351
Annexe H.
REPORT OF THE INSPECTING MEDICAL OFFICER TO THE TUNG WAH HOSPITAL.
The Admissions to the Tung Wah Hospital during the past ten years have been as
follows:-
1896,
1897,
1898,
1899,
1900,
1901,
1902,
1903,
190+,
1905,
.2,041
.2.776
.2,898
.2,542
2,951
.2,989
.2,576
-2,457
2,667
.2,833
At the beginning of the year 1905 there were 161 patients remaining in the wards from the previous year; 2,833 were admitted during 1905, making a total of 2,994 cases; 1,710 were discharged; 1,114 died; leaving 170 in the Hospital at the close of the year.
Of the 2,833 adinissions, 120 were transferred for treatment to other institutions, as follows: 13 to Government Civil Hospital, 31 to Kennedy Town Hospital, 44 to the Tung Wah Plague Branch Hospital at Kennedy Town, I to the Italian Convent, and 31 cases of Beri-beri to the care of a Charitable Society in Canton.
Of the fatal cases, 267 were in a dying condition at the time of admission, and died within 24 hours.
There remains a net total of 2,446 patients actually treated in the Tung Wah Hospital, of whom 1,237, ie, 50.6 per cent., were under treatment by European methods, and 1,209, i.e., 49.4 per cent., under Chinese native treatment.
The number of visits to the Out-Patient Department was 66,773.
2,004 persons were vaccinated at, and in connection with, the Hospital.
856 destitute persons were temporarily sheltered and fed, until they could be sent on to their native villages or otherwise provided for.
551 dead bodies were brought to the Hospital mortuary to await burial. In the case of as many as possible a diagnosis of the cause of death is made from the general appearance combined with the results of cross-questioning of relatives for purposes of registration. While this is unscientific and not entirely satisfactory, it is a necessary concession to Chi- nese feeling on the subject of interference with the dead body; and the result of this is, that whenever it seems desirable for medico-legal or public health reasons, or because of con tradictory evidence regarding the illness preceding death, to require an internal post-mortem examination, no objection is ever now made by the Hospital authorities. 128 of the bodies brought in dead, and also 124 bodies of persons who died in the Hospital, chiefly of persons inoribund at admission, i.e., 252 bodies in all, were sent to the Government Public Mortuary for internal examination.
Free burial was provided by the Hospital for the bodies of 2,291 poor people.
As in previous years, the Tung Wah Hospital was used as a convenient centre for the observation and diagnosis of cases believed or suspected to be Plague, and while Plague was prevalent two large airy wards near the ordinary Receiving Ward were set apart for this
purpose.
The Plague Branch Hospital at Kennedy Town was opened on 1st June, and remained in use till 16th September. There were 45 aluissions, 33 males and 12 females, of whom 37 died, ie., 82.2 per cent., and 8 recovered. Of the 45 cases, 31 were bubonic, and 14 septicæmic. No employée of the Hospital or of its Plague branch contracted Plague.
Not much operative work is as yet undertaken at the Tung Wah Hospital, on account of the unfavourable conditions as to nursing available. As often as possible serious surgical cases are persuaded to permit themselves to be transferred to the Civil Hospital. A con- siderable number of minor operations were performed, however, and a few of greater im- portance, including 2 Lithotomies, Amputation of Arm, and removal of Tumours (Epithe- lioma of Penis, Sarcoma of Neck, Fibroids, etc.).
The Western-treating staff has been augmented by the addition of another student of the Hongkong College of Medicine for Chinese, so that Dr. JEU HAUK has now three students as resident assistants, one of them doing the vaccinations, and the other two acting as dispensers and surgical dressers.