478
YEARS.
DEATHS AMONG CHINESE.
FEVERS.
VOMITING
Enteric.
Simple Continued. Typhus.
DIARRHEA. CHOLERA. AND
PURGING.
TOTAL.
1873,
12
96
16
195
319
1874,
125
46
1875,
31
291
1876,
94
343
1877,
145
370
1878,
89
481
1879,
116
733
18
231
402
2
288
612
259-
696
311
834
33
701
1,304
21
608
1,478
1880,
300
373
348
1,030
1881,
438
168
38
435
1,079
1882,
679
71
465
1,215
1883,
262
571
660
1,496
1884,
132
600
301
1,035
1885,
105
755
561
176
1,604
1886,
772
10
326
19
1,136
1887,
9
441
25
276
13
764
1888,
2
299
2
361
17
236
917
1889,
363
180
7
551
1890,
1
342
216
1
562
1891,
6
427
329
771
1892,
446
231
677
1893,
448
294
742
1894,
2
433
312
1
752
Choleraic Diarrhoea 1.
This table appears as it has done for years and from the disease there mentioned as caused by filth the Europeans suffered but little this year. The Chinese suffered more, but as I have explained in my report upon the Tung Wa Hospital now under European supervision as regards the nature of the cases admitted there and the examination of the dead bodies daily, there is likely to be a considerable change in this table next year. When this table was compiled the plague did not enter into my calculations, and I have not altered the table this year by its addition. The return of those affected by plague give the following figures as far as can be made out with certainty. There were 11 Europeans affected, of these 2 died; of coloured races 50 were affected and 36 died; of Chinese affected there were 2,619 and 2,447 died. This terrible outbreak has had one good effect; it has proved to the European community the danger, existing in the filthy condition in the major portion of the inhabited districts of the Colony, is a real danger and not to be laughed at as it has been for years. I regret that my warnings have all received so little attention and that I have proved a true prophet; but I hope out of the evil will rise much good, at any rate the state of things that has existed as long can no longer be permitted to remain unimproved.
The thorough inspections of the houses in the city not only resulted in showing that the Chinese portion of the city was in a filthy and insanitary condition but that in very many cases Europeans neglected to look after their own premises, and their servants' quarters revealed a disgusting state of filth and neglect and required as much cleansing and disinfecting as any Chinese house in the worst quarters of the city.
Special reports concerning the terrible visitation of the plague have been made so recently that it is unnecessary for me to go into particulars on this subject.
I have added to this report as an appendix the two first reports I made within five months of my arrival in the Colony. These reports were afterwards supplemented by others showing the insanitary state of European houses, public buildings such as markets, Police Stations, schools, Supreme Court, Magistrates' Court, Gaol, Hospital, &c. These two reports the first on the condition of the brothels in use both by Europeans and those used only by Chinese dated 19th January, 1874, and the second on the filthy condition of the Chinese portion of the city generally dated 15th April, 1874,—were received by the Government with astonishment at the state of things revealed and some incredulity as will be seen by the memo appended by Mr. GARDNER AUSTIN, C.M.G., the then Colonial Secretary, and that though improvement in the state of the brothels was at once recommended, interference with the state of things described in the brothel report as existing in the Chinese portion of the city was deprecated as "to do anything effectually in the matter would occupy much preparation, and much. "time, and would involve a very considerable outlay." This minute of the Colonial Secretary determined to go thoroughly into the matter so that no responsibility should rest with me, and the series of reports on sanitation I have mentioned beginning with the one in the appendix dated 15th April, 1874, were made and a general review of the state of things made in my Annual Report of 1874 in which I omitted many things of which I had made the Government aware but which I did not think advisable to make public, but even what I did say was deemed too much and nearly the