Testing Methamphetamine HCL

Friday April 27, 2007, together with Ma'am Vicky and Isabelle we test the presence of Methamphetamine HCL (Shabu) in an unknown substance. First of all, we weight the unknown substance. Then, we apply the Simon's Reagent Method to the unknown substance and we also apply it to Tawas to compare the two results. If the unknown substance is a shabu or does contain shabu the result would be a color blue. The expected result afterThere are three Simon's reagents, the R1 which contains Sodium Carbonate, the R2 that contains alcohol and R3. When we apply the first reagent, the unknown substance was dissolve by the reagent while the Tawas was not dissolved. When we apply the second reagent, there was no change in the unknown substance while there were bubbles seen in the Tawas. And when we apply the third reagent the unknown substance was change to color blue while the Tawas did not change its color. Thus we conclude that the unknown substance contain Methamphetamine HCL.

Ma'am Vicky told us that there are many method of testing Shabu, Simon's Reagent Method is only one. She also told us that we may use Marquiz Reagent Method. But Marquiz Reagent Method is slower than the Simon's Reagent Method.

Posted By: Faye

8th day of SSIP

Wednesday, April 25, 2007, Sir Andres taught us the proper way of getting fingerprints. He told us the parts of a fingerprint kit. Some of the parts are namely ink, ink roller, fingerprint card, impressing plate and glass plate. Sir Andres lectured us on how to get fingerprints and after his lecture, we ourselves tried. Both left and right thumb would be rolled outside to inner side of the thumb. It would be easier to move the wrist joint if doing so. While the other four fingers would be rolled inside to outside which is easier and makes less mistakes. He also told us that fingerprints has patterns/types. Two of those are the Ulnar loop and the plain whorl. He also told us the uses of fingerprints, they are use as confirmation of the suspect's identity and criminal history, for disclosure of the identity of the unidentified persons and the deduce criminal's identity from fingerprints gathered from the crime scene.

Now that we have modern technology, there is a building in Camp Crame in Manila that would have Automated Fingerprint Identification System. that would match fingerprints using computers.

Our fourth day of SSIP

On our fourth day, ma'am Vicky lectured us about Methamphetamine HCL or commonly known as Shabu (C10H15N). She also let us read books about dangerous drugs and toxicology. She differentiated Shabu from Tawas(Potassium _______ Sulfate). Ma'am Vicky showed us a specimen and it is very much alike to a Tawas. But ma'am told us that if a Shabu is removed from its plastic it would be dissolved since it does not have a oxygen, while a Tawas if exposed to the environment would not be dissolved since it has a oxygen component. We asked her if how people used drugs, and ma'am said, "it could be inhaled, it could be eaten, or it could be burned/smoked and they will just inhale the smoke".

Methamphetamine is dangerous to our body. It could make us crazy and out of our mind. Now that we are still young, let us start refraining ourselves from harmful drugs.

First Day of SSIP

April 16, 2007, is our first day of ssip. We went to the Camp Dagohoy where crime laboratory is located. Our supervisor ma'am Vicky arrived only in the afternoon since she has a court duty in the morning. However, ma'am Aurelia, sir Jayger and sir Andres was there to entertain and welcome us. In the afternoon when ma'am Vicky already arrived, she had showed us how drug testing is done. She explained to us how to know if a person is a positive or negative drug user.

It was a nice experience to observed a drug testing. It was my first time to observed such thing. I have also realized that if a person is a positive drug user, he/she has a great possibility to be fired in his/her job. That is why we should not use harmful and dangerous drugs.