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38.-Table X shews the number of cases treated in the cells. Besides these there are numbers of petty complaints not registered who, together with malingerers and others, come up for examination every morning or to be passed for punishment.
Table XI shews the rate of sickness and deaths in the Gaol for the year 1884.
Table XI, a shews the character of the cases admitted to the Gaol Hospital immediately on their reception from the Courts. In the case of Europeans it is principally from the effects of alcohol; in that of Chinese, debility or venereal disease. Many of them come in looking so seedy that they are put under observation for a time to make sure of their condition.
Table XI, b shews the number of opium smokers of one mace and upwards, admitted to Gaol this year, the quantity smoked by each daily, the number of years they have been addicted to the habit, their weight when admitted and their weight for every week of the first month of their detention or as long as they remained if less than a month; with the nature of the complaints of those under treatment in Hospital. Thus, out of 87 recorded smokers, there were only 12 under treatment and none of these exceeded two mace in their consumption of opium. One opium smoker died this year, a case of general debility, and this is the first opium smoker that has died in the Gaol in the eleven years I have been in medical charge. This was very sensationally made use of in some Public Papers, under the head of DEATH OF AN OPIUM SMOKER IN VICTORIA GAOL. The largest consumer of opium admitted this year was No. 14, five mace; he had been eight years an opium smoker and weighed 80 lbs. on admission, increased 3 lbs. Three had been opium smokers for thirty years, one daily consuming one mace, one daily consuming two mace, and one daily consuming three mace. The lightest weight admitted was 75lbs., his daily consumption 3 mace and he increased in weight 8lbs. in the first month; had smoked 20 years.
The heaviest weight admitted is 139 lbs., his daily consumption 2 mace, increase in weight 7 lbs., had smoked 20 years; none of these last received any special treatment.
I can find no special symptoms common to all opium smokers when deprived of the use of the drug; they are all ready enough to complain if there is anything the matter with them, and are all watched with the greatest care, and I find nothing to recall in anything I have stated in previous reports.
Nothing has been done in the way of chemical analysis of the opium smoke, as the very limited accommodation for laboratory work is hardly equal to the ordinary requirements of the Government Analyst, who has had much difficulty and discomfort to contend with, in even his ordinary duties.
There still remains as an established fact that the sudden deprivation of the drug produces no evil effect and causes no appreciable discomfort, certainly nothing more than a tobacco smoker would suffer.
TEMPORARY LUNATIC ASYLUM,
39. This wretched building is no longer in existence. The patients were removed from it at the end of the year, and we now have a fine airy building not far from the Government Civil Hospital.
40. There were only six admissions this year, four males and two females. Four were discharged and sent to their native places relieved, and two remain.
41.-Table XI, d shews the number, nature, and nationality of the cases and the length of their
detention.
TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
42.-The total number of patients admitted to this Hospital during the year was 1,474; the total treated 1,558; of these 755 died.
The number of out-patients treated was 102,811.
The number of moribund cases brought to Hospital is 291.
The number of Small Pox cases treated in the Small Pox Wards of this Hospital was 15; of these 7 died.
The number of vaccinations successfully performed by the travelling vaccinators of the Tung Wa Hospital during the year was 1,694.
LOCK HOSPITAL.
43. The new Lock Hospital being still used as a portion of the Civil Hospital, two Small private houses, near the latter, are still in use as a Temporary Lock Hospital, with no ground attached for exercise, but I hope by the end of the year this state of things may be altered and the women reccived in their proper quarters.
44.-Table XV, a shews the number of women admitted to Hospital for the last 27 years with the average number of days they were under treatment, with the exception of last year; compared with which there is one day increase; this is the lowest average in the 27 years, showing that the disease treated is for the most part of a mild character.
45.-Table XV; b shews the number of beds provided in the Lock Hospital, the number of women detained in Hospital, the number coming to be examined and the number of examinations made.
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