The Nitro-Glycerine Case, Parrot v. Wells, Fargo & Co., was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court in 1872. The case involved a shipment of nitro-glycerine, a highly volatile explosive, that was sent by Wells, Fargo & Co. from San Francisco to Virginia City, Nevada. The shipment was damaged in transit, and the nitro-glycerine exploded, causing extensive property damage and the death of several people. The case was brought by the owner of the damaged property, Parrot, who sued Wells, Fargo & Co. for negligence. The Supreme Court held that Wells, Fargo & Co. was liable for the damages caused by the nitro-glycerine, even though the company had taken reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of the shipment. The Court reasoned that the company had a duty to exercise the highest degree of care in handling the shipment, given the dangerous nature of the cargo. The Nitro-Glycerine Case established the principle that carriers of dangerous goods have a duty to exercise the highest degree of care in handling such shipments. This principle has been applied in numerous cases since then, and is still used today to determine the liability of carriers for damages caused by dangerous goods.

In the case of Parrot v. Wells, Fargo & Co., the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a carrier could be held liable for damages caused by an explosive shipment they had transported. The majority opinion found that carriers were not responsible for any damage caused by dangerous goods, as long as they took reasonable care in handling them and warned customers about potential risks associated with such shipments. However, Justice Field dissented from this opinion and argued that carriers should be held strictly liable for any harm resulting from their transportation of explosives regardless of how much caution was taken or warnings given to customers. He believed that because these items are inherently dangerous, it is impossible to guarantee safety when transporting them and thus companies must bear full responsibility if anything goes wrong during transit.