Public Mortuaries
222. The two public mortuaries, one on Hong Kong Island and the other in Kowloon, are under the supervision of the Specialist in Forensic Pathology. It is to these institutions that all cases of sudden, unnatural or uncertified deaths are sent, including deaths in Police or Prison custody, exhumed bodies and human remains.
TABLE 31
WORK OF PUBLIC MORTUARIES 1963
Total number of bodies received Total number of autopsics performed Number of bodies claimed
Number of bodies unclaimed
Deaths due to natural causes Deaths due to unnatural causes
Victoria 1,163
Kowloom
2,997
598
1,126
803
1.662
JLL
360
1335
872 291
2.458
339
GOVERNMENT CHEMICAL LABORATORY
223. The Laboratory carries out analytical and consulting work of a very varied character for Government Departments. the Armed Services. commercial firms and private individuals. The total number of all samples examined was 45,051, an increase of 11% over the number examined în 1962; this increase was due mainly to increases of samples of narcotics. water and duliable commodities. Table 32 shows the work of the Lab- oratory during the year.
TABLE 3
WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT CHEMICAL LABORATORY 1962-63
Biochemical
J
Samples Analysed
1962 14,326
1963 13,185
Dangerous Drugs Ordinance
9,963
13,528
Duciable Commodities
8,212
9.341
Water and Waterworks Chemicals
2,681
3,893
Food and Drugs
1,147
1,086
Forensic
Jam
1,002
797
Toxicology
690
899
Dangerous Goods Regulations
343
370
Commercial
632
368
Import/Export (Prohibition) (Specified Articles)
Orders
7
3
Miscellaneous
1,437
1,031
40,440
45.051
224. The major part of the work is concerned with biochemical analyses, narcotics control and the assessment of dutiable commodities.
52
A great variety of work was done for the Police Department during the year, which included cases of forged or altered documents, the examina- tion of counterfeit gold, tear gases, exhibits from the scene of “hit-and- run' accidents and material from explosions, acid-throwing and arson. 797 specimens of drugs of various kinds were examined in connexión with infractions of the laws relating to the sale of poisons and to the possession of prohibited insecticides.
225. The value and range of dutiable commodities examined for assessment or remission of duty were similar to those in previous years. A continuous check was maintained on the level of fluoridation of the public water supplies, samples being taken daily from cach station at which fluoride is added.
Water and Waterworks Chemicals
226. The water emergency brought a considerable amount of extra work to the laboratory. The tankers collecting water from the tidal estuary of the Pearl River were at first manned with testing officers drawn from various sections of the Medical and Health Department to ensure that water was not brought back with more than an acceptable degree of salinity. The testing was at first done chemically but, when conditions later became more exacting with a rise in the salinity of the river, a system of practically continuous salinity testing by electrical apparatus was established on each ship. This proved of value in enabling the ships to load the maximum possible amount of water in rapidly varying con- ditions of salinity. Eventually, outside staff were recruited and trained for this work. Considerable work was done by members of the laboratory staff in special surveys of the river as a guide to the tanker operation and in purification of the river water on arrival in Hong Kong.
227. In addition, the water emergency caused a large increase in the number of samples of well water submitted for analysis, either for potable or industrial purposes. An officer with special professional qualifications in water treatment was recruited during the year.
228. The number of samples of food and drugs submitted for examina- tion under the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance remained steady. Particular attention was paid to milk and to products containing preservatives. A large number of samples were examined for the presence of preservatives, and both non-permitted preservatives and excessive concentrations of permitted preservatives continued to be found in a number of locally-manufactured products.
53