Infectious diseases.
The outstanding feature of the year was the absence of any major epidemic. No local case of cholera occurred during the year for the first time since 1936. This freedom from cholera is of particular interest as it applied to the whole of the local epidemiological area, that is Macao, Canton and the immediate surroundings. 211 cases of smallpox occurred in the early part of the year but these were the remainder of the last year's epidemic. No fresh cases occurred after 17th June, 1947, which is undoubtedly largely due to the great number of vaccinations carried out.
Tuberculosis.
The greatest single cause of adult mortality and morbidity was tuberculosis which presents a very serious menace to the Colony's health. Steps were taken during the year to tackle this problem with the organisation of a tuberculosis clinic and a team of doctors and nurses. Plans for extension of this work
in the coming year have been laid.
Nutrition.
The nutrition standard of the Colony while still capable of improvement was higher than it has been in the past. Two surveys, one of a mixed sample of school children and another of destitutes receiving assistance at free food kitchens failed to reveal any gross nutritional diseases such as pellagra or beri beri. Deaths from beri beri numbered 312 as against 1,318 in the previous year, and 7,229 in 1940, the last year before local hostilities for which figures are available. It is possible that this improved standard was due to the rice shortage which has forced the main mass of the population to eat a more mixed diet, but the great increase in wages among the lower wage groups as compared with 1941 is probably in part responsible.
Public Health in the New Territories.
In the New Territories the District Officer, assisted by the Medical and Health Officer and his inspectors, maintains super- vision over all types of foodshop, stalls, markets, and dairies and over the sale of milk generally. The aim is to raise the standard of public health in the country towns-and later in the villages-to the standard set in the urban areas. A start has been made, but the road is a long one and at present such necessary facilities as markets and slaughter-houses are almost completely lacking. A big step forward during 1947 was the departure from the principle previously adhered to in the urban area that every market should be exclusively built and run by Government. Following upon this decision it is expected that a new market town will arise near Fanling during 1948 on land owned by a company formed specially for this venture, and that new markets and slaughterhouses will also appear elsewhere.
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