PUBLIC HEALTH
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programme was intensified for three months in an early summer campaign. A total of 269,258 inoculations was given during 1958, mostly to children of school age.
Apart from immunization, control measures included the super- vision of restaurants and other food premises, the exclusion of carriers from food handling and the general health education of the public. Special food hygiene education was directed towards employers and employees in all businesses dealing with food.
Bacillary Dysentery. Notifications of this disease in 1958 were less than for several years past and 22% less than in 1957. Four hundred and twenty four cases-were reported, 45% of which were in young children under 4 years of age. There was the anticipated higher incidence in the summer months. Sixty eight carriers were detected and treated under the supervision of the area Health Officers concerned.
Measles. The total number of cases reported for the year was 786 which was rather less than in 1957. This figure cannot represent more than a small proportion of the true number of children who contract measles and the 191 deaths reported gives a wholly inaccurate case mortality rate of 24.3% for a disease known to be widespread, though mild.
This lack of notification of measles probably also applies to chickenpox; both these diseases, well-known to the Chinese popula- tion, continue to be treated traditionally by herbalists who do not notify cases to the Health Authorities.
HOSPITALS
Excluding nursing homes and institutions maintained by the Armed Services, there are thirty one hospitals in the Colony. Twelve of these are the responsibility of the Medical Department and the other nineteen are run by various charitable, missionary and private organizations. Ten of the charitable and missionary institutions receive substantial assistance from the Government.
The twelve Government hospitals provide a total of 2,198 beds, the Government assisted hospitals 3,593 beds, and private hospitals 1,106 beds. In addition, various Government dispensaries provide a further 124 beds, mainly in the New Territories and practically
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