William Henderson's death, a survey of Hamilton shops revealed.

The changes come soon after a jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure in the April inquest, several months after Mr. Henderson's death.

He died in December, 1995 after drinking methanol from bottles labelled ethanol bought from the Paget Pharmacy, part of Phoenix Stores Ltd. whose parent company is wholesaler BDC Ltd.

Phoenix vice president Edmina Bradshaw said all their supplies of ethanol have been destroyed and that the company has discontinued in-house bottling of ethanol for sale.

Instead of ethanol, Phoenix now sells a pre-packaged isopropyl alcohol and glycerin product off-the-shelf called Dri-Ear, made by US company Pfeiffer Pharmaceuticals, Ms Bradshaw said.

Methanol, or methyl alcohol, is often used as fuel in burners such as fondue heaters or as a solvent. Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is often used as an antiseptic. Ethanol is often used to treat swimmer's ear.

People's Pharmacy owner/manager Donna Pearman said they have always dispensed ethanol from behind the pharmacy counter.

Hamilton Pharmacy Ltd. chief pharmacist Karen Leseur said in the eight years she has been with the Parliament Street pharmacy that ethanol has never been sold off-the-shelf. Ethanol "is only sold by the pharmacist and the bottle carries a `Poison. For external use only' warning,'' she said.

Woodbourne Chemist manager Francoise Gagnon said they no longer sell ethanol or methanol, not even from behind the counter. Instead, they sell Dri-Ear.

Clarendon Pharmacy pharmacist Carol Graham said ethanol has been moved off the shelf and is now dispensed by the pharmacist.

SURVEY SUR