What was Mr. Gower doing with a big jar of poison?

I watched It's a Wonderful Life last night. I hadn't seen it in several years and was amazed at how good a film it was. But something is bothering me: What was Mr. Gower doing with a big jar of poison in the pharmacy? I can understand keeping poisonous drugs on hand (strychnine had all kinds of medicinal uses), but why not have that on the label?
Source: Student Doctor Network - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Tags: Pharmacy Source Type: forums