Sessional_Paper_1904 — Page 578

469

Report of the Government Analyst.

GOVERNMENT LABORATORY, HONGKONG, 28th January, 1904.

Sir, I have the honour to submit a statement of the work done in the Government Laboratory for the year 1903.

2. Analyses, more difficult and extensive than those of any previous year, were required to be performed. The work may be summarized as follows:-

DESCRIPTION OF CASES.

NO. OF ARTICLES

EXAMINED.

Toxicological (including 9 stomachs)...

Articles for blood stains,

Waters,

Petroleum.

Food and Drugs,

+

Chinese drugs,

Coal,

Rocks,..

Coal-tar disinfectants.

Mortars,

Lime,

Cement,

Fire enquiries.

Sugar-cane juice. Ores, Opium pills. Opium wine. Medicated wines,

Aerated waters, Mineral water,

54

45

93

244

47

30

30

13

¿

2

26

47

17

1

Tin,

White metal,

Red earth,...

Yellow earth, Cylinder oils, Vegetable oils, Alloy, Air,

Deed for stain,

Paint,

White lead,......

Kill fire, Medicine,..

Ointment,

Plague remedy,

Phosphorus paste,

Morphine Ordinance,

2

1

1

1

I

6

11

1

1

1

3

2

1

1

1

1

1

7

713

TOXICOLOGICAL.

3. The toxicological cases investigated comprised nine cases of suspected human poisoning. The poison found in four of these was opium.

WATERS.

4. The results of the analyses of samples taken each month from the Pokfu- lum and Tytam Reservoirs, from the Kowloon service, and Cheung Sha Wan supply, indicate that these supplies continue to maintain their excellent qualities.

In an Appendix will be found particulars of the monthly analyses of the public supplies, and of other waters.