M 70 -
Three samples of explosive supposed to be intended for killing fish, were submitted. The explosive was found to be compressed guncotton, tied round with fishing line.
An unregistered medical practitioner's surgery was raided in November last and a quantity of drugs seized. Many of these proved to be modern Western medicines and not purely Chinese drugs. The owner was convicted and fined.
In the same month, a large quantity of printing materials was sent in by the Police, in connection with the production of forged bank-notes, and an examination of these showed that they were suitable for the production of such notes.
A considerable amount of work of a photographic and microscopic nature was carried out in connection with the Treasury Fraud Case.
Research.
A considerable amount of work was carried out during the year on the detection and determination of alcohol in cassia oil.
Since allegations were made in London in 1927 that many samples of such oil from Hong Kong were adulterated with alcohol the local trade in this important commodity had practically ceased.
The existence of traces of alcohol occurring naturally in the oil was investigated, also the possibility of its introduction through the addition of synthetic cinnamic aldehyde. Methods were worked out for the rapid detection of alcohol and also for its exact determination. The matter was also taken up with the Chief Government Chemist, Government Laboratory, London.
Specifications were worked out and submitted to the Local Chamber of Commerce for "Pure China Cassia Oil", "Standard China Cassia Oil”, “Standard 80-85 Cassia Oil, etc. If these specifications come to be adopted, and standard methods of analysis also approved, then the cassia oil trade should be placed in a much more satisfactory position.
Work has also been done on the Bolton and William's Heat Test for Wood Oil. Many of the samples of South China oil give values much higher than those from other producing centres. Investigations were made to ascertain the cause of this.