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THE DANGEROUS GOODS ORDINANCE 1873.

12. On the 6th May the first steamer with Petroleum in bulk from Batoum arrived in Hongkong. The testing of the oil was not necessary in this case as the master was provided with a certificate under the hand of the Government Analyst of Penang stating the flashing point of the oil in each tank.

13. Sixteen samples of oil from the tanks of two subsequent arrivals were tested. All were found to give off inflammable vapours at temperatures considerally above the 73° F. limit laid down in the Rules and Regulations made by the Governor in Council on the 7th December 1892 under the provisions of this Ordinance.

MISCELLANEOUS.

14. In appendix B to this report will be found the observations I had the honour to make on certain of the points included in a series of questions issued by order of the Royal Commission on Opium.

15. In the course of the operations to recover the S.S. Amigo which had foundered in the harbour after being in collision with another steamer a number of men went down one of the holds to remove the cargo of rice and were almost immediately asphyxiated. An analysis of the Gas, with which the salt water remaining in the hold was saturated, was made. Carbon dioxide (choke damp) and organic compounds belonging to the class of compounds known as "Mercaptans" were isolated which sufficiently explained the suffocation of the workmen. A large quantity of oxygen was prepared for inhalation by the men when under treatment in the Civil Hospital. None of the cases terminated fatally.

16. On the 31st of January Mr. E. W. LUCAS returned to England having completed the three years' service for which he had signed an agreement with the Crown Agents and an interval of six months elapsed before the arrival of his successor. The additional work in the Hospital Pharmacy caused by this vacancy devolved on the two Chinese Assistants and myself. This is the second time within ten years that the Department has been left in the lurch in this manner. There is obviously a reason for it. The question has been gone into in a report (appendix C) submitted to the Government on the subject of an enquiry by the Governor of the Straits Settlements as to the working of the analytical section of this Department. Having regard (a) to the nature and extent of the duties in respect of the Hospital Pharmacy, (b) to the emoluments attached to the office, and (e) to the position incumbents are compelled to occupy in the Department, men with the scientific training necessary to enable them to act as Government Analysts, will not in future be found to take up these appointments. I am of opinion that the duties of analyst and apothecary should be completely dissociated, and that the Government Analyst should be allowed to devote his whole time to the work of the Laboratory. In 1890 a proposal that the duties of the Government Analyst in respect of the Hospital Pharmacy should be confined to general supervision was submitted to and approved by Government but the scheme did not come into operation. A change from the existing arrangement would therefore appear to be the only remedy. If, however, this cannot be effected it would be better to abandon the idea altogether of fitting up a Laboratory adequate for the service of the Government and to have recourse to other means outside the service for the conduct of any analytical work which may be urgently required. The maintenance of a Laboratory would not be a burden to the Colony. A scale of fees, charges &c. could be instituted to cover the cost of maintenance. In course of time the actual cost to Government would probably be less than the miserable amount (£100) the Colony now pays for its analytical work,

17. In a new Colony such as Hongkong many investigations of the greatest importance to its health and prosperity are urgently needed and have year by year to be neglected. Nine years ago I pointed out how necessary it was for the purpose of procuring convictions in cases of criminal poisoning to make a complete investigation of a Chinese poisonous plant the deadly properties of which had recently been demonstrated in a case of alleged murder. That same necessity still exists, and will continue as long as the dual office exists and the Government Analyst is compelled to undertake in connection with the various Hospitals of the Departinent duties for which an extensive scientific training is not necessary.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

THE COLONIAL SURGEON,

fc.,

&c.,

&c.

W. EDWARD CROW,

Government Analyst.

Appendix A.

REPORT ON THE MORPHINE INJECTING HABIT AMONG THE CHINESE.

“Gazette" 1893 pp. 968 and 969.