SUPPLEMENT TO THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 1899.
iii
Enteric Fever.-There were 52 cases reported as against 65 in the previous year; twelve of these occurred in April, most of them were imported.
Scarlet Fever. These cases both occurred on board II.M.S. Powerful and were imported from the Mediterranean.
Cholera.-These were evidently cases of Acute Choleraic Diarrhoea due to indiscretion in diet; they occurred in April.
Malarial Fever.-As usual malarial fevers prevailed during the summer months; there were no cases of the pernicious type in the Government Civil Hospital.
Discases of Respiratory Organs.-These were as usual chiefly prevalent in the winter months and account for many deaths amongst the Chinese.
RELATIVE MORTALITY IN THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.
From the following return it will be seen that the two months April and May were the most fatal both for Chinese and Non-Chinese; this is accounted for by the prevalence of plague during these months
Excluding the deaths from small-pox and plague, it is seen that the mouths in which the least number of deaths occurred were April, May, and June.
The winter months, though the healthiest, give the greatest mortality; this is due to the greater number of deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs amongst the Chinese at this season of the year.
1898.
POPULATION :-NON-CHINESE 15,190. CHINESE 239,210.
DEATHS.
Month.
Non- Chinese.
Rate per 1,000. Chinese.
Rate per 1,000.
Total Deaths.
Total Deaths excluding Plague and Small-pox.
January
23
401
424
386
February
27
17.90
440
23.55
467
378
March
18
499
517
394
April.......
39
708
747
823
May
45
- 30.02
710
30.77
755
323
June
30
422
452
288
July
August..
September
14
333
347
337
22
23
October......
12
22
> 15.54
372
17.87
394
392
364
387
386
391
403
402
November..
17
13.10
361
18.96
378
378
December.
21
382
403
403
Total.........
291
5,383
5,674
4,390
GENERAL SANITARY CONDITION OF THE COLONY.
Though much has been done of late years to improve the sanitary condition of the Colony by :---
(a.) The removal of illegal cocklofts, mezzanine floors and backyard obstructions; (b.) The concreting of the Chinese houses not only in Victoria but at Hung Hom, Yaumati,
and Taikoktsui in British Kowloon ;