461
SIR,
Enclosure 3.
Report from the Medical Officer, in charge of Gaol Hospital.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
31st January, 1897.
I have the honour to forward herewith the annual return of the dead bodies brought to the Mor- tuary during the past year with the causes of death.
The "
unascertained" list contains rather a large number during the first five months of the year owing to the fact that my predecessor has apparently not left any official record of the cause of death as ascertained by post mortem examination or otherwise.
I have the honour to be,
Sir.
Your obedient Servant,
THE COLONIAL SURGEON.
THE DEATHS.
J. BELL,
Medical Officer in charge of Post Mortems.
1 Died in the cell. General Debility.
1 Hanged himself in the cell.
1 Hanged himself in the cell.
Suicide. Death by Strangulation. Dislocation of second cervical vertebra.
1 Died in the cell. Pulmonary Congestion and General Debility.
1 (Female) Hanged herself in the cell. Suicide. Death by hanging.
1 Executed. Dislocation of spinal cord,
1 Executed.
Dislocation of the Neck.
Other Deaths are shewn in the Hospital Tables.
Enclosure 4.
Report of the Government Analyst.
SIR,
the
GOVERNMENT LABORATORY,
HONGKONG, 23rd April, 1897.
I have the honour to submit a statement of the work done in the Government Laboratory during year 1896.
2. A larger number of analyses have been conducted than in any previous year, and the work may be conveniently summarized as follows:-
NO. OF ARTICLES
DESCRIPTION OF CASES.
EXAMINED.
Toxicological,
Potable Waters,
Petroleum,
Milk,
Morphine Ordinance,
Alcoholic Liquors, Miscellaneous,
10
113
160
11
12
3
32.
TOTAL,.....
341
TOXICOLOGICAL.
3. The toxicological cases investigated during the past year include five cases of human poisoning. In four cases death was found to be due to opium. In the fifth case an alkaloid, analogous to the active principle of Nau Yueng Fa, (Datura alba, Nees), was detected in the stomach con- tents of a woman, who recovered from the poisonous stupefying effect of the drug after a few days.