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HEALTH
of an annual subvention for the treatment of tuberculosis among villagers in the New Territories. The remainder of the beds are sponsored by voluntary and missionary bodies, which pay annual maintenance costs or guarantee the daily cost of maintenance of the patients they sponsor.
The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals maintains between 250 and 300 beds for the treatment of more chronic forms of tuberculosis. Other institutions receiving support from Government which admit cases of tuberculosis infection are the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, the Sandy Bay Crippled Children's Home and the Haven of Hope Leprosarium.
SOCIAL HYGIENE SERVICE
Venereal diseases. Free clinics are maintained in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories for the diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of venereal disease. The notifications of primary syphilis were higher again this year, partly associated with a world- wide increase. The incidence of gonorrhoea remained at about the same level as in previous years, while chancroid and lympho- granuloma showed a reduction of approximately half. The con- tinued general improvement in the overall picture of venereal disease is attributable to expansion of epidemiological control measures. These consist of contact tracing, the follow-up of defaulters from treatment, and the surveillance of patients after completion of treatment. In addition blood tests are freely available to all pregnant women and, as a result, mortality from congenital syphilis has been almost completely eliminated.
Leprosy. Sixteen out-patient sessions are held weekly throughout the Colony solely for the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy. In addition sessions are held at social hygiene centres in conjunction with dermatology and venereal disease clinics. New infectious cases and patients in reaction or in need of surgical rehabilitation are normally admitted to the Hei Ling Chau Leprosarium which is maintained by the Hong Kong Auxiliary of the Mission to Lepers. A small number of beds is available in Government hospitals for the orthopaedic treatment of deformities. Dapsone continued to be the drug of choice for routine treatment of the disease, while diphenyl thiourea is available for patients showing intolerance to dapsone.