Recent utterances about the innocuousness of Australian snake-poison find a fitting answer in this melancholy occurrence.
"On Snake-Poison: its Action and its Antidote"
A. Mueller
Their retention or removal had, therefore, now become almost wholly a religious question; and the late bill had clearly established as a principle that, though the state had a right to require of members of other religious sects that they should not abuse the power which might arise from any positions or employments to which they might be admitted, to the subversion or injury of the Established Church of England, yet, when security for their innocuousness in this respect was provided, it was not justified in inquiring into the details of their faith.
"The Constitutional History of England From 1760 to 1860"
Charles Duke Yonge
The presumption then would be-as in truth it is-that such chemicals are more or less dangerous, and proof of innocuousness must be brought forward before any one substance can be listed as an exception to the general rule.
"Food Poisoning"
Edwin Oakes Jordan