The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, June 8, 1933. PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE.

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1933, Page 4

The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, June 8, 1933. PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE.

The truism that “f'amiliai’ity breeds contempt’ lias an unpleasant way at times of obtruding itself, and none more unpleasant and calculated to cause alarm than when it is applied to the care <>l poisonous drugs and chemicals. Where powders or liquids containing poison are supplied for

an especial purpose Io ordinary laymen who do not appreciate their deadly qualities the need for lhe greatest care in placing' them where there can be no possibility what ever of their being accidentally mistaken and used for something else of a quite harmless kind can never be too strongly stressed. Events indicate that this caution can well be carried into the warehouse or shop where such poisonous potions or powders are sold in bulk, for even there evidences are not wanting of failure to exercise a proper definite care in handling such drugs as are dangerous to human life. The latest evidence of the carelessness brought about by familiarity with death-dealing drugs comes from Auckland anil is provided in the evidence given at a t'oronial inquest where the verdict returned was that the deceased had met his death as a result of taking strychine in the assumption that it was slippery elm bark. The disclosure of such a happening as is cited indicates clearly that laxity occurred in the warehouse or shop supplying the deadly drug in place of one entirely harmless. The. evidence suggests that the salesman supplying the drug took no care to ensure that he was supplying what was required, his evidence going to show that he merely went to a shelf, took a bag containing something in the nature of a drug, selected the portion he required and handed it to the buyer without taking any pains to make certain that he was supplying what was asked for indeed. it would appear that the bag containing what was asked for and the bag containing what was supplied were both similar to outward appearance, no mention being made as to identification marks or warning that the contents of the one bag were poison or not. A great responsibility is placed on the shoulders of those handling dangerous drugs and are properly qualified to do so but though the obligation is ever present the perfunctory-man-ner in which poison is handled appears to suggest that it is high time rigid regulations were made to assure the safety of individuals purchasing such -wares as are dangerous to life without the precautionary measure of properly labelling them having been observed.

“Misadventure” covers up a mul. titude of sins but it does not give back the life that has been lost as the result of someone’s failure to take care. The pity is that many in positions which call for the strictest care fail entirely to appreciate the responsibility the confidence reposed in them calls for. It is not sufficient where life is concerned that a certain drug should have a certain place on a certain shelf and that because some package is in that certain place that it is the one which should be there. There should be no doubts and there need not be either were a proper fool-proof system. followed to prevent such happenings as in the case under review. Where human lives are concerned, no slipshod rule-of-thumb methods should be permitted and those in authority should see to it that the chance of error is so small as to be practically non-existent in the proper handling of dangerous drugs either liquid or in solid form. The need for care has been so often emphasised by the dire results following the carelessness of some responsible person that repetition should be next Io impossible. The evidence at yesterday’s inquest indicates that some do fail in their duty to humanity still, despite the ample warning brought to their doors in the unhappy results of a dereliction of duty such as a little care, common sense and interest in one’s work could have obviated. So long as the human element has to be reckoned with so long will aeeidend.s continue to happen but the adoption of means to prevent are better that means to cure.