1
335. There was little change in the therapeutic regimes administered on the island, but small quantities of sulphamethoxypyridazine were used with good results.
336. One effect of the drought was a reduction in the number of surgical operations performed, particularly in the period between April and August. The total number of operations in the year was 150 as compared with 284 in 1962.
337. All patients on the island are expected to work in accordance with their physical capacity and previous occupation; training is available in agriculture, cottage industries and in certain light industrial occupations. There is a primary school for child patients, the staff of which hold evening classes for adults. Social activities continue as in a normal com- munity.
Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital
338. This hospital is located adjacent to a larger resettlement estate in the Wong Tai Sin area of Kowloon. The hospital, which contains 39 beds, is staffed by the Maryknol] Sisters who are assisted by locally- trained nurses and midwives. Laboratory, pharmacy, radiological and almoning services are available.
A general out-patient department is also maintained and this was attended by 63,651 patients during 1963.
Sandy Bay Convalescent Home
340. This home is maintained by the Hong Kong Society for the Relief of Disabled Children and contains 108 beds. All beds are for children requiring long-term orthopaedic care, particularly those suffering from bone and joint tuberculosis. Most of the patients have previously undergone major surgical operations at the Queen Mary Hospital, but there are also admissions from the Ruttonjee Sanatorium and from the Government Tuberculosis Service. A school teacher is provided for the children by the Hong Kong Branch of the British Red Cross Society.
341. The drought seriously affected the work of this hospital, and hydrotherapy was perforce discontinued. In June and July a number of patients were sent home and were recalled only when the water situation had eased somewhat towards the end of the year.
Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation Kwun Tong Rehabilitation Centre
342. This centre, opened in September, 1962, accommodates 80 patients. It has occupational workshops and facilities for physiotherapy,
73
and is designed to assist in the quick return to full employment of those who have been injured in industrial occupations.
London Missionary Society Maternity Clinic, Sheung Shui
343. This maternity clinic of ten beds is conducted by a missionary Nursing Sister of the Society, assisted by locally appointed staff. Ante- natal and maternal and child health sessions are also maintained at the clinic. The Sheung Shui Maternity Clinic Advisory Board, consisting of local residents, supports the work and the London Missionary Society also makes an annual contribution towards running costs. This is aug- mented by an annual recurrent subvention from Government funds,
OUT-PATIENT SERVICES
344. Pressure continued to increase throughout the year on all general out-patient and certain specialized clinics. However, there was marked reduction in attendances at tuberculosis clinics and consequently total attendances at all out-patient clinics maintained by Government fell by some 320,000 to a figure of 5,771,288; of these some 2,271,000 were
new cases.
345. New facilities which became available during the year have already been detailed in paragraphs 18 to 21 of this report.
346. In addition to general out-patient services. regular specialist out-patient sessions were maintained at a number of clinics by staff from the tuberculosis, social hygiene, medical, surgical, ophthalmic, maternal and child health and ear, nose and throat services.
347. Evening out-patient sessions continued to be held at seven of the larger clinics in the more densely-populated areas, lasting from 6 p.m. until midnight. On Sundays and public holidays, clinic sessions are held at four centres in the urban area, two on each side of the harbour; these sessions cater for patients in need of emergency attention during week-ends and public holidays.
348. In the New Territories, apart from the fixed out-patient centres, two mobile dispensaries are operated on land, while two launches act as 'floating clinics' and serve the more remote islands and the outlying coastal areas of the mainland. A helicopter flying doctor service continued to operate once weekly to villages in the New Territories not casily accessible by other routes. The helicopter service was also used to transfer patients, in urgent need of emergency medical care, from outlying areas to hospital.
79