757
GOVERNMENT LABORATORY,
April 9, 1902.
SIR,—I have the honour to submit a statement of the work done in the Government Laboratory. during the year 1901.
2. The work was greater in amount than in any previous year. It may be summarized as follows:-
Description of Cases.
Toxicological (includes 15 stomachs),
No. of Articles
examined.
Articles for blood stains,...
Waters,
Petroleum,
Food and Drugs Ordinance,
Rice....
Coal,.
Ores,
Sugar,
Chinese drugs,.
Opium extract,
Dross opium,
Leprosy cure,
Chloride of lime,
White metal,
Cement,
Mortar,...
Fumigating candle,
Egg preservative,
Lime,
Milk,.
Red earth,
Articles for fire enquiry,.
Clothing for nitric acid stains,
Tooth powder,
Condensed milk,
Naphtha,
Sheet,
Mineral water,
Medicinal powders,
Total,....
108
60
59
265
37
10
4
6
1
71
2
1
1
6
1
3
2
1
Ι
3
34
2
12
7
1
3
1
1
3
707
TOXICOLOGICAL.
3. The toxicological cases investigated comprise 15 cases of suspected human poisoning. The poison found in eight cases was opium; and in one case the active principle of Gelsemium Elegans was isolated. In one case of wholesale poisoning a woman put native arsenic in coarse powder amongst some cooked fish.
Violent vomiting and great prostration only were caused to the six persons who ate the food. From the remnants of the fish 27 grains of arsenic were separated. The coarseness of the powdered arsenic had doubtless greatly interfered with the desired result.
WATERS.
4. The results of the analyses of samples taken each month from the Pokfulum and Tytam Re- servoirs, and from the Kowloon service, indicate that these supplies continue to maintain their excellent qualities. Towards the end of the year Yaumati was supplied from a new service the Cheung Sha Wan supply. The results of the analysis of this source shows the water to be well suited for potable purposes. In an Appendix will be found particulars of the monthly analyses of the public supplies, and of the other waters.
THE DANGEROUS GOODS ORDINANCE, 1873 AND 1892.
3. Of Petroleum and Petroleum Fuel, 265 samples were examined. imported was sufficiently high to pass the 73° F. limit.
10
The quality of the oil