HEALTH.
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 dental. The hospitals division, which includes out-patient departments and public dispensaries, cares for the sick and injured in twelve separate hospitals, sixteen dispensaries and two poly-clinics. The hospitals provide approximately 2,800 beds for accidents, infectious diseases (including tuberculosis), mental and general diseases. Most of the hospital accommoda- tion is on Hong Kong Island and a smaller number of beds is avaliable on the Kowloon Peninsula and in the New Territories. The incidence of the main infectious diseases in 1947 is shown in the graphs included in this chapter.
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 of 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 supervision of markets and slaughter houses, and the registration of births and deaths. Vital statistics for the year under review are given in Appen- dix 1 to this chapter.
Dental services are provided at three clinics, two on the Island and one on the Mainland.
The investigation division is subdivided into pathological laboratories (one on each side of the harbour) a chemical and 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, 1947, the staff of the Medical Department consisted of:-
Doctors-99, of whom 70 were Chinese.
Nurses & Hospital Dressers-422 of whom 347 were Chinese. Health Inspectors-114 of whom 88 were Chinese.
Others (including technicians, subordinate and menial staff)
2,113, mostly Chinese.
General Health.
The standard of public health during the year has remained high, with mortality rates that compare favourably with last
year.
70