BY J, BROWNLIE HENDERSON, F.I.C., F.C.S. 145 



V. S. as to suggest malignant disease of the stomach at the time 

 of his death, 



" With regard to the chemical analysis of the water, it is 

 necessary to say that the samples A and B, mentioned in the 

 analyst's report, were taken from the Pathan's tank. It was 

 not possible at the time, owing to a short drought, to send Mr« 

 Burgess samples from the Sikhs' tank. An excess of zinc was 

 found in this water by me as compared to the other. For the 

 same reason it took some days to collect the sample C, which 

 was taken directly from the roof. The surfaces of the corru- 

 gated iron were not flushed with rain as is usually the case. 

 This, no doubt, accounts for the large amount of organic matter 

 which was found in this particular sample, and may explain the 

 excess of zinc in it through non-dilution of the water. The 

 roofs at Kuala Lipis are covered with patches of oxide of zinc. 



" The amount of carbonate in solution in the tank water 

 which caused so much sickness at Kuala Lipis, is comparatively 

 small in quantity. It is less than one-fifteenth of that found in 

 the contaminated water supplied to Cwmfelin, near Llanelly, a 

 few years ago. 



" It is interesting to note in connection with the latter 

 instance, which is reported in the Lancet of July 29th, 1893, 

 that the Pahang water was also essentially a soft water. The 

 occurrence of this rather rare instance of poisoning suggests the 

 advisability of a special inquiry with regard to a possible conta- 

 mination of water in the towns of Australia and South Africa 

 where galvanised iron roofs and tanks are used for the purpose 

 of collecting and storing rain water; and although soil and 

 circumstances undoubtedly play a chief part in the causation of 

 typhoid fever in these countries, it is not unreasonable to suppose 

 that zinc poisoning might be a factor in the causation of some 

 of the gastro-intestinal symptoms. It appears that only after 

 prolonged boiling and subsequent filtration water containing the 

 acid carbonate of zinc might be harmless. It must be borne in 

 mind, however, that the climates are essentially different, and 

 perhaps in this may be found the determining cause of the 

 Pahang epidemic. The mean annual temperature at Kuala 

 Lipis in 1900 was 82-7'^ F., the minimum temperature 71° F., 

 the rainfall 96-69 inches, with an average number of thirteen 

 rainy days per month." 



These then are the facts, so far as I have been able to 

 ascertain them, with regard to what is known of the presence of 



