282
This shews that the past year was worse than all the previous years amongst the Europeans, but shows a steady improvement amongst the Indians and Chinese; indeed for these two sections it has been the best year of the five.
The admissions to Hospital and deaths from the Police Force for the past ten years are given below.
Admissions.
Deaths.
1876, 1877
.410
7
.418
}
1878,.
..566
6
1879,
...566
8
1880,
...588
13
1881.......
.498
10
1882.
.549
8
1883,
.599
1884,....
...486
10 7
1885,..
495
TROOPS.
There is a large increase both in sickness and mortality among the Troops, while there is but a slight increase of 60 in their strength, both sickness and mortality having exceeded any year in the previous ten years.
Table IV gives the average strength of the Force the admissions to Hospital, deaths with their percentage to strength for 1885. I give the number of admissions and deaths for the past ten years below.
Admissions.
Deaths.
1876,.................. 1877,
563
2
973
9
1878.
944
10
>
1879,
.1,035
8
}
1880,.
.1,075
13
.1,116
4
.1,019
9
.1.105
10
.1,097
12
..1,190
24
1881,......
>
1882, 1883, 1884, 1885,..
The sickness therefore exceeds any of the previous years, by over seventy admissions, and the deaths by eleven more than any previous year.
There was an outbreak of cholera among the Troops, and of eighteen cases admitted to Hospital, twelve died. This accounts in a great measure for the increase in the mortality but not for the increase in sickness. The cause of this outbreak amongst the Troops I cannot account for. No cases occurred amongst the Police in the Colony. The one Chinese Constable that was admitted with choleraic symptoms contracted the disease in the Chinese City of Kowloon, and was sent in to Hospital immediately on his return to the Colony. No case was admitted to or occurred in the Gaol. In both cases the quarters are inferior for the most part to those occupied by Troops both as regards ventilation and over- crowding, and in the case of the Police some of the Stations are very greatly inferior in the unwholesome- ness of their surroundings. I shall have more to say on this subject when referring to the sanitation of the Colony.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.
This Establishment remains in the same condition as in my last Annual Report. The founda- tions with their sustaining walls for the new wards, &c. have taken the whole year in construction, and I hope this year will see their completion.
The house for the Superintendent is now finished and occupied.
The admissions to Hospital this year have exceeded all former years, but are only slightly in excess of those in 1883. The following table shews the number and position brought to Hospital during the past five years.
1881.
1882.
1883.
1884.
1885.
Police,
..498
549
599
486
495
Board of Trade,.
..117
116
110
60
100
Private paying Patients, 193
268
260
259
283
Government Servants,
67
88
105
96
124
Police Cases,
.139
207
227
231
238
Destitutes,.
.222
230
201
222
.....
270
1,236
1,458
1.502
1,354
1,510
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