CHLOROFORM CHARGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18762, 16 July 1924, Page 11

CHLOROFORM CHARGE.

HEALTH OFFICIAL'S REPLYRESPONSIBILITY DENIED. DEFENCE MINISTER AWAITED. [BY TELKCIBAPH. —SPECIAIi BEPOBTEE.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. "The .Health Department disclaims any responsibility for the disposal in New Zealand of cheap grade chloroform as the best quality," stated the DirectorGeneral of Health, Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, in discussing the charges made by Mr. H. C. Smart in Auckland. "The department itself only uses the best quality." " The name Duncan and Flockart on a white label should itself be a guarantee of quality," said Dr. Valintine. "That is the grade that we used for anaesthetic purposes. Chloroform other than whito label should not be used in anaesthesia, but only for medicinal purposes. "I may add that two years ago there was some doubt as to whether Duncan and Flockart's chloroform on the local market, purporting to be first grade (white label), was actually of this quality, although it was stated on the label that the chloroform was pure and was for anaesthesia. Folio wing upon this the Health Department obtained samples of this chlorofornn, samples of other Duncan and Flockart white label chloroform, and of all other chloroforms and anaesthetic ethers known to be on the local market. These samples were thoroughly investigated by the Dominion analyst by all the recognised standard tests, but the results did not indicate the existence of dangerous impurities such as would justify the Health Department interfering with the sale of the allegedly wronp labelled Duncan and Flockart white label chloroform." The Minister for Defence is expected to make a statement on the subject in the House of Representatives shortly. In the meanwhile Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West) has asked for a return of the number of deaths occurring in th« last five years in New Zealand under anaesthetics and the kind of anaesthetic used.