M 119
A considerable amount of counterfeiting material was examined during the year in connection with the attempted counterfeiting of American Dollar pieces, English shillings, and local ten-cent pieces. The material used for the American coins was unusual in that it contained a proportion of silver instead of the usual tin-lead-antimony mixture.
A number of documents were submitted for examination for secret writing, also others for the presence of alterations and erasures. A considerable number of ten-dollar revenue stamps were examined and found to be forgeries.
Toxicological Examinations.
Among the toxicological examinations made during the year were 65 cases of suspected human poisoning. The results are given below:
Nature of Poison No. of Cases No poison found 25 Cases Opium found 28 Arsenic found 2 Adalin found 4 Amytal found 1 Alcohol found 1 Potassium cyanide found 1 Carbolic acid found 1 Animal toxins found 2 Total 65 CasesNo outstanding poisoning cases occurred during the year. The greater number of the above cases were undoubtedly cases of suicide. Opium, as in previous years, was responsible for more than two-thirds of the cases where the presence of poison was proved. The use of synthetic hypnotics was in evidence, four cases of death from Adalin and one from Amytal being discovered. These may have been either accidental or suicidal.
A case occurred in May of a Chinese male who drank a liquid from a cup thinking it was tea. It proved to be a wood-preserving fluid containing a considerable amount of arsenic, and arsenic in quantity was found in the stomach.
In April, a Chinese died in suspicious circumstances, in Kowloon. Brown stains on the right thumb resembled those of opium. The thumb and also the stomach and intestines were sent for examination and the results showed the stains to be caused by opium, and the latter substance was found in the post-mortem material.
In July, a Chinese passenger on one of the Canton boats was found dead in his cabin. A cup found in the cabin contained traces of potassium cyanide and this poison was also found in the contents of the stomach.
M 119
A considerable amount of counterfeiting material was ea amined during the year in connection with the attempted coun- terfeiting of American Dollar pieces, English shillings, and local ten-cent pieces. The material used for the American coins was unusual in that it contained a proportion of silver instead of the usual tin-lead-antimony mixture.
A number of documents were submitted for examination for secret writing, also others for the presence of alterations and erasures. A considerable number of ten-dollar revenue stamps were examined and found to be forgeries.
Toxicological Examinations.
Among the toxicological examinations made during the year were 65 cases of suspected human poisoning. The results are given below:
Nature of Poison.
No poison found
Uplum found
Arsenic tound
No. of Cases.
25 Cases.
28
2
>
Adalin tound
4
Amytal found
1
Alcohol found
1
Potassium cyanide found
1
....
Carbolic acid found
1
Animal toxins found
Total
2
"}
65 Cases.
No outstanding poisoning cases occurred during the year. The greater number of the above cases were undoubtedly cases ut suicide. Opium as in previous years, was responsible for more than two-thirds of the cases where the presence of poison was proved. The use of synthetic hypnotics was in evidence, four cases of death from Adelin and one from Amytal being discovered. These may have been either accidental or suicidal.
A case occurred in May of a Chinese male who drank a liquid from a cup thinking it was tea. It proved to be a wood- preserving fluid containing a considerable amount of arsenic, and arsenic in quantity was found in the stomach.
In April, a Chinese died in suspicious circumstances, in Kowloon. Brown stains on the right thumb resembled those of opium. The thumb and also the stomach and intestines were sent for examination and the results showed the stains to be caused by opium, and the latter substance was found in the post-mortem material.
In July, a Chinese passenger on one of the Canton boats was found dead in his cabin. A cup found in the cabin con- tained traces of potassium cyanide and this poison was also found in the contents of the stomach.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.