Annual report on the health and medical services of the state of Queensland.

  • Queensland. Department of Health.
Date:
[1958]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the health and medical services of the state of Queensland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    108/128 (page 106)
    Tinned Fruit. ANALYSES. Head Space Gas. Carbon dioxide, per A. B. C. cent. 7 7 11 Oxygen, per cent. . . Nil Nil Nil Hydrogen, per cent. 58 37 8 Nitrogen, per cent. 35 56 81 pH of juice . . 4 4 4 Condition of can soft swell springer flat Condition of fruit . . poor poor good No organisms were grown either anaerobically or aerobically after 120 hours incubation. The blown cans showed internal corrosion along body seam where the tin plate was absent. Automatic Telephone Equipment. An examination of this equipment followed tests undertaken by the Superintending Engineer, G.P.O., to determine the effect on performance of a test unit under controlled temperatures and humidities. The tests were then taken to failure in moisture saturated atmosphere at temperatures around 110 deg. F. The unit was examined at this Department to identify materials of construction and furnish a rating relative to their resistance to corrosion under the above conditions. Corrosion Resistance. Metal. Excellent—■ (1) Platinum, silver contacts. (2) German silver. (3) Nickel plated brass. (4) Brass or bronze. (5) Plastic coated Cd plated iron. Good— (1) Nickel plated iron—some small rust spots. (2) Grey coloured lacquered iron frame—some rust spots. Fair— Aluminium silver alloy (platform and magnet mounting—some A1203 present). Aluminium plates (uniselector control bank). Cadium plated steel—not used much. Poor Resistance— Zinc coated iron screws and units. Solder was generally good although a white incrustation from flux was present in some instances. Drops of condensate carrying basic zinc carbonate and rust had fallen on the more vital working parts, e.g., contacts. The vulnerable parts although not vital to the working of the unit, were found to shed corrosion product in to more vital mechanisms. The parts of poor resistance such as Al alloy, sherardised iron could be plastic coated where magnetic properties do not suffer—water repel¬ lent silicone might be used. Textile coated cable should be replaced with P.V.C., P.V.A. or Melamine formaldehyde— coatings incorporating a fungicide. Refrigerator. An examination of a shop refrigerator jacketed with methylated alcohol water mixtures showed foodstuffs such as ice cream and jellies tainted with methylated alcohol vapour—due to leakage. A test showed the absence of any explosive vapour air mixture. The use of glycerol water mixtures would be the better and safer proposition. An explosion in a ship’s refrigerator hold was found to be due to ignition of a vapour air mixture. A flammable solvent had been used in the rubber base preparation for compounding the cork insulation. Fuel Tanks. During the year some fuel tanks were exam¬ ined for the Navigation Department to deter¬ mine the presence of toxic or dangerous pro¬ portions of inflammable vapour, prior to entry for cleaning or repairs. Use of Fork Lifts in Ships. An investigation into the quality of air obtaining during the use of a petrol fuelled fork lift for stacking cartons in a ship’s hold showed the proportions of carbon monoxide to range beyond a safe limit. The volume of the hold was 55,000 cubic feet. The fitting of a snorkel] to discharge the exhaust gas above head level and the installa¬ tion of a blower on deck to deliver fresh air by means of a canvas chute to within 5 feet of the floor reduced the concentrations of carbon monoxide to well below toxic levels. The capacity of the blower wTas 6,000 cubic feet per minute and with a linear velocity of about 2,410 feet per minute it induced a good updraught through the hatch. Fumigation of Houses with Methyl Bromide. In January, 1958, the Queensland Housing Commission, in association with a firm of fumi¬ gation contractors, commenced a particularly heavy programme in the fumigation of 2,343 Commission homes with methyl bromide to exterminate the European pine borer introduced from Europe in the timber of imported houses. Up to date over 779 houses have been treated with methyl bromide vapour under polythene envelopes, the dosage being 4 lb. per 1,000 cubic feet. Officers of this Department have been seconded to the Housing Commission to check and certify dwellings as safe for re-occupation after fumi¬ gation and aeration. Section 4. FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS, STATE STORES, MAIN ROADS AND PUBLIC WORKS, ETC. J. Adamson, A.R.A.C.I., Senior Chemist, Officer-in-Charge. The number of samples examined by the officers of this section was almost the same as in the previous year. The prolonged drought and the collapse of overseas markets again adversely affected the number of samples examined for the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industry.