In au enclosed report by Mr. McCALLUM of analytical work done, is an interesting account of the water supplied to the town, which it is pleasant to know is a good potable water in spite of its very unpleasant appearance and when filtered is very good drinking for Europeans, for the Chinese they must put up with both the dirt in it and the limited supply they are able to get. Another analysis made some time ago of the water from one of the largest streams in the Colony, passing through the Military grounds to the sea showed the water to have been so defiled by the washermen and squatters on the hill sides as to render the stream below them nothing better than an open sewer. From the opening of the sewers not being carried far enough out into the tide way and the want of thorough flushing the stench along the Praya Wall is most offensive, especially so on a hot day when the tide is low. I think I have said enough, though I have not mentioned the markets and after all it is a mere reiteration of what has been said in former reports, and as far as I can see what I may still continue to complain of in future ones.
I have the honour to be
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
October,
November,
December,
Sanitary Analyses of water from Pokfoolum water supply.
Grains per gallon.
Parts per Million.
Degree of Hardness.
1880.
Total
Free Albuminoid
Solids. Chlorine.
Ammonia. Ammonia.
3.5
0.7
0.018
0.060
1.2
3.1
0.6
0.010
0.040
1.0
3.0
0.5
0.010
0.046
1.0
All had a yellowish, opalescent and turbid appearance.
Analyses of 15 samples of milk purchased in Hongkong,
181
Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,
Acting Colonial Secretary,
St.,
P. B. C. AYRES,
Colonial Surgeon,
6
Genuine.
2
Adulterated with 10 per cent. water.
1
"
1
11
29
};
}}
14,
*
1
20
*
"
3)
14
1
29
32
17
35
1
40
}
13
1
1
Deprived of Crenm.
Colostrum.
LABORATORY
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL, HONGKONG, 1st February, 1881.
SIR,--I have the honour to lay before you a report of the work done in the Government Labora- tory since taking up my appointment in November 1879.
On arrival I found there was no laboratory and scarcely any Apparatus, Appliances, Chemicals, &c. An indent was therefore made for such articles as was considered necessary and these arrived from England in May, in the meantime no adequate laboratory had been provided and some difficulty was experienced in even storing them safely.
On the opening in July of the New Lock Hospital as an addition to the Civil Hospital, a room was placed at my disposal in which some work could be done.
Forty-five Analyses have been made including a few researches for poisonous substances in cases of suspected poisoning.
Finding that the milk supplied for the use of the patients in the Government Civil Hospital was largely adulterated with water, it was deemed expedient to examine the milk as sold by milkmen in the ordinary way of business, samples of cows milk (in all 15) were purchased from different places and analyzed, the results are tabulated below. Water was the only adulterant detected, and although this may be considered as merely a dilution of a valuable food, yet the question arises, is the adulterant used pure, judging from its source it is not likely to be so. It was observed that all the samples rapidly entered into the lactic fermentation, when once started, no doubt, this was aided con- siderably by the comparatively high temperature, it was however a sure sign that the houses used as dairies had received scant attention as regards cleanliness. As milk has been traced to have been the source of infection in some cases of infectious disease, it is desirable that these milk shops be made subject to inspection to see they are kept clean and fit places for dairies.
Owing to the usually turbid and yellowish appearance of the water obtained from the Pok- foolum water supply, a monthly sanitary analysis has been instituted, the results for the last three months of 1880 are given below. When filtered this is a good potable water, both the mineral and nitrogenous organic matter being low. In its unfiltered state the matter in suspension is considerable at all times and after heavy rain is excessive, this could, however, be almost entirely removed by an efficient filtration before entering the aqueduct, such filtration would tend to oxidise and destroy the organic matter present in and at the same time improve the appearance of the water.
Pu. B. C. AYRES Esq., M.R.C.S., &c.
Colonial Surgeon and Inspector of Hospitals.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
HUGH MCCALLUM, Analyst.
HUGH MCCALLUM, Analyst.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
HONGKONG, 6th March, 1881.
SIR,With reference to your request that I should estimate the morphine value of the different preparations of opium used for smoking purposes and furnish you with what information I could relative thereto, I have the honour to lay before you the following remarks.
The morphine value of the different preparations of opium depend chiefly on the amount of extract yielded by and the percentage of morphine present in the crude opium from which they were prepared. Now as opium varies considerably in this respect the preparatious thereof will vary accordingly. There is also more or less loss of morphine during the preparation of smoking extract, the loss being greater the longer it is submitted to moist heat and the higher the temperature. Making due allowance for variations from these causes, the results obtained from the different kinds examined, and stated below, may be taken to fairly represent their average percentages of morphine.
5 to 8 Indian opium, average morphine value of
quantity of smoking extract yielded by ...70 to 80
"
per cent.
"
1st Quality of prepared opium, from Hongkong opium farm yielded 5.86 per cent. morphine. 2nd Quality of prepared opium, from Hongkong opinn farm yielded 7.30 per cent. morphine. Cake prepared opium from a coolie smoking house said to have been prepared from opium
dross yielded 6.28 per cent morphine.
Opium Dross, (scrapings from opium pipe) yielded 4.76 per cent morphine.
average quantity of extract yielded by 65 to 70 per cent.
It is generally assumed that the effect of smoking opium is similar to that of eating it and that this is principally due to the morphine it contains, this assumption appears very problematical when the following facts are taken into consideration.
1st. That Indian opiun is the kind most prized by smokers and it is characterised by its
usually low percentage of morphine.
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