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plague, we are of opinion that the surprise visits made from time to time in various parts of the City have had a salutary effect in securing the prompt removal of the sick either to hospital or to places outside the Colony.
THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.
6. At the date of our last report only 5 cases of bubonic plague were known to have occurred. since the day on which the first case was reported. After an interval of more than a month, viz., on the 14th June the disease re-appeared in Holland Street, Kennedy Town-two cases from No. 9 and 1 from a matshed situated on private property at the south end of the lane. On the following day (the 15th) 4 cases occurred in a room on the first floor of No. 10, Heung Lane, in the Sheung Wan District, and a further case from the adjoining house, viz., No. 12 was reported the next day (16th). Parti- culars of these cases as well as those that occurred subsequently will be found in appendix B to this report.
7. Five persons from No. 10 and one from No. 12, Heung Lane-the rest of the inmates having escaped before the Police arrived to take charge of the houses-were placed under observation in one of the "marriage boats," or native marine hotels, especially chartered for this service and anchored at the back of Stone Cutter's Island.
8. Five cases having occurred within two days in these two houses alone, it was decided at 3 p.m. on the 17th, after a close inspection of the other houses in this part of the lane, and on a joint certificate by the Acting Medical Officer of Health and the Assistant Superintendent of the Civil Hospital, to remove the occupants of the next two houses, viz., Nos. 14 and 16 until such time as the premises could be satisfactorily disinfected and cleansed. The majority accordingly proceeded to Canton the same evening, having declined the proffered accommodation afloat; the rest were housed in one of the marriage boats.
9. On the 17th of June at 10 p.m. a man suffering from plague entered the Tung Wah Hospital and stated that he had been living in No. 10, Heung Lane, having left the house before the arrival of the Police. He was unable to give a clear account of his movements during the interval.
10. Two cases of plague developed among those segregated from Nos. 10 and 12, Heung Lane, viz., one from No. 10 (on the 18th) and one from No. 12 (on the 20th). Altogether eight cases of plague occurred in these two houses in Heung Lane.
11. The other cases do not call for any special remarks beyond those stated in the body and at the foot of the schedule. Not a single case has been reported since the 16th ultimo.
12. With regard to the segregating of persons found in infected premises it has been the practice in all cases to allow them the option of proceeding to Canton or of being housed in one of the marriage boats. In the majority of instances the former alternative has been readily accepted, only 21 persons being provided with accommodation afloat. On the 26th June the last batch was released.
DISINFECTION OF HOUSES.
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13. In respect of the disinfection of houses in which cases of bubonic plague have occurred the provisions of Bye-law No. 25, made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, have been rigidly enforced, and every article destroyed that could not be satisfactorily disinfected. In the case of the houses in Heung Lane, after fumigation with sulphur and clearing out all the moveable contents, floors, walls and ceilings were thoroughly saturated with the acid solution of perchloride of mercury as recommended in a Memorandum of the 26th August, 1892, by Dr. R. THORNE THORNE of the Medical Depatment of the Local Government Board.
14. It will be observed that most of the cases of bubonic plague occurred in No. 6 Health District. Mr. HORE, the District Inspector, is deserving of praise for the painstaking way in which he has discharged a trying and, to say the least, disagreeable duty.
LATRINE DISINFECTION.
15. The addition of Chlorinated Lime to the night-soil in public latrines, which had been discontinued at the end of May, was resumed in the case of the Heung Lane Latrine on the outbreak of bubonic plague in that locality and maintained until all danger of a further development of the disease in the vicinity had disappeared. For failing to comply with the Board's order in this matter and for a breach of one of the latrine bye-laws the keeper was fined $50 by the presiding Magistrate.
MEZZANINE FLOORS AND CUBICLES.
16. The work involved in enforcing compliance with the provisions of sections 7 and 8 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, the controlling of which had been delegated to us as a Select Committee of the Board, made satisfactory progress in the case of the worst class of houses in the City especially in districts Nos. 7 and 8, at the West, and Nos. 1 and 2-at the East end of the City. As, however, the Inspectors in charge of the Central Districts of the City proceeded it became evident that in granting permission for the retention of cocklofts in rooms partitioned into separate compartments the practice hitherto followed of dealing with each case on its merits could not be successfully pursued, and that clearly defined conditions applicable to all cases should be drawn up for the guidance of the Executive.
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