PROTECTING THE PUBLIC

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1929, Page 3

PROTECTING THE PUBLIC

CHEMISTS, KEPT BUSY. SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH. The Dominion Laboratory, with its Imam lies at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, carries out all the analytical and chemical work required b.V all Government Departments, with the exception of the Department of .Agriculture. Owing to the ‘jnareased degree to which chemical problems are entering into departmental and industrial questions, there services are yearly becoming of greater importance. The wide and varied nature of •the problems that occur during the year require laboratory equipment of a comprehensive nature and a staff qualified to deal with chemical and analytical problems covering a wide range of subjects. A number of Government Departments continually draw on the services of the Laboratory, says the annual report of the Department of 'Scientific and Industrial Research, the .principal among these being Customs. Health, Police, Industries and Commerce. Post and Telegraph, the Public Works. In .addition, the aggregate total of individual enquiries made by other Departments also is also large.

GOITRE IN NEW ZEALAND. . The staff aryl equipment,, complement of the Laboratory enables a maximum of- organised scientific servile to be rendered, and in addition to the ordinary routine work a considerable amount of research work into national problems has been initiated. Included in these is the extensive investigation into the incidence of goitre in New Zealand, earned out in C'llaboration with the Do"artment of Health. A report on this work has been completed for 'publication. In this connexion iodine determinations from soil and water snpnlies have been made over a number of selected areas in the Deminion, and those analyses have been associated with careful examinations by the Health Department of the school children of these districts.

PROTECTION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS.

In association with the Geological fturvev 3ranch a series of special investigations into the gold and silver content of sinters located in the Rotorua and Tanpo districts has been completed. The technique of this work called for special manipulative skill. It is the policy of the Laboratory not to undertake commercial analytical work unless such cannot he car-, ried out by private analysts. Howwer,: -where; tire.. natkaiaJ-interest's* aro at stake—as, for instance, the possible doyglopmfcriit of View industries a.nd-'-rttilib'atioit 'of waste products-j----invesfcigations oftijn iarej qjpnducted by ( lie Laboratory'.' “ >.

During the year work in this con-' nexion “has”beeVr'“carried but in regard to bacon curing and wrapping, disinfection 6f hleat-wdrlts;' “chemical, and physical treatment of flax r fibre, manufacturing ofrtoofing-tiles, manu-i fncture of soap, sand for glassmak-, ing, tar fort roadiiig, water' for iifdusttfial purposes, and zinc-plating. In addition, advice has been given' in,the numerous cases;of enquiry from: Industry, and this service, is being increasingly appreciated and taken sic]vantage of. MANIFOLD ANALYSES.-

The thousands of analyses carried out. during the year were divided amongst the various. Government Departments as follows Customs, 461; Justice (Police), 42-; Geological. Survey, 147 ; Alain Highways Board, 228-'; Mines (including prospectors’ samples) 303; Post and Telegraph, 114'; HeMtJi, 3*621 ; Public Works,. 31 ■; public bodies,, 'J3; Railways, 79; Stores.> Control Board, 66; , other Departments, -., 120,;. miscellaneous, 215 ; "total, 5455. includes: Milks of Wellington 1 city supply, 1716; milks from country districts,. 870; human milks (Plunket Society), 308; sijils and waters for goitre research, 231; foodstuffs,-, waters, etc., 496, Miscellaneous includes:' iSamiplos for leather research,; 57; packing industry, research; 47; other, 11. This number of, samples shows an increase of 369 over the previous year. .... Many of the Customs samples were examined in order to determine their classification for tariff purposes, hutsome to ascertain whether they, complied with the regulations under the Sale of Foods and Drugs. Act. The latter included a number of flours which '.were examined for artificial bleachThe result of this action has been that imported flour is now. free from chemical bleaching, POLICE INVESTIGATIONS,

Tho Superintendent of Police sub-; rrfi.tted a much larger number of samples "than in previous years. These comprised medicines, rat-poison, fuel tablets, and exhibits relating to eases* of suspected poisoning. The medicines consisted of acetylsalicylic acid, chloral, bromide, ergot, bismuth carbonate and tincture, of mix vomica. Poisons found in the exhibits were strychnine,; chloral hydrate, barium carbonate, potassium oxalate, oxalic acid, and powdered glass. In view of possible grave danger to children, the desirability of a clear indication as to itho '[joisonous properties of certain fuel tablets was brought under tile notice of the Director-General of Ifealth. Samples submitted by the Post and Telegraph Department included alloy wire, aviation spirit, beeswax, bronze wire ,carbon, tetrachloride, x'esin, core

bidder, fire'Oextihguisher, gold wire, tg'i'oascp, green dye, joiiitpr’s petal, cleanser, kerosene, ' scrap lead, lead sheathing for telephone cables, lineman’s solder, motor spirits, oils, steel piping, rectified spirits, shellac, sealing wax, soap soldering fluid, sulphuric acid, and zinc rods. EXAMINATION OF FOODS. As is the case every year, many foodstuffs were subjected to critical analysis. Amongst the variety of substances submitted by the Health Department were air from bitumen, plant, aspirin, butter, ! bacon, brandy, beer, ginger-beep” 'hop beer, wholemeal bread, bath enamel, brine and pickle from bacon factory, cream, .cheese, qocoa, and orange squash, metal lid for confectionery container, mince meat, nitrous oxide, oranges, peanuts, ’ cheese, pepper, pickled pork, rum, radox kith salts, sausages, sugar of milk, schnapps, ' soaps,, sodawater, tin piping, 'water, whisky, etc. •(

The foodstuffs, on the whole, complied well with the regulations. Of the butters five samples contained excessive amounts of water, and two, contained boric acid, which is now prohibited. Of the beers one contained an excessive amount of sodium chloride (common salt). A large number of sausages, corned meats, etc., were examined for boric acid, in all cases with negative results. Of the fifty-five ice-creams -• examined live were deficient in milk-fat.

A considerable number of ' soda, waters were examined for traces • of lead. It was found that, in many cases lead was present. The makeif? were notic'd by the Department of Health, and took steps to .ensure, the purity of their products. , Several samples of. imported sugar ■of milk were, examined, as well; as. some of * lev' Zealand manufacture. , lit was found that with the exception of pne m,ported sample they were all .of good quality, and that the New Zealand product compared well with the, imported sugar of milk. A number of transparent toilet soaps were, examined, and it was found that, with, one exception, these soaps are low in actual soap content. Of the liquors submitted, refilling was proved in five oases, while three had boqn diluted with water.