311
It will be noticed that the least number of deaths from beri-beri is recorded during the months when plague is most severe. Undoubtedly plague deaths mask many cases of beri-beri.
Various hypotheses have been put forward as to the cause of the disease, but as yet none of them have sufficient support to entitle them to be ranked as generally accepted theories,
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The total number of infectious diseases reported under the Infections Diseases Notification Ordinance during 1903 was 1,553.
Of these, 1,415 were cases of plague, 60 small-pox, 44 enteric fever, 9 diphtheria, & puerperal fever, 7 scarlet fever, and 10 cholera.
The following Table shows the distribution of these diseases except plague amongst the different races of the community and the periods of the year at which they occurred :—
1st
Disease.
2nd 3rd 4th Quarter. Quarter. Quarter. Quarter.
Total.
European,
12
7
Enteric Fever, -
Chinese,..
4
Other Asiatics,
European,
Small-pox,
Chinese,.
26
Other Asiatics,
European,
('holera,
Diphtheria,
Puerperal Fever,
Scarlet Fever,...
Total,....
Chinese,.
Other Asiatics, European, Chinese,...
Other Asiatics, European,
Chinese,.
European,
0
SOHONOHRO00=c O
1
7
6
0
7
58
50
17
13
138
0230310021
OCNAOHOO
6
8
33
0
1
5
6
1
PLAGUE.
I have separately reported on the 1903 Plague Epidemic for the first 7 months. of the year. This report included 1,363 cases, and details of the statistics will be found in that report.
Since then there have been 52 further cases with 45 deaths, making a total of 1,415 cases with 1,251 deaths. The death-rate for the whole year for plugue was therefore 88-4 which is the same as for the first 7 months of the year and the lowest death-rate for plague since 1894.
I append a table which shows the distribution of plague seizures and deaths according to nationality and locality and also the numbers of plague infected rats found in the different districts of the City of Victoria and Kowloon.
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