THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH APRIL, 1877.
207
Table IV shows the causes of admission to Hospital, of the different cases, and the deaths. Table V shows the rate of mortality among different sections of the community admitted to Hospital; in all of which there is a consider decrease, especially among the Chinese. The Superintendent in his Report remarks upon their dislike to stay in Hospital, and attributes the decrease of the mortality to many being carried away in a dying state by their friends, but this has also been the case in former years, and I am not aware of any increased dislike to staying in Hospital this year more than in former
years.
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Table VI shows the number of admissions and deaths in the different months, and as usual the summer months are most sickly, and the mortality greatest. Table VII shows the number of dead bodies brought to Hospital for examination. There is an increase of 18, as compared with 1875. The increase was among adults, the number of children's bodies being exactly the same.
All things considered, I think this institution has done very well; the admissions are about the same, the deaths among all sections of the community greatly decreased.
1874..
1875,
Admissions.
829.
.1,010.
1,001..
Deaths.
92.
..56.
....35.
1876,
There were 17 admissions to the Small-pox wards during the year and one death. Some of the cases were very severe, and in spite of all efforts to the contrary, left the patients badly scared. The Small-pox wards are separated from the Government Civil Hospital, being situated near the old Civil Hospital, and to these I have attended myself as they are close to the Lock Hospital and do not take me any distance out of my way, as they would the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital. When the new Hospital is completed, these wards will form a separated portion of it, and come under the charge of the Superintendent.
One woman in labour was brought to Hospital. As a rule such cases would not be admitted to an ordinary Hospital, but some cases which require operative interference are better in Hospital than in the filthy, ill-ventilated rooms of their own houses; at any rate the risk of a fatal termination is no greater, if so great.
During the past year, great changes have
made in the staff of this Hospital, and it remains to be seen how the new system will k'ork; as it as it has gone it seems to act well, but time will be required to instruct the new Chinese nh less their work and sharp supervision to see that it is pro- perly done.
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There has, he last three years, been great trouble with the staff of this Establishment. I am in hopes the preser plan will prove successful, and that we shall have no more troubles of the sort in future. I was in marge of the Hospital in the month of October, during the Superintendent's absence on leave, and think it works as well as can be expected; better than might have been, considering its
defects.
N
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TUNG WAH HOSPITAL.
In my Report for 1874, I said all that could be said for this Institution. As a matter of fact, the Chi nese have a rooted objection to going into a Hospital at all, whether it is presided over by their own tive Doctors or by European Surgeons. It will be a work of time to overcome this prejudice. I am frequently called in by Chinese of the better class, and there is not much difficulty with them, if you explain carefully what you hope to be able to do and the chances of success, but if an operation is re- quired and the chances of success are small, or the deformity resulting is great, they decline to submit to it. Their objections, in part the result of their religious belief, are not to be overcome by force or de- priving them of their Native Doctors, charlatans though they may be in a European point of view. I have explained, in a special Report, the difficulties in the way of educating Native Doctors as is done in India, because the Government would require only a few and they would be useless in their native land. In India, where Dispensaries are established by Government allover the Empire, Native Doctors educated in European ideas are a necessity. The prizes in the way of appointments offered to them are great and medicines are supplied gratis by the Government. Supposing Government Dispensaries were established here, there is only a limited demand, and the school set-up must close as soon as this demand is furnished, for the men thus educated would be useless in their own country, where they could not procure the drugs they were taught to use, or only at heavy cost. The objection among the Chinese to the use of the knife, is the same with many castes in India, and in no case would the Govern- ment perinit offence to be given to the natives by a Surgeon operating against their wishes. Deven among Europeans it is customary to consult the wishes of the patients, or their friends, Englishman prefered to die to being operated upon with a chance of recovery, I know of no law to prevent it.
So, however absurd the treatment of their Native Doctors may seem, I cannot see anything to be gained by doing away with them. For the natives have not sufficient confidence to come to us, and such a proceeding, in the present state of affairs, would do more harm than good.
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