M 78
(f) Semi-Official & Unofficial Work.
309. After the falling off of unofficial work following the Japanese occupation of Canton in the autumn of 1938, improvement was seen in the spring of 1939, until in the summer of that year the amount dealt with was normal, but, following the European crisis in August, a very bad slump occurred and no improvement had taken place up to the end of the year. However, the large increase in Government work more than made up for the loss of unofficial work.
Semi-official work. Unofficial work. Examination of steamer tanks for inflammable vapour 2 21 Foodstuffs and fertilizers 18 19 Oils (including fuel, kerosene & petrol) 36 50 Battery acids 23 0 Water samples 0 19 Chemicals 7 1 Minerals and metals 0 196 Biochemical examinations 0 1 Dangerous goods 0 12 Pharmaceutical samples 0 6 Miscellaneous samples 6 14 Total 92 369 Value of work done $1,562.00 $19,784.00Table LXII
(g) Sampling.
310. The following list gives the amount of sampling done by the sampler attached to the laboratory.
1938 1939 Tin 3,751 tons 43,203 tons Lard 43 2,530 Wolfram ore 18,108 cases 15 cases Cassia oil 15 tons 30 tons Firecrackers 3 drums drums Aniseed oil 1,699 cases 2,301 cases Brandy 20 drums 25 cases Water 2,010 samples 2,102 samplesTable LXIII.
(h) Special Investigations.
311. A new method for the estimation of alcohol in urine has been adopted. This method avoids the large amount of manipulation of an expensive apparatus previously necessary. Another method, which has been suggested in the laboratory here and which, if successful, will reduce the time and manipulation still further, is being investigated. Preliminary tests indicate that there are possibilities in this suggested method.
312. As stated above, work is being carried out on the alkaloids of Gelsemium elegans Benth.
313. Work in connexion with the estimation of tin and arsenic in wolfram was completed and the new methods adopted.