HC Deb 23 March 1891 vol 351 cc1654-5
MR. S. SMITH (Flintshire)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the large consumption of chlorodyne, especially among women, and the grave evils which result from this practice; whether the fact of chlorodyne being a patent medicine and protected by a stamp exempts it from the operation of the Sale of Poisons Act; and whether the Government will take into consideration the expediency of classing chlorodyne with other narcotics, and only allow it to be sold under the same restrictions?

MR. MATTHEWS

I received last year a representation from a Coroner's Jury that some restriction should be placed on the sale of chlorodyne. I forwarded this representation to the Privy Council Office, which is the Department concerned. The answer to the second paragraph depends upon the proper construction of Sections 16 and 17 of the Act, to which I beg to refer the hon. Member. Section 2 of the Pharmacy Act, 1868, prescribes the manner by which any article may be added to Schedule A of that Act, namely, by a resolution of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society. The hon. Member should address any representation to that Society in the first instance.