413
There were 5 deaths as compared with 2 in 1902. Two were Indians and 3 Chinese, Causes of death were Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Phthisis. Cirrhosis of Liver and Septicæmia.
There were 20 cases of invaliding-1 European, 12 Indians and 7 Chinese- the diseases for which they were invalided being injury to the foot necessitating amputation of the toes, Phthisis (11), Pleurisy (1), Rheumatis:n (2), Cardiac Disease (1), Beri-beri (3), Tuberculosis (1).
Malaria -167 admissions as against 176 in 1902, or 18.13 per cent. of the force were attacked as against 19.06 per cent. last year, a slight decrease. Of those who sufferred 14.15 per cent. were Europeans, 32.94 Indians, and 10.22 Chinese.
The New Territory has not shown such a marked improvement as the following table of admissions compared to strength shows:--
1901.
1902.
1903.
Sha Tau Kok,...
30.7
nil.
15.38
Ping Shan,..
64.2
7.1
45.45
Sai Kung,
28.5
16.6
16.6
San Tin,....
25.0
nil.
nil.
Tai Po........
70.0
50.0
33.3
Sha Tin,..
25.0
mil.
12.5
Tai O,......
10.0
10.0
11.1
Au Tau,
121.4
7.6
61.5
Sheung Shui,.
63.6
20.0
9.0
The only stations showing a decrease are Tai Po and Sheung Shui, whilst most of the others show an increase. These figures are fairly accurate though there is a slight, error. We find that the prophylactic use of quinine and still more so the dosing the men receive at the station before coming in upsets the blood diagnosis. In some cases it is two or three days before the parasite is found and in others they do not recur and so the case, presumably malaria, goes down under "Febricula." The average number of days each inan spent in hospital for this disease was 7.9.
Phthisis.-13 cases were under treatment with 1 death. Of these 9 were Indians and 4 Chinese or 2.60 per cent. Indians and 1.10 per cent. Chinese. As already stated 11 cases were invalided. It is difficult to account for the prevalence of this disease, as amongst neither section does the usual predisposing causes summarised as "low vitality and bad hygienic conditions" apply. They are all picked men and free from all apparent disease when passed into the service and are well housed, clothed and fed. A close study of the disease as it occurs amongst the Police does not impress one much with the tubercle bacilli as an agent in its spread, though it may seem reason to say so in these bacteriological days. If it were a contagious disease one would certainly expect some cases amongst the European section, as the men all live under similar conditions and the whole Colony must be teeming with tubercle bacilli. Unfortunately with Indians and Chinese it is not possible to get any family history and so one cannot say anything as to the hereditary ten- dency or predisposition of each individual attacked. The tropical practitioner's great stand by-malaria-next suggests itselfas a predisposing cause. Both Indians and Chinese suffer much more from this latter disease than do Europeaus and it is interesting to note that they also suffer much in the same proportion from phthisis as they do from malaria :-
Malaria-32.94% Indians, 10.22% Chinese,
Phthisis-2.60% Indians, 1.10% Chinese, and this relationship also holds for the two diseases in the general hospital returns.