M 71
352. Suicide again accounted for the majority of the deaths. Opium is still the most common agent, but again a large number of cases of the use of poisons of the lysol type is to be reported.
353.
Several unusual cases occurred. In one a child fell into a kerosene tank and was killed. His stomach was found to contain oil similar to that in the tank. Unusual substances used for attempted suicide were solution of iodine, iodoform, and camphor liniment respectively.
354. Gelsemium elegans Benth was again used on several occasions for suicidal purposes, with fatal results. The increased use of this herb for suicidal purposes has resulted in discussions on the possibilities of restricting its cultivation.
355. The consumption of Kai Po Yu, a poisonous fish, caused serious illness in six cases. It was again found impossible to identify any poisonous constituent by chemical means.
356. Nerium oleander, containing a glucoside of the digitalis type, was also the cause of one death by suicide.
357. In the case of the death of a child by an overdose of atropine sulphate administered hypodermically, no trace of the alkaloid could be detected either chemically or physiologically in the post-mortem materials.
358. In one case in which the administration of a stupefacient drug in coffee was suspected, investigation showed that a large dose of calomel only had been used.
359. A sample of Chinese foodstuff submitted from Swabue (Kwangtung) proved to contain over 2 grains of arsenic per pound weight which had probably been derived from some Chinese herbs used in the foodstuff. These contained small amounts of arsenic and had been purchased in a Chinese medicine shop.
360. In one case, opium was administered to a child with fatal results.
361. The seeds of Jatropha curcas Linn which are similar to castor and croton seeds, were eaten by a party of walkers with distressing results, happily not fatal.
362. Lead was found in excess in the urine of several employees of factories where soldering is carried out.
363. An investigation of a case of suspected poisoning by preserved eggs showed that the egg shells contained a large amount of aluminium. It is possible that alum or aluminium sulphate had been used as a preservative, although it is doubtful if this could have caused the symptoms noted.
Food and Drugs.
364. No large increase in this work is to be reported. Details of samples of foodstuffs analysed have been included in the section on "Food in relation to health and disease" and will, therefore, be omitted from this section.
Water and Sewage Samples.
365. Routine analyses of the public supplies were carried out during the year. Investigation of the swimming baths of the Colony was carried out and advice on the best method of chlorination, etc., given. The work was done in order to prevent the baths from being a possible cause of the spread of cholera. Samples from many water boats were tested for possible contamination with harbour water and in a few cases this was found to have occurred.