-490
2. Among the chemico-legal investigations conducted during the year were eight cases of suspected human poisoning, in three of which opium was detected. In another case the poison found was potassium cyanide. Pow Fa () or Gum Shaving was the poison used by a woman for suicidal purposes. It is a whitish tough wood, with straw- coloured longitudinal markings. When placed in water, the wood becomes semi- transparent, and yields a thick clear gum, much used by Chinese women for keeping their hair straight, ie., plastered down. The gum is soluble in either cold or hot water and the solution in China is well known as a means of ending life, producing symptoms similar to those of opium. Under the microscope the wood presents the appearance of fibres, and at intervals a double or treble row of angular or somewhat oval cells filled with a yellowish substance. This cell deposit can be dissolved out in water when these cells are rendered much more distinct. The gum solution in water gives opalescent precipitates with basic and neutral lead acetate, ammonium oxalate, ferric chloride, silver nitrate and mercuric chloride, but nothing with alcohol or iodine. Information concerning the source of these shavings is being sought for.
WATERS.
3.. The results of the analyses of samples taken each month from the Pokfulum and Tytam Reservoirs, from the Kowloon service, and Cheung Sha Wan supply, indicate that these supplies continue to maintain their excellent qualities. During the latter half of the year the chlorine figures of Tytam and Pokfulum were higher than usual. This was due partly to diminished rainfall and partly to a typhoon in September, after which the figure was slightly increased by the sea-water blown into these two waters by the heavy gale. An enquiry has been made as to the cause of the occasional milkiness of water drawn from the public water supplies. The appearance, which disappears after the water has stood a few ininutes, is due to air confined in the water under pressure in the mains. The milky appearance is caused merely by the air escaping from the drawn water in minute bubbles. Occasionally also the public supplies are slightly opalescent. This is due to a minute and harmless quantity of kaolin diffused through the water. The kaolin is principally derived from the action of rain water on recently exposed rock on the catchinent area. It can be entirely removed by slow filtration.
In Tables I and II will be found particulars of the monthly analyses of the public supplies, and of other waters.
DANGEROUS GOODS ORDINANCE.
4. Of Petroleum Oil 107 samples were tested during the year. liquid fuel flasbed at temperatures exceeding 150° F.
All the samples of
FOODS AND DRUGS ORDINANCE.
5. The following table gives the results of 60 analyses made at the instance of the Police and the Sanitary Board :--
Beer,
Brandy,
Milk,
Port Wine,
Rum,
Description.
No. of samples.
-No. found No. found
genuine.
adulterated.
8
28
28
2100
Whisky,..
12
12
Many other samples were examined for the public, mostly at the low fee prescribed by the Ordinance.
6. As according to English law brandy must be a spirit obtained by the distillation of wine from the grape, a prosecution was recommended in a case in which a sample contained only 8.88 grams of ethers instead of 80 the required amount. There was a conviction. As the question as to "What is Whisky" has not yet been decided it has not yet been considered advisable to recommend similar prosecutions with regard to this liquor. present therefore the quality of whisky remains the same as that required in England.
At