A CHLOROFORM DEAL

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1924, Page 4

A CHLOROFORM DEAL

DISI’EUSA I. OF WAB STOCK. CUBA I’ DBA DIO SOLD AS BEST. AUCKLAND, July U. A singular .story of the disposal in Now Zealand of a fairly large quantity of cheap grade chloroform as the. Vefv best brand lies behind thf assertion of Air IL Cecil Smart. Dominion Agent in Auckland for Duncan, Flockhart and Co., maimlaitiiring chemists, of

Edinburgh and London, that the Department of Stale had been responsible for profiteering in the drug. Air Smart contends that, while the attack of the Minister of Agriculture on the Farmers' Fertiliser,Company for alleged profiteering in Xa.uru phosphate was humorous, there was no humour in n similar practice by the Government in selling, until a few myntlis ago, as the best brand of chloroform a cheap commercial production. “He would be n bold man,’' says Mr Smart, “who would say how much of tragedy it had caused. It has been a serious business in many wavs, both as regards the commercial aspect, and also the effect of the Government’s deal in chloroform. Among the medical profession, ehloroiorm is out i)f favour, and the trade in it has been killed. Tlie distribution of the drug has dropped from three tons to half u ton a year.

. TJIHKE fiIIADICS OF THE DitL'G. ■‘There are three grades of clilnro- , form distributed in New Zealand by tile agents of the British linn. First , grade is known as ‘white label', and is guaranteed as pure, entirely made Trum British ethylie alcohol. It costs Ills per lh. in London. Second grade chloroform is prepared from industrial methylated spirits, and the red label on tlie bottle stales that it answers the test of the British Pharmacopoeia, hut must not ho confounded with Duncon's pure chloroform, the anaesthetic, which its discoverer. Sir .Tallies Young Simpson, administered TOGO times before he had an accident. The third grade production also answers the requirements of the British I’liarmacojxieia. and is known as blue label chloroform, hut is not to lie ‘confounded with either the. while or the red. White label chloroform is used lor anaesthesia, while the two others arc for general medicinal and commercial use. such as .for tincltures. i spirits, liniments, inhalants and so , on. ! lU'IK HAKE OF SOI.DIKHS’ j CTILOUOFOkM. i “In 191. T." explained Mr Smart, j •‘the War Office icquisitioned supplies of British chloroform for the Army. There was a tragic demand for it. It would seem, however, that the use oi the pure brand was so expensive that someone in authority comeived the economical idea of obtaining a special brand for war service in 1910. At any rate. Messrs Duncan and Flockharfc were instructed hv the British Governincut to nut their dispensing diloro- I Ici in under a special label. It was a v.hiie label healing this notice, ’Chlo- j usu rm for anaesthetic use. Poison. Dun,mi and iFlucklinrt., .Edinburg!? ami London.’ It. .should lie noted particiiiarly iliat there was no reference. ; on he label at all to purity or to etliy- j lie alcohol, hut yet admittedly it "as ! while label chloroform. Alter the war the Ministry of Munitions disposed of i il.i .surplus .stock, including tons in , the cheap brand of chloroform. j •‘T he New Zealand Government up- , patently obtained a quantity of llmt <ll Idiot on it. oh-ei fed Mr Huai't. ‘T , cmnnot say how much the Defence Do- j partment got, hut possibly it pur- : chased a lew tons of the preparation • for tlie Ai’illy during the war, and sold j ii to hospitals and doctors as Duncan's j white label chloroform. The stock was probably lauded in New Zealand at Is per lh. It was sold at Us lid per lh. A North Island delegate- to the Alcdiial Conference at Auckland tidcl me, hv had bung,hi a quantity ul it i'lum i ' ihe Department ai Jls (id, and said it! wrs not pure chloroform at all. As ( a matter of fact, T had previously ' . threshed ike matter out with Alin is- j < tors and re) re-’cnlMlivcs of the Depart- ' 1 meat, hut got vary link satisfaction, ! 1 vet complaints about chloroform wo:r> . ' numerous. and naturally The blame I ' was c; si upon my prim ipnls, who had t . mei'ciy fulfilled a Gotcnunotil. order j | during the war. and had at no ’uine 1 I made a claim that tlie chloroform was ' < pure brand.''

A good deal of i orrespondeiuc passed between Mr Smart and representatives of the Government. Some of it was icry laudid. and dealt with an allegation that .several deaths under anaesthesia coincided with the sale of the .si veu-year-old chloroform for the Army. Fora lime, explains Mr iSmart the New Zealand authorities tried to argue that the drug was white hiliel chloroform, and that the label was marked "pure.’’ When ibis error was pointed out to them, tiny cabled to Loudon, and learned that they had been selling blue label chloroform, which is now sold in London at -Is 2d

per II). The Defence Department charged IPs lid. Instructions were issued. however, that no fun her sales iimler mi.sa| prehension were to lie made, and former purchasers were notilied. If is asserted, however, that a considerable piuintity of war-time brand was unloaded in New Zealand and that as a result doctors are shy of chloroform. The Minister of Defence u'jis v«*ry lit Jit tho surest ion that the ethics of his Department (l aid be challenged.