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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 22ND FEBRUARY, 1868. 55
Table I-Shews the number of admissions into, and deaths in, the Hospital, of Members of the Police Force, during every month of 1867. It will be seen that the greatest number of admissions took place in June and October. The latter month is always the most unhealthy, but September usually ranks next to it. It would appear that men are able to go through the extreme heat of summer but break down with the change of the monsoon.
Table II—Shews the rate per cent of Sickness and Mortality of the Force during the same year.
Table III-Kindly furnished to me by Dr. Heffernan, Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals, and Principal Military Medical Officer, gives a comparative return of the IIealth of the Troops serving in Hongkong, from which it will be seen that a further improvement in this respect has taken place among the Military last year, the rate of sickness being less than two thirds, and the rate of death sensibly lowered. The present Return is more interesting than usual, as the numbers refer to a body of men scarcely double that of the Police Force.
Table XV-Shews the rate per cent of Sickness and Mortality in the Police Force from the year 1845 to 1867, with the exception of the four years from 1854 to 1857, of which there are no sufficient data. By this table the singular result is shewn that in 1848, when the lowest rate of sickness was attained, the highest rate of Mortality was indicated, a rate seven times what it w as last year-but, as nineteen of the deaths are accounted for by the typhoon of that year, the rate is reduced to 3.80 per cent or less than double that of 1867.
Table XVI--Shews the number of cases of Infectious disease occurring among the Police during the last seven years, with a classification of the special nature of the disease--an examination of this table reveals the important fact that a steady im- provement in this respect has been going on in this body of men, that in the year 1867 the rate of sickness to the whole strength was only 14.13 per cent, against 31.00 per cent in 1862-and that the diminution of disease has taken plaec especially under the head of Chanere and Bubo, the two most dangerous forms for the general health of the Force.
II. THE GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.
Deficient as this Institution is in every essential for the effectual treatment of disease, it is with peculiar pleasure that I am able to point to the last year's results, which are mainly attributable to the zeal and fidelity with which Dr. Cochran, the Superintendent, performs his arduous duties. It is not creditable to a Colony which was only lately considered one of the wealthiest of its size, that it possesses no Colonial Government Hospital worthy of the name, and that the only provision for the treatment of the sick is a mere make shift of an altered dwelling, without even the means of supplying hot baths at a moment's notice, and to which it is impossible to adapt any of the modern therapeutic improvements. This state of matters will not, I believe, be of long duration, as His Excellency the Governor, appreciating the necessity of supplying the proper means for successful treatment, has, I understand, already taken preliminary steps to prevent the Government Civil Hospital continuing to be pointed at by visitors as the one public Institution which is unworthy of inspection. Nor is it fair to the Police, in whose interest the Hospital was originally established, to transfer them for treatment of disease to Worse quarters than are afforded by their own new barracks.
It is gratifying to refer to Table IX, which presents a summary of the result of treatment in the Government Civil Hospital from the year 1849 to 1867, both inclusive, with the exception of an interval of five years between 1852 and 1858, of which there appears to be no records. Nor are there any previous to the year 1849. By this table it may be seen that out of 9,516 cases, treated in 14 years, 910 died, thus giving an average Mortality of 9.57 per cent and that the average of 1867, viz. 7.56 per cent-has been lower than any year recorded since 1862, and only exceeds the three years 1860-61 and 62,
On reference to Table V, which gives the rate of Mortality during the last nine years, distinguishing that in the case of Europeans from Colored Persons and Chinese, it will be seen that in no year registered has the rate been so low among Europeans as during the past one, when it only reached 4.70 per cent of the cases admitted, the year which approached it nearest in point of success being 1862. A result almost as s satisfactory is recorded in reference to Chinese.
Table IV—which gives the number of admissions into and the Mortality in this Hospital during the year 1867, explains to some extent the improvement. Among the Europeans the admissions for Remittent Fever have not been half as numerous as in 1866, and only one death is noted from this disease. Typhoid Fever has not been seen at all, whereas in 1866 two deaths were attributed to this cause. No case of Delirium Tremens has proved fatal among the Europeans admitted: in 1866 no less than 4 died. Apoplexy leaves an equal blank this year-of Disease of the Heart only one case terminated fatally, against 4 in 1866. On the other hand Small Pox, Phthisis and Hepatitis have been treated with less success in 1867 than in the preceding year.
Among the Chinese patients the great improvement may be mainly attributed to the milder form of Diarrhoea and Dysentery, to the total absence of Yellow Fever, of which no less than 30 cases proved fatal in 1866, and to the smaller number of Phthisical patients admitted. Under the head of Starvation it is melancholy to find an equal number of patients dying as in 1866, viz.: 17.
The increased Mortality among the colored people admitted may be said to be entirely owing to the reception of an unusual number of cases of Phthisis, of which no less than three of the fatal cases were from the Indian Police, or equal to one fourth of the entire Mortality of the Force.
Table VI---Kindly sent me by the Resident Surgeon, Dr. Adams, gives information in reference to the Seamen's Hospital. The admissions appear to have slightly exceeded those of 1866, as 324 to 312, the number of deaths being exactly the same in both years, viz.: 29, and the death rate consequently somewhat lower as 8.95 per cent against 9.26 per cent, in 1866. In this Return no distinction is drawn between Europeans, Colored persons, and Chinese-but as I am led to believe that almost the whole of the patients belong to the two former nationalities it would appear that the death rate has been nearly double what it has been in the Government Civil Hospital for Europeans and Colored persons, and even greater than that of the three classes together.
During the past year several chronic cases were received into the Government Civil, from the Seamen's Hospital-cases which could only terminate in one manner-it is to be regretted that such cases should be transferred at all. One was that of a man suffering from chronic Dysentery, who had contracted Small Pox before his reception into the Government Civil Hospital, as the latter disease made its appearance within five days of his admission--and he died of it.
Although I do not propose entering on the subject of treatment of disease in general, the successful use of small doses of the Chlorate of Potash, in the treatment of Secondary Syphilitic affections, deserves to be recorded among the events of the year.
During 1867 the Harbor Master sent home 11 invalids from Hospital, and the Italian Consul 2 suffering from Phthisis. This is the greatest number ever sent from the Government Civil Hospital, and, as much has been said on the subject, I cannot omit to point out the absolute necessity there exists for the Harbor Master retaining this power.
I would even go farther, and, in the interests of humanity, urge the desirability of the power being extended to a greater degree. There can be no doubt that many valuable lives might be saved if the system of invaliding adopted in the Army and Navy extended to the Merchant service. At present invalids have to wait so long before a suitable vessel can be found to afford them a passage, that the chance of effecting good is often past, but that they should have the chance, although it may be a small one, of preserving their lives is not to be denied, even although the Masters or the Surgeons of the Vessels compelled to afford them a passage complain of the trouble or annoyance. Vessels carrying such invalids should be required to supply a proper sick- berth, and afford kind and careful Hospital treatment--but, to carry out such a system it would be necessary for the Home Government to legislate, in the interest of the shipowner and sanction an indemnification to him which would, however, prove, in the long run profitable to the country.