434
VICTORIA GAOL.
10. The following table gives the number of admissions to the Gaol and the daily average number of prisoners for the past ten years :---
1889.
1890.
1891.
1892,
1893.
1894......
1895,
1896,
1897.
1898,
Total number admitted to Gaol.
Daily average No. of prisoners.
3,705
581.00
3.444
566,00
5,231
507.00
5,046
515.00
4,010
458.00
3,913
455.00
5,014
472.00
5,582
514.00
3,076
462.00
5,427
511.00
These figures show a considerable increase in the number of prisoners, 351 more being admitted than in 1897, only once during the past ten years has this number been exceeded, viz., in 1896.
Notwithstanding this the number of prisoners admitted to hospital was less than in 1897, the figures being 298 as compared with 342.
Malarial fevers contributed 33 of these cases and 14 were admitted suffering from General Debility.
The total number of floggings with the birch was 173 as compared with 141 in 1897.
There were six deaths from natural causes, two prisoners committed suicide during the year by hanging themselves in their cells and six were executed.
Amongst the structural alterations effected during the year a new hospital has been formed where the former warders' barracks were situated; this, however, has not yet been occupied as a hospital owing to the non-erection of new quarters for the warders.
TUNG WAH HOSPITAL.
11. The number of cases treated in this Hospital during the year was 2,898, an increase of 122 as compared with 1897; of these 2,029 were discharged. Of this number 417 were transferred to other institutions, e.g.:-
Government Civil Hospital,
"
Lunatic Asylums,
Kennedy Town Hospital,
Italian Convent,
Branch Plague Hospital,
Total,.
36
3
..153
..222
3
..417
Of the 2,442 cases remaining 23 per cent. were treated by Western methods and 77 per cent. by Chinese methods, a distinct improvement on last year. The mortality at the hospital is still very high: there were 842 deaths, 217 being moribund on admission.
1,588 vaccinations were performed during the year by the native doctors, 1,358 in Victoria and the remainder in the outlying districts.
Several improvements have been effected during the year, viz.:-
The reflooring of some of the wards with wood.
The provision of stoves to the wards.
Neither of the recommendations I made in my report last year have been effected. I refer to-- (1.) The provision of a water closet system in place of the present plan of removal of excreta. (2.) The abolition of the Ko Fong Wards.
VACCINE INSTITUTE.
12. The Institute was closed in December, 1897, owing to the prevalence of Foot-and-mouth disease and was not re-opened until November, 1898. During this time calf lymph was obtained direct from the Institut de Microbiologie at Saigon and gave every satisfaction.
The following vaccinations were performed during the year :--
Victoria Gaol,
Government Civil Hospital, Alice Memorial Hospital, Tung Wah Hospital:-
jཝ་
Victoria, Aberdeen, Stanley,. Hung Hom, Shaukiwan, Yaumati,
..4,507
718
238
................1,358
45
68
16
31
ΤΟ
Total,...........
.7,051