M 176
On several occasions, complete coiner's outfits were submitted for examination by the Police, and in the subsequent legal proceedings, evidence given by the Government Analyst and staff materially assisted in the conviction of the accused persons.
7. In two cases of robbery with violence, pepper was used as a blinding agent. In each case samples of clothing were examined and found to be sprinkled with pepper. In one case parings from the nails of the accused were found to contain all the essential microscopic structures of pepper amongst the other debris.
8. Two cases of petty larceny are of interest. The persons were arrested for damaging signboards by rubbing off the "gold leaf" characters with cotton waste. When charged the defendants stated that they intended to recover the gold from the waste. At the subsequent Court proceedings minute gold beads obtained from the samples were produced as evidence.
9. During the year specimens of urine from persons accused of offences whilst under the influence of alcohol were examined. In one case a specimen of urine, taken after the accused had been in custody twenty-four hours, was found still to contain 50 mgms. of alcohol per 100 ccs. urine.
Toxicological Examinations.
Nature of poison No. of samples No poison found 61 Opium (including 3 cases of morphine) 30 Barbituric acid derivatives 7 Phenolic or cresolic compound 36 Potassium cyanide 3 Hydrogen peroxide 1 Candle nut oil 1 Sodium & Potassium bromides 1 Stockholm tar 1 Salicylic acid 4 Medicine (under P. & P. Ordinance) 2 Nitric acid 1 Gelsemium elegans 1 Chinese medicine 1 Turpentine 1 Quinine 5 Alcohol 3 Strychnine 1 Saccharin 1 Arsenic 1 Manganese compound 7 Animal toxins 1 Total 170 Samples