ment hospitals where a limited number of beds is available for this purpose.
161. In the epidemiological field, it is a routine for the home of each new patient to be visited by a Social Hygiene Visitor within a month of the diagnosis being made; personal advice is given, contacts are requested to attend for examination and it is urged that child contacts receive B.C.G. vaccination. After the initial examination, con- tacts are advised to return for re-examination at least once a year; those who do not return are re-visited as are patients defaulting from treatment. Unfortunately, the insidious nature of the disease is such that many persons are unwilling to attend carly, as they neither see nor feel any indication of illness.
162. The work done by the Leprosy Out-Patient Service during recent years is detailed in Table 20.
TABLE 20
LEPROSY OUT-PATIENT SERVICES 1956-60
715
New Attendances at Clinica Total Clinic Attendances
1956
751
1957
1938
19.59
1960
SI
976
767
75.789
31,2014
36.318
11.986
26.329
Lepromatous cases seen
150
173
160
11
97
Intermediate cases seen
$
*
16
Tuberculoid casta seen
260
262
214
193
126
423
436
379
297
209
Totul cases of leprosy seen
Dermatology Service
163. Patients with skin diseases may attend any of the Social Hygiene clinics and, in addition, there are nine consulting sessions each week, five on Hong Kong Island and four in Kowloon, solely for patients with skin complaints referred for an expert opinion, Female patients requiring hospital treatment are admitted to the Wan Chai Hospital, while beds are available for males at the Lai Chi Kok Hospital.
164. Appendix 8 shows the classification and relative frequency of dermatological cases seen. It will be observed that contact dermatitis, boils, impetigo and eczema continue to be the predominant diseases encountered. All cases of industrial dermatitis were notified to the Industrial Health Officer, as were cases of other dermatological con- ditions suspected of being due to an industrial hazard.
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165. There is an Almoner attached to the Leprosy section of the Social Hygiene Service but the major part of the contact follow-up and home visiting for the Social Hygiene Service as a whole is carried out by the Social Hygiene Visitors. These visitors are analogous to the Tuberculosis Workers and on appointment are given a short course of in-service training in their duties and responsibilities.
PORT HEALTH
166. The Port Health Administration is responsible for all measures designed to prevent the introduction of quarantinable infectious diseases into the Colony; for the sanitary control of the ports of entry by sea, air and rail, for the carrying out of the provisions of the International Sanitary Regulations as embodied in the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance; for the compilation of epidemiological statistics and reports and for the general organization of prophylactic vaccination campaigns. There are also statutory responsibilities under the Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Ordinance. A weekly exchange of epidemio logical information is maintained with the World Health Organization Epidemiological Station in Singapore.
167. All persons entering the Colony through the recognized ports of entry by land. sea or air are subject to a quarantine inspection and all immigrants without valid vaccination certificates are vaccinated against smallpox.
168. Other routine work carried out include the deratting and dis- insecting, including fumigation, of ships; sanitary duties in the port and airport, including supervision of water supplies; control measures to keep the port and airport free from Aedes aegypti; inspection of all vessels carrying more than twenty unberthed immigrants; a service rendering medical advice by wireless to ships at sea is also maintained. In addition to routine work, the Port Health launches, equipped with stretchers, first aid equipment and radio-telephones, provide an ambu- lance service in the port area.
Prophylactic Vaccination and Other Measures
169. The Port Health Office is responsible for the provision of vaccination facilities for travellers making international journeys and for the general organization of immunization campaigns in the Colony. Inoculators are posted to twenty five centres throughout the Colony and are responsible for the field-work of these inoculation and vaccination
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