Nature of poison.
Mercury
Potassium permanganate
Caustic soda
No. of samples.
3 3 2 4 2 2 12 Hydrochloric acid or Spirits of saltSodium cyanide
Silicate (water glass)
Alcohol in urine
Harmless materials submitted in connection with poison cases 8
Total
199 Samples
(13). An increase of work under this head is again to be reported. For suicidal poisons opium and poisons of the lysol type are still the favourite agents but it is to be noted that there is an increase in the number of cases of poisoning involving the use of barbituric acid derivatives.
(14). An interesting case in this connection was the finding of five bodies in a hut in the New Territories which had been dead for three months and from each of the post-mortem remains crystalline barbituric acid derivatives were isolated.
(15). Gelsemium elegans Benth, a native poisonous herb, was used on three occasions causing death. In each case the herb had been used apparently in mistake for a non-poisonous Chinese herb. On two occasions infusions of datura alba were given in order to stupify the victims before robbery and on one occasion for poisoning dogs.
(16). Potassium permanganate was used on three occasions for suicidal purposes, and in the one fatal case the deceased had swallowed the substance in a solid form.
(17). Another unusual case arose in which the victim swallowed water-glass (sodium silicate) with fatal results.
(18). The arsenic case arose out of the drinking of Atlas A solution by a coolie in mistake for tea and the mercury case out of the taking of corrosive sublimate in mistake for a headache powder.
(19). In the nerium oleander case, the deceased drank an infusion of the leaves causing intense vomiting and the glycosides could be detected in the vomit and in the post-mortem materials.