HEALTH.
51
The Medical Department.
Matters of public health are the responsibility of the Medical Department, the functions of which are separated into different divisions, e.g. hospitals, health, investigation and relief. The hospitals division, which includes out-patient departments and public dispensaries, cares for the sick and injured in fifteen separate hospitals, fourteen dispensaries and two poly-clinics. The hospitals provide approximately 2,800 beds for accidents, infectious diseases (including tuberculo- sis), mental and general diseases. Most of the hospital accommodation is on Hong Kong Island and a smaller number of beds is available on the Kowloon Peninsula and in the New Territories. Appendix 1 to this chapter contains the returns
of infectious diseases for the year 1946.
of
The health division has a variety of functions. Besides the supervision of the cleanliness of houses, streets, and open spaces, these include the control of anti-epidemic measures such as vaccination, inoculation, disinfection, the care of expectant and parturient mothers, the neo-natal care infants, and the inspection and treatment of school children. This division is also responsible for malaria control, port health work, food and drug control, public health propaganda, the treatment and prevention of social diseases, the supervi- sion of markets and slaughter houses, and the registration of births and deaths. Vital statistics for the year under review are given in Appendix 2.
The investigation division is subdivided into pathological laboratories (one on each side of the harbour), a chemical laboratory, a bio-chemical laboratory, and public mortuaries where autopsies are carried out on all bodies of persons where the cause of death is in doubt.
On 31st December, 1946, the staff of the Medical Department consisted of:-
Doctors
Nurses and Hospital
Dressers
Health Inspectors
Others
(including
technicians, subordin- ate and menial staff)
Low Mortality.
108 of whom 30 were Europeans.
647 of whom 59 were Europeans. 109 of whom 40 were Europeans.
1,963
The standard of public health during the year under review was extremely high, the mortality and morbidity rates being the lowest on record. The Colony was afflicted in the autumn with an epidemic of smallpox, more serious than any since the previous high record of 1938, and there was a some- what less serious outbreak of cholera in the summer months;