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where it would not be a danger to the community as the Tung Wah is at present, only let it be under European supervision. I would let the Chinese still have their own doctors, but would place it under European supervision, and have it more efficiently supervised than the Tung Wah has been in the past. It would be the same as the large Pauper Hospital at Singapore. They have Malays and Chinese there, but it is under European supervision.
Mr. THURBURN. When you say a Colonial Surgeon, a Superintendent of the Hospital, and three other medical officers would be sufficient, you are supposing you had no new Tung Wah?
Dr. ATKINSON.-Yes.
Dr. PRESTON.-You think the Tung Wah would be sufficient for one man ?
Dr. ATKINSON.—Yes. It would be a large place if you take into account the Chinese population. If you had a Pauper Hospital you would require 300 to 400 beds. There are a great many people at present who never come under medical care at all; they come to the Tung Wah only when they are dying. If they knew there was a hospital they could go to free they would go there in greater numbers. I think there would be enough to occupy one man from three to four hours a day, but of course he would be available for other duties under the Colonial Surgeon.
Mr. THURBURN.----Supposing the arrangement was this: you had a Medical Officer for the Port, without private practice, and another Medical Officer in the Gaol and the Tung Wah all under the Colonial Surgeon?
Dr. ATKINSON.-That would necessitate an extra man as Medical Officer of Health for the town. The work would require to be arranged as necessity arises. There might be an epidemic of small-pox or cholera and we could utilise the extra man for the ordinary medical work or when anyone was on leave.
Mr. THURBURN.-If the Tung Wah work is to be carried on to the extent the Government wish it to be done five medical officers would not be enough?
Dr. ATKINSON.-No.
Mr. THURBURN.-Do you think there would be sufficient work for a Medical Officer of Health for the town?
Dr. ATKINSON.-—Yes; I think there would be enough for him if he did his duty, even if he had nothing else to do. Of course, he would be Medical Officer of Health for the whole Colony, not merely for the town. He would have all the out-stations to look after. There might be cases of infectious disease at Stanley, as there have been of late years.
Mr. MCCONACHIE.-How would you reconcile the duties of Medical Officer for the Port with those of Medical Officer for the Gaol seeing that the duties afloat are generally in the morning and that the Medical Officer is required in the Gaol in the morning?
Dr. ATKINSON.—I think the Colonial Surgeon could arrange that. It is really a matter of arrangement with the Superintendent of the Gaol. It is not absolutely necessary that the Medical Officer of the Gaol should be there at 8 a.m. in the morning. Mr. MCCONACHIE.-The Superintendent of the Gaol said it was necessary the Gaol duty should be done in the morning, because arrangements for punishments and diet had to be made?
Dr. ATKINSON.-There is nothing to prevent his being there at 10.30. The Medical Officer for the Port goes afloat at 6.30 or 7, and he could do the greater part of his work before going to the Gaol, and do the rest after.
THE PRESIDENT.-In that case what would be his position in regard to the Sanitary Board?