365
Some of these may be cases where persons have died in the streets, etc.
There have not been wanting instances in past years of persons suddenly dying from plague while engaged in their daily work. But in all probability by far the majority of these bodies are dumped to escape disinfection.
The total number of such bodies found this year has been 123 or 26'0 per cent. of the total cases known. Of these, 50 were females and 73 males, ie., 23.6 per cent. of the male cases were found "dumped" and 30'6 per cent. of the female -cases. Remembering that the female Chinese population is only 27 to 28 per cent. of the total popuation, this figure for dumped female cases is very high.
The following table shews the "dumping" according to sex and age:-
Percentage on known cases.
Age Period.
Males.
Females.
Males,
Female.
Under 1 year.
5
2
5.0
28.5
1 year to 5 years.
16
16
84.2
88-8
5
years to 15
9
18
37.5
54-5
15
25
12
11
15.3
25.0
94
11
25
45
27
3
19.2
7.9
""
י
45
60
4
16.0
0:0
Over 60 years,
0:0
0:0
73
50
This Table shews that the practice of dumping is highest in the case of children below the age of 15 years.
The total cases of plague notified as occurring in children under 1 year, name- ly, 17, is too low to furnish any valuable deductions from, as to dumping.
The next age period however shews that children of from 1 to 5 years are dumped males as much as females.
But at from 5 to 15 years a great difference shews itself, the female dumped cases being out of all proportion to the female population in this age period.
The population in Hongkong consists largely of males between the ages of 15 and 45 years while at the extreme ages, e.g., below 15 and over 60 years, the male and female populations are more nearly equal,
Of children under 15 years of age 66 bodies were "dumped" comprising 30 males and 36 females, and of these under 5 years of age there were dumped 39, comprising 21 males and 18 females.
Probably the greater ease with which the bodies of children can be moved than those of adults has a great deal to do with this, there being less risk of detection and consequent punishment. Possibly also the higher figure for females below 15 may find some explanation in the less respect for female children than for males which prevails amongst the Chinese.
The district in which the practice of dumping has been most prevalent are Health Districts 6, 8, 9 and 10 in Victoria and at Yaumati and Hungbom on the Kowloon side. In No. 6 Health District there were found the bodies of 5 males and 3 females in No. 8 Health District 11 males and 6 females; in No. 9 Health District 11 males and 7 females; in No. 10 Health District 6 males and 4 females.
On the Kowloon side there were found 8 males and 2 females in Hunghout, and 9 males and 2 females in Yaumati.
In the Harbour were found 7 male and 6 female bo lies. Such need not necessarily be supposed to have come from the Boat population but may quite well have been the bodies of people dying either in Victoria or in British (Old ) Kowloon.
in
Plague has been worst in No. 9 District in the City of Victoria and the large number of bodies found in the Western District of the City may well be a factor the cause of this since many houses must have harboured infected persons and yet have escaped all disinfecting measures.