518
III.-EPIDEMIC HOSPITALS.
25. During the year Kennedytown Police Barracks was handed over temporarily to the Medical Department and ultimately was taken over permanently as an Epidemic Hospital. Its retention as such was strongly recommended by a number of people who knew little or nothing about it, whilst those who new most about it were not consulted in the matter at all. It is most satisfactory to know that this Police "white elephant" has been ultimately made "passable" as an infectious hospital at some considerable cost. Whether it will ever be seriously required I doubt very much. During the winter months it makes a pleasant country residence for some of the Police Force, who previously had no use for the building-so it was said.
26. The following extracts from my report on the plague show most of the details wanted in this report:-
"The Hygeia proved a most valuable hospital for Europeans, every medical visitor being greatly impressed with its suitability for this purpose providing as it did plenty of fresh air, every breeze in the harbour, no mosquitoes, and the charm of sea life during convalescence. It would probably have gone very hard with some of the European patients and the Japanese doctors had they been treated on shore, every slight breeze in the harbour bringing great relief to the sufferers. When the rush of Chinese patients came, however, the ship was rather taxed for accommodation, as one private ward had to be used as a mortuary, another as an office, and the others to accommodate the extra staff, &c., which was necessary.
Her use as a European hospital during last summer alone has more than
justified her existence."
"Kennedytown Barracks proved a fairly good hospital, but its proximity to the trees on Mount Davis made it a hunting ground for flies and mosquitoes which sometimes added greatly to our patients' sufferings. The arrangements of the rooms also left much to be desired."
"The following table gives the admissions and deaths of those treated in the Government Hospitals:-
May,
June, July,
May,
June,
July,
August.
September,
October,
"Hygeia."
Total.
Plague.
Observation.
Deaths.
157
143
14
114
11
8
3
1
3
3
171
154
17
117
Kennedytown Hospital.
Total.
Plague.
Übservation.
Deaths.
71
67
4
58
121
115
6
90
39
28
11
17
हू
95
51
44
32
2
6
2
1
335
264
71
200
"It will be noticed that in August and September the proportion of observation cases was large. It was most essential at this period that all possible foci of disease should be removed; and it must be remembered too that at this stage of the epidemic, apparent glandular swellings were seldom met with Of the fifty-one cases of plague adinitted in August only eight had visible buboes when admitted; whilst only two developed them in hospital."
"In addition to these there were treated in the Government Civil Hospital Isolation Wards 32, of which-
6. 19.
..Died.
....Transferred to Hygeia.
..Transferred to Kennedytown."
27. The Hygeia was opened on May 10th and was shut on August 8th. Kennedytown Hospital was opened on May 14th and shut on September 26th.
28. There were nineteen cases of small-pox treated, with one death.
29. A destructive typhoon on October 6th caused serious damage to the Hygeia, blowing off the the roof and doing a lot more damage, the cost of repairs amounting to $5,000. Most of this was due to swinging propensities of the ship. As she is moored she is bound to swing considerably when it is blowing, and then the wind catches the overhanging roof and whisks it up into the air. Why she