463
MISCELLANEOUS.
13. Arsenic throwing. A Chinaman was walking along the Praya when an unknown person threw some powder into his eyes. Immediately, he went into a house and washed out the objectionable substance, and then gave information to the Police. The substance somewhat resembled pepper in appearance, but the examination showed that it was powdered native arsenic Pi-shih or Peh-sin-shih, containing 62.49 per cent. of real arsenic. For several weeks the man's eyes were in an inflamed condition, and only the rapidity and completeness with which he and the Police washed out the arsenic from the eyes prevented a serious injury. Recent experience has conclusively demonstrated that in cases of arsenic throwing, unless the arsenic be promptly and completely removed from the eye, the vision may be completely destroyed, and that even under the most favourable circumstances great irritation is set up.
14. Apparently, the dangerous properties of arsenic are well known to the Chinese as in no country probably is there stricter legislation as regards its sale. Dr. PORTER SMITH, in his "Contributions towards the Materia Medica and Natural History of China," states:-
"None of these arsenical preparations are soll in shops without evidence and witnesses to the propriety of the sale. The punishment of death by decapitation is inflicted upon both the seller and the buyer if fatal effects result. If not fatal they are both strangled. If the druggist ignorantly or carelessly sells the poison, he receives eighty blows."
In Hongkong, it has not yet been deemed advisable to place restrictions on the sale of arsenic. 15. Vegetable extract.-This is a substance which is in reality de-morphinated opium. Tested by the method described in the British Pharmacopoeia it contains no morphine, but as it is well known that this method does not indicate morphine when present to the extent of under one per cent., a special process was devised which showed that this prepared opium substitute contained 9117 per cent. of morphine calculated on the dried substance. Meconic acid and narcotine were also separated. The Magistrate decided that the sale of this extract by unauthorized persons constituted an offence under The Prepared Opium Ordinance, 1891.
16. Disinfectants.-Two were examined. One was valueless.
17. Blood Stains.-Eight articles were sent for examination and the colouring matter of blood was detected on six of these.
18. Library.—The following works have been added to the Chemical Library
Allen-"Commercial Organic Analysis," Vol. III.—Parts II and III.
Aikman
Milk."
Pearmain and Moor-" Food and Drugs,"
Blyth-"Foods."
Blyth Poisons."
Rideal" Disinfectants."
Woodward "Crystallography."
Comey-"Solubilities."
Payen-"Industrial Chemistry."
Cole-" Microscopical Research."
Benedikt- Oils, Fats, and Waxes."
Muir " Elements of Thermal Chemistry."
Crookes--"Select Methods."
Ganot" Physics."
Thorpe-" Quantitative Analysis."
Year-book of Pharmacy for 1892, 1893, 1894, and 1895.
Thornton-"The X Rays."
19. Research. Further investigations dealing with the smoking value of Chinese opium and with the constituents of Datura alba were made during last year and were published in the Pharmaceutical Journal of August 1, 1895, and of September 5, 1896, respectively.
20. Leave of absence was granted to ine from April 29 to June 15, 1896. Mr. Crow left the Colony on 12 months' leave on July 8, 1896.
2
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
FRANK BROWNE,
Acting Government Analyst.
THE COLONIAL SURGEON.