405
The next Table shows the total deaths in the Colony from Malaria during each of the past ten years, and from this it will be seen that the average number of deaths has fallen from 526 in the quinquennium 1898 to 1902 to 383 in the quinquennium 1903 to 1907, in spite of the fact that during the same time the population of the Colony has increased from 254,400 to 329,357.
Total Deaths from Malaria.
Deaths in the
Total
YEAR.
City (Chinese
Deaths.
only).
1898,
280
530
1899,
218
546
1900,
242
555
1901,
281
574
1902,
189
425
1903,
152
300
1904,
90
301
1905,
87
287
1906,
134
448
1907,
138
579
Average
383
526
Rainfall in inches.
Total number of wet days.
57.0
152
72.7
128
73.7
155
55.8
152
97.5
142
93.0
142
80.4
114
70.9
156
77.8
159
93.5
161
The deaths of Chinese in the City of Victoria are shown separately in the foregoing Table, which also includes a statement of the rainfall and of the number of wet days in each year, and some relation to the incidence of Malaria may be traced by a comparison of the
two statements.
The increase visible in the last two years has certainly been due in part to the cases sent in from the Railway works in the New Territories to the various City Hospitals, but as will be seen from Dr. HARTLEY'S report the incidence of Malarial Fever cases amongst the Railway employees has very much diminished since the daily prophylactic use of 5 grains of quinine was instituted in July last.
In the following Table is shown the seasonal incidence of the deaths from Malaria and it will be seen that the largest average number of deaths belongs to the months of October and November, while during the early inonths of the year the death-rate is lightest. The rainy season here extends from April to September, but there are occasional showers during the autumn, and it must be remembered that the heaviest death-incidence would naturally be later, by a month or two at least, than the heaviest case-incidence of the disease.