450
Annexe E.
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE
HOSPITALS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year there were 62 admissions to Kennedy Town and 167 to the Hospital Hulk Hygeia as against 75 and 67 respectively in 1906.
A list of the diseases treated is shown in Tables I and II.
The cases of Measles and Chicken-pox were practically all admitted from the Diocesan Boys' School. Both diseases were very prevalent throughout the Colony during March and April.
PLAGUE.
The total number of Plague cases notified only amounted to 205 of which 198 proved fatal, ie., 96 per cent. Sixteen of these were treated in Kennedy Town Hospital of which 10 died, 4 were transferred when convalescent to the Tung Wah Plague Branch, 1 was discharged cured and I was transferred to the Hygeia. This last case was a Chinese female who was admitted to Kennedy Town suffering from Bubonic Plague (R.F.B.). The Bubo was nearing maturation and was incised a few days later. The day after admission the patient became covered with a papular rash, thickest on the face, and I had no hesitation in diagnosing Small-pox and had her immediately removed to the Hygeia. A few days later mutiple Pyæmic abscesses began to appear and subsequently a large abscess formed in the region of the Iliac glands on the same side of the Plague bubo. This was incised but death took place a few days later from exhaustion and l'yæmia caused by the suppurating buboes. At the post-mortem I found a broken down infarct in the left lung. The fact that the rash did not mature properly and that Pyæmia set in, suggests that the rash was due to sepsis and not Small-pox.
The nationalities of the cases admitted were as follows:-
Chinese,.. Eurasian, Indian,
Admitted.
11
Died.
6
1
1
3
16
10
Five cases died within 24 hours of admission, 4 within 5 days and one after 10 days.
VARIETIES OF PLAGUE.
The different varieties of Plague occurred as follows:-
Bubonic.
Septic. Pneumonic.
Kennedy Town,
16
0
0
ស
Tung Wah Plague Branch,
56
Total Cases Notified including the above, 194 Total in 1906,
10
1
810
68
14
All the Septic and Pneumonic cases proved fatal.
COMPLICATIONS OF PLAGUE.
Besides Broncho-Pneumonia and Hæmorrhages which are well known and of common occurrence, I have noticed that many cases suffer from severe Iritis, affecting as a rule both eyes, and leading to total blindness by occlusion of the pupils and hypopyon.