206
28
The details as to the changes of the nursing staff were left to Miss EASTMOND, our Matron, and we were able to arrange that the sisters, after being on plague duty for a week, were on duty during the following week at the Civil Hospital, where the work though as heavy was not disgusting or depressing.
During the epidemic two wards were kept at the Government Civil Hospital for observation purposes. This was necessary as cases of plague turned up at this hospital during the night; and as coolies to transfer them to Kennedytown at once could not be procured even at very high wages these had to be kept till morning.
If ever this Colony has had reason to congratulate itself it was when we were able to procure well-trained British nurses. I think the greatest compliment that I can pay these ladies is to say that had it not been for their presence there could have been no well-run epidemic hospital during last summer. Amateur nurses at the beginning of an epidemic, or indeed at any stage where there is a rush, are worse than useless, and multiply the worries of a medical officer ad infinitum; not only this but all outsiders took care to give our hospitals a wide berth. When the hospitals were crowded it was often a matter of difficulty for the Medical Officers employed to keep their meals on their stomachs. It would have been much harder if they had had to remain in constant attendance all the time as our Sisters had to do. Small-pox is bad, but there is something specially awe inspiring in plague which seems to appal the onlooker. Cholera and small-pox show external evidences which make a spectator aware of the existence of a severe disease, but to witness rows of plague patients dying off in a hospital has, I am sure, a much more depressing effect on by-standers than the two discases I have mentioned.
The carbolic mouth-wash for the soldiers employed in cleansing work was made up regularly twice a day at the Civil Hospital for some weeks, the following formula being used :----
ft gargarisma.
R. Ac. Carbolic Liquid,
Eau de Cologne, Spirit Camphor, Aquam ad,
in. 160
m. 140
in. 180
0. IV
Quinine in 5-grain doses was also served out to every soldier by the Army Authorities.
Among the attendants at the various hospitals there is evidence of at least three deaths. The Italian sister who died of the disease was nursing at the Alice Memorial branch hospital, and got infected by excessive zeal. Her death was very much regretted, as it was the only death in a European hospital; and we had by this time got so far through the epidemic without loss that it seemed probable every attendant would come out safely. The dangers of nursing should have been carefully pointed out to her. An amali at the Slaughter House hospital became infected and died after removal to Lai-Chi-Kok. An attendant at Lai- Chi-Kok hospital, finding himself attacked by plague, promptly came over to Hongkong and walked up to Kennedytown hospital,, where he afterwards died. It is to me a source of keen gratification that none of the attendants in the Government Hospitals were attacked.
Rules had to be made regarding visitors in the Chinese Hospitals, as many people wanted to see friends and relations. These rules were simple-(1) Visitors had to be escorted by the Chinese policeman, and might talk to a patient for five minutes but without touching him. (2) Anyone wanting to stay longer and assist a patient was detained, and reckoned as an ordinary hospital attendant until the patient was better, and then had to undergo a few days' isolation and disinfection. We were able to keep an observation ward in the Slaughter House Hospital.
STATISTICAL.
The following table gives the admissions and deaths of those treated in the Government Hospitals :-
May,.
June,
July,
"Hygeia."
Total.
Plague.
Observation.
Deaths.
157
143
14
114
11
8
3
1
171
154
17
117
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