266
I know of no sanitary works hitherto undertaken which have given such satisfactory returu not only in the diminution of sickness but also in the saving of life. It is necessary that this should be continued even more thoroughly in the future as there is still an amount of preventive malarial fever in this Colony which it is our duty to minimize as far as possible.
NEW TERRITORY.
Mr. Lau LAI, the Chinese Medical Officer, resided at Tai Po and regularly visited the outstations, 114 visits being paid during the year.
The Dispensary has been removed to the Market where it is much more; accessible to the people.
The number of out-patients treated continues to increase as the following figures shew:--
Year.
1902,
1903,
1904,..
Out-patients.
..1,749
..2,196
...2,464
"
Malarial Fevers. The number treated was 552 as against 525 in 1903 and 275 in 1902, this is due, as the Medical Officer says, "not to its being more prevalent but that the Chinese are learning the good effect of quinine in this disease.
Au Tau and Sha Tau Kok seem the worst stations for Malarial Fever as is shewn by the following figures :---
Police Stations.
Tai Po,
Sha Tin,
Sha Tau Kok..
Au Tau,
Ping Shan,
San Tin,
Sheung Shui,
No. of Malarial Fever Cases treated.
12
3
..20
.39
8
Plague. Two cases occurred in the Sha Tin District.
Small-pox. No case was reported during the year.
Vaccinations.-666 children were vaccinated as against 516 in 1903, 375 of these being done by Mr. LAU Lai.
Attached are the reports of :-
1. The Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital. 2. The Medical Officer in charge of the Lunatic Asylums.
3. The Medical Officer in charge of the Gaol.
4. The Medical Officer to the Infectious Diseases Hospitals.
5. The Inspecting Medical Officer of the Tung Wah Hospital. 6. The Report of the Government Analyst.
7. Report on Treatment of Plague by carbolic acid.
I have, &c.,
J. M. ATKINSON, M.B. (London), D. P. H. (Camb.), &c.,
Principal Civil Medical Officer-
The Honourable
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.