§ Order for Committee read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."
§ DR. BREWERsaid, he had an Amendment on the Paper that the Bill should be committed that day six months. The Bill would not secure the purposes it contemplated, and would raise objections of a more serious character than those at present entertained on the subject. The word "poison" was used in the Act of last year, which this Bill proposed to amend, in a way that would lead to great inconvenience; and it was of the utmost importance that the wide application of the word in that Act should not be permitted to remain law. The word as used would include paregoric lozenges and other preparations which were of a comparatively harmless character. It was highly objectionable that such substances, when sold, should be labelled "poison;" and, in many cases, medicines so inscribed would have a very injurious effect upon patients, simply from the patient being aware that the medicine was so described.
§ Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words "this House will, upon this day six months, resolve itself into the said Committee,"—(Dr. Brewer,)—instead thereof.
§ Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
§ MR. NEWDEGATEsaid, that the Bill was not to extend to veterinary surgeons, and a great deal of confusion would arise in consequence of it, especially in Scotland, because anybody, a mere farrier for instance, who called himself a veterinary surgeon, would come within the provision.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, he hoped the House would be allowed to go into Committee, and that his hon. Friend (Dr. Brewer) would not press his opposition.
§ DR. BREWERsaid, he could not resist anything the Government determined 1934 on, and would, therefore, withdraw his Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§ Main Question, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and agreed to.
§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUexpressed his willingness to accept the Amendments which had been put upon the table by the Lord Advocate.
§ DR. BREWERtrusted that they would now report Progress.
§ MR. POCHINsaid, he was sure that those who knew anything of the matter would feel that neither the Bill nor the Amendments met the difficulties of the case. The provisions of the present Act were grossly disregarded, and if it was to be amended it must be by some more radical Amendments than any he had seen proposed. He moved that the Committee report Progress.
THE LORD ADVOCATEsaid, this Bill was to amend a mistake in the Act of last year. When the Act came down from the House of Lords last year it contained a clause that nothing in it was to interfere with the practice of legally qualified apothecaries. The present Act was to remedy an error which would otherwise be serious.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEurged that if the Royal Highland Society received power to grant certificates, the Royal Veterinary Society of Camden Town ought to receive similar powers.
§ MR. WHALLEYsupported the Motion to report Progress on the ground that the legislation of last year upon this subject had caused the deaths of many persons. The question before the Committee was evidently one of life and death; and if it came to a vote he should be quite at ft loss to know whether he would be voting for the life or death of a person.
§ MR. M'LAGANexplained that it was only after a most careful and searching examination the Highland Society granted certificates to veterinary surgeons.
§ Motion negatived.
§ House resumed.
§ Bill reported; as amended, to be considered upon Monday 10th May, and to be printed. [Bill 99.]