not self contained and a certain amount of over-lapping takes place.
The hospitals division includes 11 hospitals, which provide approximately 1750 beds for accidents, maternity cases, infectious diseases (including tuberculosis), mental and general cases. 16 dispensaries and 3 polyclinics are also maintained where out-patients are treated daily. The Tung Wah groups of hospitals which are to a large extent financed by Government provide approximately 1100 beds. Other charitable and private hospitals exist in the Colony and these provide accommodation for approximately a further 1050 beds, making a grand total of beds in all hospitals in the Colony of 3900. Some two thirds of the hospital accom- modation is on the island of Hong Kong and the remainder on the Kowloon Peninsula with the exception of about 100 beds in the New Territories and on Cheung Chau Island.
The health division of the Medical Department is responsible for supervising the cleanliness of houses, streets and open spaces in the New Territories, the control of anti- epidemic measures such as vaccination and inoculation, the care of expectant and parturient mothers and neo-natal care of infants, the inspection and treatment of school children, the control of malaria and a tuberculosis service. This division is also responsible for port health work, drug control, public health education, the treatment and prevention of social diseases and the registration of births and deaths. Vital statistics for the year 1949, are given at the end of this section.
Two dental clinics are maintained on the Island and one on the Mainland.
The investigation division consists of a pathological laboratory on each side of the harbour, and a clinical labora- tory at the Queen Mary Hospital, 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.
The staff of the Medical Department on 31st December, 1949, consisted of 127 Doctors, of whom 99 were Chinese, 5 Executive Officers of whom 2 were Chinese, 512 Nurses and Hospital Dressers, of whom 443 were Chinese, 10 Health Inspectors of whom 6 were Chinese, 1879 others (including technicians, subordinate and menial staff) most of whom were Chinese.
Health Inspection
The Urban District, (Island of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon) is divided into five areas. A Health Officer is responsible in each area for health and sanitation
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