PROCEEDINGS OF THE TUIKD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 106T 



splashed ou to the clothes, pour Hquid ammonia on to the spot to neutra- 

 lize the acid. 



4. Potassium Cyanide is a deadly poison if taken into the system, 

 either if swallowed or introduced through any cut or wound in the 

 skin. It is better therefore not to touch it with the bare hands but to 

 wear gloves or to handle it with forceps. 



5. Hydrocyanic Acid Gas, produced by the action of Sulphuric 

 Acid on Potassium Cyanide, is extremely poisonous if inhaled. It is 

 colourless, non-inflanunable, and has a faint smell something hke that 

 of peach-kernels or of some metals when the'se are struck together. 

 Great care must be taken to avoid breathing in any of the gas before 

 it has all escaped. Should syniptoms of poisoning be noticed the patient 

 should be immediately removed and placed in the open air. 



In the case of plants received from overseas by post, under a Govern- 

 ment of India Notification dated 1.5th December 1917, the Chief Post 

 Office Officials at the specified ports of entry are empowered to search 

 or cause search to be made amongst all articles in course of transmission 

 by post to any place in British India for all plant imports whose entry 

 is regulated under the Pest Act and to deliver to the Customs Depart- 

 ment all postal articles reasonably beheved or found to contain such 

 goods. Parcels from abroad are of course accompanied by a declaration 

 stating their contents, and the entry of plant imports (except non- 

 specified seeds) by letter or sample post is prohibited. Any plant 

 imports, whoiSe entry is regulated under the Pest Act and which are 

 found in the Foreign Mails, are therefore Tianded over to the Customs 

 Staff for necessary action. 



Living plants brought in by passengers are subject to the same 

 restrictions as if they come in on freight, and are required to be fumigated 

 or to be accompanied by the certificates required under the Act, It 

 is probable that the regulations are not very strictly enforced in all 

 cases and that there is still some danger of pests being brought into India 

 in this way. 



Turning now to the actual working of these regulations, it was 

 originally proposed to erect a regular fumigatorium at each port of 

 entry and to have a special man, belonging to the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, at each such port to carry out the work. In view, however, of 

 the small quantity of plant imports at all ports except Bombay, it was 

 decided that the fumigation could be done by the Customs Staff in 

 special boxes designed for this purpose, and on issuing the Notification 

 under the Act Government directed that the work of fumigation should 

 be entrusted to the Customs Staff as an experimental measure for a 



