6TH JULY 1894, Nos. 481, 481A, 481B, 481C, REVENUE.
5
At the end of the year before the value of the drugs in stock was Rs. 80,633-15-10.
X. MR. HOOPER ' S REPORT is appended.
XI. MISCELLANEOUS—(a) Issue of quinine powders.— During the past year there
has been a considerable increase in indents for these powders. The following table
shows the progress made in this branch since the scheme was first started in 1890:—
1890-91
1891-92
1892-93
1893-94
* 85,400
37,000
170,400
384,500
* The original permanent advance.
A scheme for selling these powders in small quantities through the agency of the
Post offices in the following Collectorates—Ganjám,Vizagapatam, Cuddapah, Kurnool,
and Malabar—is now before Government.
A full report on the sale of the quinine powders will be sent hereafter when
the reports from the Collectors have all been received in this office.
(b)
Sale of quinine powders to the Government of Mysore.— In October last, the
Senior Surgeon with the Government of Mysore addressed the Surgeon-General with the
Madras Government asking that he might be supplied with samples of the envelopes
used in the distribution of quinine powders. The letter was transferred to this office
for disposal, and a packet of 100 powders was sent, together with instructions for the
administration of the medicine.
(c)
Exchange compensation allowances.— The following officers have been
granted exchange compensation allowances, viz., the Director, the Government Qui-
nologist, Curator of the Government Gardens, and the Overseer of the quinine factory;
the rest of the officers, whether European or Eurasian, do not participate in the benefits
allowed to the above.
(d)
Abolition of the post of clerk on the Nedivattam estates.— The clerkship
attached to the Nedivattam estate was abolished— vide G.O. No. 466 of 16th May
1893, Financial, communicated to this office under G.O. No. 1980 of 31st May
1893, Revenue.
(e)
Return of stores.—In accordance with G.O. No. 920, dated the 13th
September 1893, Financial, communicated to this office under G.O. No. 3616 of
2nd October 1893, Revenue, an inventory of the valuable stock in the custody of the
Government Quinologist and the Superintendents of the Estates has been made.
(f)
Service books.—All the service books have been kept duly written up
to date.
OOTACAMUND,
(Signed) M. A. LAWSON,
19th May 1894. Government Botanist and Director.
From D. HOOPER, Esq., Government Quinologist, Ootacamund, to the Government Botanist
and Director of the Government Cinchona Plantations, Nilgiris, dated Ootacamund,
12th May 1894.
I have the honour to forward the following report on the analytical work done in the
Laboratory during the year ending 31st March 1894.
Samples of the more ordinary cinchona barks, grown on the plantations, have been analysed,
but the results have not been considered of sufficient value to be noticed in the annual report,
and the quinine and febrifuge, manufactured at Nedivattam, have been tested from time to
time, and have been found to be good in appearance and quality, and quite up to the standard
of the British Pharmacopœia.
585¾ lb. of quinine have been made up into packets, each containing 100 five-grain powders,
for distribution through the Collectors of several districts of the Presidency. This is a large
increase compared with the previous year.
Sonte soru.—An alcoholic liquor is prepared by the fishermen of Cassimode from sonte
soru, balls and boiled rice. These balls have been supposed by some to be natural seeds or
fruits of some tree, as they have a distant resemblance to a gall-nut; but on closer inspection
they are found to be made of some starchy grains, powdered together, and made into balls, and
dried. This is how the spirit is manufactured. Some boiled rice is cooled, by being spread
on mats, and exposed to the air for two or three days; it is then mixed by the hand with a
certain proportion of these balls; the mixture is put into pots, and water poured upon it.
Fermentation sets in in the course of a day or two, and a liquor is produced containing as much
alcohol as ordinary beer. The use of this liquor is reported by Abkári Inspectors to seriously
interfere with the sale of toddy, as it is so much cheaper. The inhabitants of Cassimode are