. DEPUTATION TO THE I-ioN. G. FOWLDS. As an outcome on.tlie conference of chemists which was held iu Wellington last week, i deputation waiteel! upon tho Hon. G. Fowids, Minister fornf uhlio Health, oil Saturday morning. Mr. ; ,C. H. Izard, M.P., introdueed tho deputation, and Dr. J. Malcolm Mason, Chief Health Officer, was present. -- ;. ' Mr. L. M'Kcnzio, ..of -Wellington, Prcsiueut of the FcdcratoiJ' Association' of Cheniists, brieily indicated'the 1 wishes of tho conas already imported, in regard to the . Opium Act, tho. .setting up of an advisory committee under tho Pure Food Act, and the proposals of"t]io Poisons Bill. ■ The I, Minister said htf'recognised the desiro of the' Federation to,.work in harmony with the Government- in putting the question of pure food and drug 3 oil, tho most satisfactory oasis possible in the interests, of the whole community. Ho had "no doubt that the results of'the deliberations of tho Conference would be- of value toi the Government in framing future legislation and. regulations under tho Pure Food'/Act, . The <proposal.'to form an advisory committee, under the Act would be fully considered, but there were difficulties in,: tho way. So many people would think-thoy ought to be represented. Besides, the mcdical men and they ordinary chemists, _ there''- were herbalists, commercial men dealing in '-'various; kinds of medicines, and But, whether such a- committee was set up or not; they could rely upon this, that the; would Tie clad to have the advice of the officers of the Fed-, erjttioii so as to ensure that' the' reputations would be reasonablo in scope,and character. The Opium, Ac| ; was not /administered by his Department, and ,it .would be well , for the depiitstiom to put its-requests under that head in-J writing, and •'< forward, theni to the Minister for Customs. Thero. were no more copies of tho Sale of Poisons Bill available, and ,it was nbt .likely to .be reprinted. He was not. hopeful that'a measure on the same subject,would bo passed during the coming/sessionf but it . might be introduced ajtd- circulated,/ arid in that case the Federation would be supplied with copies as soon as possible, f TMe proposals of. the previous Bill in morphia, were too comprphensive,' and'.would [probably he I modified in. the new -measure. 'He did ..not know that there was »nj serious- objection to putting legally Qualified'.- veterinary sur-, geniis' on the same footing ;as'medical practitioners. in this connection.;: ■>, : Sqme' discussion followed ~as to the .sale of . preparations small quantities of. poison. Members of: tjie-flcputntion /stated that tbey did not wisfi to .ask the puhlie to sign too often ' It was-also suggested that unconspicuous poison labels ' would ho : s,qffi(?ieht on'/some preparations. _ Dr. Mason;-.on. tho 1 other' hand/ emphasised /the iiefed?.;for adeouate safeguards. -Finally; - the.''Minister - said lie thought there would bo no ..in coming to a.workable arrangement, as the Government was only anxious,, that the public should bo' reasonably, and ''/properly safeguarded. . I'' : "•