§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the numerous cases of poisoning by carbolic acid, the number being 62 in the latest Annual Report of the Registrar General, inclusive of 42 suicides; and 12 cases having been reported in the newspapers during September and part of October this year; whether the Pharmaceutical Society has 227 expressed an opinion that carbolic acid ought to be placed among poisons within the purview of the Pharmacy Act; whether the Town Clerk of Liverpool, by order of the Municipal Authorities, addressed a Memorial to the Privy Council urging the desirability of restricting the sale of carbolic acid; and, whether the Government intend to take any action in the matter?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. STUART-WORTLEY)(who replied) said (Sheffield, Hallam)The answer to the first three paragraphs is in the affirmative. The Resolution passed by the Pharmaceutical Society has been submitted to the Privy Council Office for approval, and is now under consideration; but there are difficulties in the way of approving the Resolution. Skilled opinion is not altogether favourable to the views expressed by the Society, and the question is one that requires great consideration.