8
No. 578, REVENUE, 16TH JULY 1897.
IX. FACTORY.—Owing to the late arrival of the fusel-oil which was indented for
in November 1895, but which did not arrive until May 1896, work in the factory
was not commenced until the 27th May. From that date, with the exception of an
interval during the Christmas holidays, the manufacture of quinine and febrifuge was
carried on continuously to the close of the year. It was found that the bark was
more completely exhausted of its alkaloids by being treated twice with the mixed
oils, instead of once as was done before, and the results for the year which are the
most favourable that have been obtained since the manufacture of quinine and febrifuge
was started, clearly show the importance of this second washing. Another innovation
in connection with the work in the factory was the introduction of monthly returns
showing precisely the amount of chemicals used and the quantity of quinine and
febrifuge obtained from the bark treated each month. These serve as a useful check
on the work done. The total quantity of bark worked up during the year was
238,100 lb. consisting of 237,000 lb. crown, hybrid and magnifolia barks and 1,100 lb.
of red bark. From this amount of raw material were extracted 7,891 lb. quinine and
3,350 lb. febrifuge, or a total of 11,241 lb. alkaloids. The total expenditure on factory
and chemicals together with the pay of the Government Quinologist, rent of laboratory
and labour employed on the distribution of quinine and febrifuge and the making up
and despatch of quinine powders was Rs. 28,929–12–0. The following statement
represents the cost of manufacture and distribution during the year :—
—
Amount.
—
Amount.
R S .
A. P.
RS.
A. P.
Value of chemicals in stock on 31st March
1896.
6,420 5 2
Value of chemicals in stock on
31st March 1897.
7,532 5 9
Quinologist's salary ..
..
..
..
4,467 14 5
C o s t o f m a n u f a c t u r i n g 1 1 , 2 4 1 l b .
alkaloids, viz., 7,891 lb. quinine
and 3,350 lb. febrifuge.
91,447 8 2
Laboratory assistant's pay ..
.. ..
174 0 0
Factory overseer's pay
.... ..
1,500 0 0
Rent of laboratory
.
..
..
..
600 0 0
Cost per lb. of alkaloid, Rs. 8–2–2..
. . . .
Cost of chemicals, packing and despatching
quinine and. febrifuge.
20,225 0 6
Factory labour
..
..
..
1,962 13
1
Value of 238,100 lb. bark
Rs.
A. P.
used, viz., 156,009 lb. of
previous year's crops at
annas 4 and pie 3.61 per
lb.
..
..
..
41.935 8 8
82,091 lb. of 1896-97 crop
at annas 4 and pies 2.74
per lb. ..
..
..
21,694 4 1
63,629 12 9
Total ..
98,979 13 11
Total . .
98,979 13 11
In the above statement, the value of the bark used has been taken at its actual
cost price to Government, while the value of the chemicals represents their cost at the
factory . As the quinine and febrifuge were obtained by the oil process, the cost of
each is practically the same. With the oil process when quinine yielding barks are
treated, the febrifuge is a bye-product in the manufacture of quinine. It is intended
in future to extract febrifuge from the red barks by the acid process which is a much
less expensive method, and arrangements will be made to carry on the work of
extracting febrifuge from the red barks in a separate building, simultaneously with
the manufacture of quinine and febrifuge from quinine yielding barks in the main
factory.
The following table gives the output of quinine and febrifuge since the com-
mencement of manufacture at Nedivattam :—
—
Total bark
worked up.
Quinine.
Febrifuge.
Total
alkaloids.
1889–90
..
..
..
. .
LB.
15,250
LB.
234
LB.
357
LB.
591
1890–91
..
..
..
..
96,200
2,928
1,050
3,978
1891–92
..
..
..
..
144,500
4,425
3,174
7,599
1892–93
..
..
..
171,717
4,933
3,139
8,072
1893–94
..
..
..
..
175,000
2,000
5,775
7,775
1894–95
..
..
..
..
196,600
4,770
1,756
6,526
1895–96
..
..
..
..
233,800
3,600
2,284
5,884
1896–97
..
..
..
..
238,100
7,891
3,350
11,241