344
ENTERIC FEVER.
Fifty-nine cases of Enteric Fever were reported during the year, as compared with 52 in 1898, but 28 of these cases were imported, as compared with fourteen imported cases in the former year, so that there has been a slight reduction in the number of local cases of this disease.
The following table gives the number of cases reported annually since the introduction of com- pulsory notification :—
1896
1897
1898
1899
Total.
...37 ..65
.52 .59
Imported. 7
23
14
28
Contracted Locally.
30
42
38
31
The nationalities of the cases were as follows:-European 36, of which 22 were imported, Chinese 17, of which two were imported, Japanese 4 (all imported), and Indian 2. The average age of the European cases was 25 years, while seven of the Chinese cases were under ten years of age, 5 of them being under five years old.
Ten cases occurred on board the various British and foreign men-of-war in the Harbour as follows:-H.M.S. Rattler 1, H.M.S. Daphne 1, H.I.G.M.S. Gefion 2, H.I.G.M.S. Herta 1, H.I.G.M.S.. Moeue 1, H.I.I.M.S. Carlo Alberto 2, U.S.S. Bennington 2. No cases occurred ainong the troops.
The total number of deaths from this disease was 27, 11 being non-Chinese. This is equal to a case-mortality of 45.7 per cent. There were seven deaths among Europeans, which is equal to a case- mortality of 19.4 per cent, which is much the same as the mortality of this disease in England.
DIPHTHERIA.
Nine cases of Diphtheria were reported during the year, as compared with 5 cases during the year 1898; 6 of the cases occurred in Chinese, and 3 in Europeans, 1 of the latter being a Sister at the Government Civil Hospital. One of the Chinese cases was imported from Canton but the remaining 8 cases developed locally. The European cases all recovered, but 4 deaths occurred among the Chinese.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
Twelve cases of Puerperal Fever were reported during the year, but it is to be presumed that more than twelve cases actually occurred as 12 deaths were also registered as due to this disease. Ten of the cases were Chinese, I a Portuguese and 1 an Indian, while 11 of the deaths were among Chinese, the remaining death being in an Indian. In addition to the above 12 deaths, there were no less than 29 deaths registered as due to child-birth among the Chinese, and no doubt many of these were cases of Puerperal infection, and in view of the low birth-rate among the Chinese in this Colony, it is apparent that there is a very heavy mortality among Chinese parturient women, duc, there can be little doubt, to the insanitary conditions under which they live. In my Annual Report for 1898 I pointed out the great need for some Maternity Charity among the Chinese in this Colony, and I am glad to be able to state that the Tung Wah Hospital has taken up the suggestion, and proposes to provide some maternity wards in its new extension, and if these are inade available for the poorest. classes, we may hope to see a considerable reduction in the mortality of Chinese women from child- birth.
SCARLET FEVER.
Two European cases of Scarlet Fever occurred on board H.M.S. Powerful early in the year, the infection having apparently been brought out from home by some midshipmen who had recently reco vered from this disease. The disease is comparatively unknown in this Colony, as it does not appear to occur among the Chinese.
CHICKEN-POX.
This is not a notifiable disease, but a somewhat extensive outbreak of Chicken-pox occurred in the spring of the year and one death, in a European child, was registered as due to Broncho-pneumonia following this disease.
INTERMENTS.
The following number of interments in the various Cemeteries of the Colony have been recorded during the year 1899:-
Non-Chinese.-Colonial Cemetery.
Roman Catholic Cemetery
Mohammedan
Jewish Parsee
27
??
107
76
46
234