32
No. 1904
HONGKONG.
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL CIVIL MEDICAL OFFICER, FOR THE YEAR 1903.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 30th March, 1904.
SIR,I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, the following Report on the working of the Medical Department for the year 1903.
MEDICAL STAFF.
Dr. J. BELL returned from leave in March and took over the duties of Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital. Dr. J. C. Tuomson left for a year's leave in September.
Dr. E. A. R. LAING proceeded on short leave to Japan in May, returning in July. Dr. W. V. M. Kocн arrived in the Colony for the service of this depart- ment in May, he having been transferred here from the Medical Department of the Colony of Trinidad.
POLICE.
The admissions to the Hospital show a decrease of 179, the number being 759 as compared with 938 in 1902. The strength of the Force was 921 as against 881 in 1902.
This diminution is mainly due to the fact that dengue was not so prevalent as
in 1902.
There were five deaths as compared with two in 1902, and twenty were invalided as against twelve in the previous year.
The number admitted suffering from malarial fever was 167 as against 176 in 1902, and 407 in 1901, there is no doubt that this disease is much less prevalent amongst the Police than in former years.
Table 1 gives the sick rate and the mortality rate in the different sections of the l'olice for the last ten years.
Table II gives the admissions and deaths in the Government Civil Hospital during each month of the year 1903.
Table III gives the admissions to the Hospital from the Police for malarial fever from each station during 1903.
The following table gives the total admissions to Hospital and deaths in the Force for the last ten years :-
Year.
1894,
Admissions.
Deaths.
..505
15
1895.
.466
8
1896...
..588
14
1897.
.526
7
,
1898.
..488
19
1899,
.692
16
1900,..
.920
4
1901,...
.937
1902.
..938
1903,.
.759
TROOPS.
This was a much healthier year for the Troops as shewn by the decrease in the number of admissions to Hospital and by the fewer number of deaths. Especially marked is the diminution in the number of cases of malarial fever admitted to