examined and 16,610 spleen smears were taken. There were no rats infected with plague. A statistical summary of the work done is attached at Appendix 13,
FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
412. Two Modical Officers seconded to the Police Department undertake medico-legal work in connexion with crime. There are three aspects to this work, namely forensic, laboratory and teaching.
413. The forensic work includes the examination of victims and suspects, visits to the scenes of crimes, attendance at the Courts and certain of the medico-legal post-mortems. The investigation of alleged irregular practices by unregistered persons practising as doctors and dentists and by sellers of poisons and manufacturers of dangerous drugs is also part of the work.
414. The laboratory work deals mainly with the examination of blood and seminal stains, hairs, fibres, weapons and other articles connected with crimes. In addition the blood grouping of criminal cases forms an important part of the work; the blood-grouping of police recruits passing out of the Police Training School is also undertaken.
415. Courses of lectures and demonstrations on the medico-legal aspects of crime are given to Police Officers. Lectures in forensic medicine are also given to medical students at the University of Hong Kong.
416. The following Table shows the work done during 1957:
TABLE 30
Examination of victims and suspects
Attendance al scenes of crimes
Medico-Legal post-mortems
454
125
POT
217
1
83 330
1,030
Attendance at Courts
Medico-Legal examination of weapons
Examination of hairs, fibres and other slides
Examination of clothing
Miscellaneous examination (Articles)
$19
Blood Grouping (Medion-Legal)
2,081
Blood Grouping (Police Officers)
624
Lectures to Police Officers including advanced course
15
Assistance In Raids
Breach of Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance and
Penicillin Ordinance
44
Unregistered Medical Practitioners
Abortionists
Dentist
78
GOVERNMENT CHEMIST'S LABORATORY
417. The Laboratory undertakes the chemical analytical and con- sulting work for Government, the Armed Services, for industrial and commercial concerns and occasionally from other Far Eastern countries. The scope of the work is varied and the Laboratory is equipped to carry out a wide range of investigations.
418. The Government Chemist is assisted in this work by two Chemists, one Biochemist. four Assistant Chemists, a Senior Laboratory Assistant and five Laboratory Assistants. One Assistant Chemist and one Laboratory Assistant are seconded to the Police and Labour Departments respectively. The total number of samples examined during the year was 37,738.
419. Water analyses of samples of the public water supply before and after treatment are carried out regularly throughout the year and the standard of chemical purity remains of a high order. Analyses of water from new wells, sunk as sources of domestic supply outside the urban areas, are undertaken; in addition, urban sources of well water to be used for flushing or air conditioning are investigated.
420. Work undertaken on behalf of the Police included the examina- tion of 13,878 samples of narcotics seized and requiring certification under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. This entailed visits to five illicit heroin factories. The biggest seizure of raw opium for many years, amounting to half a ton, was also examined for certification. In addition much work was done on the identification and certification of drugs controlled by the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
421. Toxicological analyses of specimens from over one hundred persons, mainly cases of suicide, were performed. It is of note that in addition to the commonly used lysol, cyanide and barbiturates. the modern insecticides derived from thiophosphoric acid and pentadiene are being more extensively used, particularly in country districts, as a means of suicide. There were accidental deaths caused by morphine and yohimbine.
422. Other analytical work in connexion with counterfeiting, ink on documents, authenticity of post marks, traffic accidents, explosions. arson, acid throwing, murder, burglary and lesser crimes was carried out for the Police.
423. For the Commerce and Industry Department examination and certification was undertaken in respect of seizures of gold and checks
79
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