continued apace. Food samples were examined for preservatives, adulteration, pesticide residues and metallic contaminants. The Pharmaceutical Section emphasized on adherence to specification. Many illicit drugs and other drugs bearing misleading labelled information were examined. The workload increased by 154% compared with 1972.
99.
The number of items examined for the Fire Services Department showed an increase of 78% over the previous year but the Laboratory was not capable of coping with all the expectations of this Department. The services to other Government Departments included Findings and advice to the Central Tender Board for the purchase of many items, work done in connection with last year's large oil spillage and on oil pollution in general, examinations on cements intended for use in the High Island Water Scheme and tests for the Mass Transit System.
100.
The general increase in crimes committed in Hong Kong and the Satisfying growth in awareness by the investigating officers of the importance of the collection and scientific examination of physical evidence from scenes of crime resulted in an exceptionally busy year for the staff of the Forensic Science Division. The General Section of the Forensic Division moved to a new laboratory in May House where it is now in closer contact with the main branches of the Police Department. Lectures vere given regularly to the Inspectorate and Rank and File of the Detective Training School, and to Probationary Inspectors at the Police Training School.
101.
The Narcotics Section worked in close liaison with the Narcotics Bureau. There was increased exchange of information with the narcotics regulatory laboratories in other countries. The Document Section dealt with the determination documents with forged signatures, handwriting, addition, alterations, erasure or different typescripts. The Toxicology Section handled highly specialised work. The work on the urinalysis for the Methadone Maintenance Scheme continued.
102.
INSTITUTE OF PATHOLOGY
The Medical and Health Department Institute of Pathology operates a number of clinical and public health laboratories providing labora- tory investigations in both curative and preventive medicine. It serves mainly government hospitals, clinics and various public health divisions. This Institute also serves on a consultation basis for the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Nethersole and United Christian Hospitals. The clinical pathology service for Queen Mary Hospital is operated by the Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong which receives a grant from the Government for such services. During the year, the total number of examinations undertaken by the Institute exceeded that of the previous year by 195,815, indicating an increase of about 9.4 per cent. This was mainly in the fields of blood bank examination and blood product preparation, histopathology, chemical pathology, haematology, blood grouping (Auxiliary services), serology, and mycology.
Morbid Anatomy and llistopathology
103.
A total of 2,026 post-mortem examinations was carried out in 1973, of which 938 had medico-legal implications. The brains of 20 dogs vere examined for the presence of Negri bodies (indicating death from rabies) but no positive findings were obtained. More than 4,700 specimens of sputum, pleural fluid, vaginal and cervical mears, and other specimens, were received for cytological examination, of which 60 showed definite evidence of malignant disease. More than 52,000 biopsy specimens were examined in order to determine the histopathological diagnosis. Of these, about 3,027 were benign or
28
malignant tumours.
Haematology and Serology and the Blood Bank
104.
More than 490,000 haematology specimens were examined, the most common examinations being haemoglobin estimations, total and differential white cell counts, blood examinations and blood grouping. More than 145,700 serology tests were performed, the most common being the V.D.R.D. flocculation slide test for syphilis. In the blood banks, 45,350 pints of blood were received during the year, 42,389 pints of which were from the blood-collecting centres of the Hong Kong Red Cross Society. A total of more than 325,500 examinations of blood was carried out in the blood banks.
Chemical Pathology
105.
Some 491,500 specimens were examined, the most common being various quantitative examinations on blood, which accounted for more than 405,000 of the examinations.
Bacteriology and Public Health
106.
More than 604,500 bacteriological examinations were carried out. Samples of nightsoil, well vater, and imported food from endemic areas were routinely examined throughout the year for cholera vibrios, but no positive findings were obtained.
107.
Apart from routine bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculosis, the tuberculosis laboratory was involved in bacteriological investigations of tuberculosis in conjunction with the Medical Research Council of the United Kingdom.
Virology
108.
During the year, the incidence of clinical poliomyelitis remained low. There were three laboratory-confirmed cases of poliomyelitis, of which one case was type 1 and two cases were type 3 poliovirus infections. The faccal survey carried out in July-August revealed that 4 or 0.87% of the 461 children under 5 years of age were positive for type 3 poliovirus. A serological study on 700 serum samples from different age groups revealed that, as a result of continuous vaccination programmes, majority of young children had acquired immunity against poliomyelitis.
109.
Influenza A and B infections occurred sporadically from January up to October, but no major outbreak was observed. The causative virus strains were A/England/42/72, A/Fort Chalmers/1/73 and B/Hong Kong/5/72. Parainfluenza virus type 1, parainfluenza virus type 3, and respiratory syncytial virus vere detected frequently during the second quarter of the year.
110.
Cytomegalovirus infection was confirmed ia 42 children ranging from 1 day to 2 years of age. The age incidence indicated that the infection occurred in early infancy, and also in intra-uterine period.
111.
A study carried out in babies of low birth weight showed that 1 (0.9%) of 111 babies carried cytomegalovirus at birth, and 9 (19.5%) of 46 of these babies were found positive for cytomegalovirus in the follow-up examination at 2 to 3 months. The possibility that babies could be infected during parturition was investigated. Subsequent study showed that cytomegalovirus was detected in 12 (6%) of 200 vaginal swabs from pregnant
Women.
29
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.