358
MALARIAL DISEASES.
The total number of deaths from malarial diseases among the Chinese was 655, as compared with 757 deaths during the preceding year; this is equal to a death-rate of 3.3 per 1,000. The death-rate from this cause among the boat population alone was 3.1 per 1,000, whereas during the preceding
it was almost double as great as among the land population.
year
Beri-beri, which is classed with the Malarial diseases, is responsible for 139 of these deaths, as compared with 140 during the preceding year.
The number of deaths from Dysentery, which is closely allied to the Malarial fevers, also shows a corresponding decrease, having been only 77 during the past year as compared with 99 during 1895.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The bye-laws made by the Board in November, 1895, for the compulsory notification by regis tered medical practitioners of the more important zymotic diseases, have proved of immense value to this Department by enabling prompt investigation to be made into the circumstances attending the occurrence of every such case; many of the cases have thus been traced to direct importation from the mainland or from the coast ports while others have been traced to infection from previously known cases or to the insanitary condition of the premises.
The total number of cases notified during the year was 1,349 and comprised Bubonic Fever 1,204, Cholera 53, Small pox 37, Enteric Fever 37, Diphtheria 13, Puerperal Fever 4 and Typhus Fever 1; they were distributed throughout the year as follows :-
1st Quarter.
2nd Quarter.
3rd Quarter.
4th Quarter.
Total.
Rate per 1,000 of population,
Bubonic Fever,
342
773
$6
3
1,204
5:03
Cholera,
Small-pox,
3
Enteric Fever,
10
cri co
3
50
53
0.23
25
37
0.15
5
14
37
0:15
Diphtheria,
4
1
4
13
0.05
Puerperal Fever,
1
3
4
0.01
Typhus Fever,
1
"
It will be seen from this table that 145 cases of infectious disease, exclusive of Bubonic Fever, were reported during the year, but no less than 76 of these cases, or more than 52 per cent, were imported into the Colony by the shipping, few however having been detected until after they had landed, and had come under the care of a resident practitioner. This Colony will always be liable to the importation of such cases of infectious disease, with the consequent danger of an extensive out- break of the disease, until a systematic medical inspection of all vessels entering the harbour has been instituted, and I am strongly of the opinion that the Colony should be protected from the occurrence of such accidents by the very simple remedy of requiring every vessel of whatever nature entering the Port, to anchor, or make fast near a hulk or other vessel moored in the Harbour, upon which a Medical Officer is stationed.
Two Medical Officers would be required for this duty (at present one only is employed as Health Officer for the Port) and if each of them did six hours duty a day, every vessel entering the Port between the hours of 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. could be immediately visited, the passengers and crew inspected, and the vessel certified as free from infection, if such were the case; there would thus be no unreasonable detention of vessels or interference with the shipping of the Port, while the protection thus afforded to the Colony would be considerable. With a view to the utilization of the staff of the Sanitary Board in dealing promptly with any cases of infectious disease thus discovered, these officers might with great advantage be seconded to this Department, as Assistant Medical Officers of Health.
I may add that this is the system which is in vogue in the Port of London and many other of the larger ports at home and Her Majesty's Government was content to rely solely upon this systematic medical inspection for the protection of the mother country from virulent infectious disease, even when Cholera was raging so close to her own shores as Hamburg, in 1892 and 1893.
BUBONIC FEVER.
The Colony has unfortunately during the past year experienced another rather extensive outbreak of this disease; the epidemic commenced in the second week of the year, and in spite of every effort which was made to check its ravages, the number of cases gradually increased until the maximum was attained in the week ending May 30th when no less than 100 cases with 81 deaths were recorded; from that date the epidemic declined rapidly, but cases continued to occur until November 24th,
A considerable number of the cases occurring in this Colony were undoubtedly imported from the mainland but on the other hand it cannot be denied that the great bulk of the cases originated here,