Evidence
p. 50-54.
[ xxvi ]
"think yes; from the circumstance that there was no real diagnosis of disease, as we understand diagnosis; it seems to me that there may very probably have been, "at times, cases under treatment there which should not have been in the Hospital When I first visited the Hospital, it
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Infectious cases."
was in a bad condition.—Yes; it was filthy."
This statement was modified in a
letter dated 15th May, 1896. (See page of the evidence, 59.)
26. Dr. CLARK, Medical Officer of Health to the Sanitary Board, in his evidence on 14th May, 1896, referring to the sanitary arrangements of the Hospital, says :-
......................I do not think they are sufficient, I think there should be latrines **and bathrooms for every ward: at present they are provided for the "wards of one block only...... Although the authorities at the
K
..The
Tung Wa Hospital have complied with the request to provide bath room accommodation, it does not follow that the rooms are used as “ such........................... .. The verandahs are used unfortunately for the storage "of lumber, rubbish, woodwork, baskets, clothing, &c. The premises occupied by the patients are not in such condition as to cause a "nuisance. They are not in a wholesome condition.
rooms in the Ko Fong wards, in my opinion, are unfit for human "habitation in their present condition. ....The surgical ward "is dark, and some of the other wards smell badly, but there is plenty "of ventilation available. The whole thing, to my mind, is a question "of management. The appliances in the Hospital are sufficient to put "it in a very satisfactory condition if there were only some responsible "head who saw that everything was carried out properly. In the female "ward yesterday I made an inspection of the night stools, one of which "is provided for each patient. I opened every one, and I found every "one half-full of night-soil. There was an amah in attendance, and I "asked her (about three or four o'clock in the afternoon) when they had "been emptied, and I was told they had been emptied on the previous evening by a coolie. It is one of the first principles of hospital management that all excreta should be removed from the ward "and emptied out immediately.
.....I consider the Hospital can
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44
46
be kept in a fair sanitary condition, but it is difficult to say it is in a fair sanitary condition. When I visited the Tung Wa on 13th "May, 1896, I found it fairly sanitary, with an accent on fairly because "I do not think the wards were properly ventilated, and I do not think "it is satisfactory having night-soil left in the wards unemptied for such a length of time. ........I have never seen an instance of a case under treatment in the surgical wards by the Chinese Doctors; I "have seen instances of want of treatment-abscesses left neglected--- "and the patients had to be brought into the Civil Hospital or died in "the Tung Wa Hospital. "in December.
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.............I found the Tung Wa overcrowded When I first came here and was acting as "assistant at the Government Civil Hospital I saw patients taken there "from the Tung Wa Hospital, who, if they had been brought there in "the first instance might have been saved considerable suffering. .....I think it would be very useful provided you got a good man. .The appointment of a Chinese trained in Western medical science, in addition to daily inspections by a member of the medical "establishment of the Government would not effect the desired improve-
ments in the management which I say are necessary. do not think such an officer would either have the patience or take the trouble to look after the petty details of sanitary management "in the Hospital required to keep it in a proper condition.
.....
....I