174
13. This shews that the improvement has taken place chiefly among the Europeans and Chinese, 14.--The admissions to Hospital and deaths of members of the Police Force during the past ten years are given below.
Admissions.
1875,
.436
Deaths.
14
1876,
.410
7
1877,
.418
6
1878,
..566
6
1879,
..566
8
1880,
..588
13
1881,
.498
10
1882,
..549
8
1883.
1884,
599 ..486
10
7
TROOPS.
15.-There is a very slight decrease in the number admitted to the Military Hospital this year, but an increase in the number of deaths.
16.-Table IV gives the average strength of the Force, the cases of sickness and deaths, with the percentage to strength for 1884. I give below, for the sake of comparison, the number of admissions and deaths for the past ten years.
......
1875,... 1876,
1877,..... 1878, 1879,
....
1880,...
.1881,..
Admissions.
Deaths.
716
9
563
2
973
944
10
..1,035
8
..1,075
13
•
1,116
4.
..1,019
9
....1,105
10
.1,097
12
1882, 1883,...... 1884,.
17.-The sickness, therefore, is nearly equal to any of the previous five years and is only exceeded twice in the previous nine years, while the number of deaths is only exceeded once in the previous nine years.
18. The Indian Troops, like the Indian Police, seem to suffer more from sickness in proportion to their strength than the white Troops or Police. The Indian Troops have, as a rule, better quarters lighter duties, and less exposure than the Police, yet their sickness in proportion to their strength is not much less, so that the sickness among them cannot be accounted for in this way. Their own climate is as cold in winter, as most of them come from northern India, and very much hotter in summer, and it is not less variable in its changes. The same diseases are common to both climates. They can in both cases procure the diet they are accustomed to in their own country and they are both better paid and clothed. So that it is difficult to account for so much sickness amongst them in both
cases.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.
19. This Establishment is now conducted in the Old Lock Hospital which has been altered and improved according to the plans approved by the Secretary of State and now provides handsome airy wards for the patients.
20.-The New Lock Hospital is still occupied as part of this Establishment and will remain so until the Fever Wards, Venereal Wards, Coolies Quarters, &c., &c., are finished, which, I hope, will take place before the end of the year.
21.-Besides these buildings, a new Hospital, a Mortuary and a Laboratory have to be constructed and the ground for these buildings is now in course. of preparation.
22. The house for the Superintendent is also in the course of construction. The foundations have been laid and I hope a few months more will see it completed.
23.-The New Public Mortuary is now in working order and there will be no longer any offensive long deceased bodies brought to the neighbourhood of the Hospital. }
24. The admissions during the past year have not been quite so numerous as in the two former years, 1881 and 1882. The following table shews the number and position of the patients brought to Hospital for the past four years.
1881.
1882.
1883.
1884.
Police,
498
549
599
486
Board of Trade,
117
116
110
60
Private paying Patients,
193
268
260
259
Government Servants,.
67
88
105
96
Police Cases,
139
207
227
231
Destitutes,
222
230
201
222
1,236-
1,458
1,502
1,354