410
5. Since the submission of the report for 1892 the only additional Laboratory work has been in connexion with the Regulations under the Dangerous Goods Ordinance in relation to Petroleum in bulk. The revenue derived under this head amounts to about $350 per annum. This brings the actual post of working the Laboratory to about $1,100.
6. The general arrangement under which a Government Analyst's responsibilities are combined with those of an Apothecary of a Medical Department may be regarded from two points of view. The question of its being a satisfactory one must be considered in connexion with the number, variety and character of the analyses required to be conducted. It is without doubt a very economical one, but even in this Colony it cannot be said to be a success. Both the Assistant Analysts appointed from home have not remained longer than the periods for which they signed agreements to serve, the result being that the Department has been left in the lurch for more than half a year in each case. Competent men will not undertake the responsibility attached to the Office of Assistant Apothecary and Analyst at the pay now offered no matter what the rate of exchange may be. The Crown Agents may be able to fill vacancies as they occur by securing men unacquainted with the conditions of Colonial life and the nature of the duties they will be called upon to perform; but the inevitable result will be that the incumbents will relinquish their appointments at the end of their three years' agreement or before if they are able to find more remunerative employment outside the service. It is an established rule in Downing Street that Apothecaries shall receive considerably lower pay than the most subordinate Surgeon in the Department; but as long as this rule is applied to Analyst who also serve as Apothecaries the dual office can only in rare cases be regarded as a successful arrangement.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
W. EDWARD CROW,
Apothecary and Analyst.
Enclosure 4.
Report of the Medical Officer, in charge of the Hospital Hulk “ Hygeia.”
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
HONGKONG, 13th February, 1894.
Sin, I have the honour to forward you a short report on the working of the Hygeia during the year 1893.
On December 31st, 1892, 1 patient was still on board. During 1893, 51 cases of Small-pox (almost all from ships arriving in harbour) were admitted. In addition 4 persons were admitted in attendance on patients, while 2 supposed cases were received from the Army Medical Authorities for isolation, and 1 other suspected case was on board for a few days. Of the 52 cases on board 8 died, 4 from Hæmorrhagic Small-pox and 4 from Confluent Small-pox. 3 of those who died from the hæmorrhagic variety of the disease were Japanese, 2 of whom had never been vaccinated whilst the other had only been vaccinated during the incubation period of the disease. The European (Scotch) who died did not know whether he had ever been vaccinated or not, there were no vaccination marks to be seen when he was examined. 1 European policeman died of Confluent Small-pox. He had been vaccinated in infancy, but had not been re-vaccinated when he joined the force here. A European sailor who died had two small marks on his arm, if they were vaccination marks they were very bad ones. 1 Indian and 1 Chinese who died also from Confluent Small-pox had never been vaccinated.
No cases of Cholera were admitted during the year.
The worst cases were brought down from Japan and were Japanese. They arrived here on the China Navigation boats Taiyuan and Tsinan under circumstances which show the great necessity of having some building for isolation and observation purposes. After the removal of the infected cases from the Taiyuan the remainder of the Japanese passengers were landed in Victoria and sent to several boarding houses. Cases subsequently developed in these houses, but owing to our keeping a sharp look-out these were spotted early and the Sanitary Board Officials took prompt and efficient means for disinfecting the premises. From a public health point of view the present Quarantine Ordinance is not a good one, notwithstanding the fact that it was practically drawn up by the Quarantine Commission of two years ago, and what I have said above goes a long way to make proof positive of this. A crowd of Japanese landing off a small-pox ship five days out from Japan would be the very thing to start an epidemic here and I think that in future (if the present Ordinance is to be retained) arrangements ought to be made whereby a daily inspection of the men landed in similar circumstances