112.
Of 618 cases of clinical viral hepatitis, 100(16.1%) were found positive for hepatitis B antigen.
113.
Smallpox, rabies, typhoid-paratyphoid, and cholera vaccines were prepared at the Institute of Immunology, and issued free to doctors if used in Hong Kong. Occasional shipments were made available to neighbouring governments or agencies when requested.
114.
INDUSTRIAL HEALTH
The health of workers in factories and industrial undertakings is the statutory responsibility of the Commissioner of Labour. The industrial health division of the Labour Department, staffed by officers seconded from the Medical and Health Department, is responsible for advising the Commissioner on all matters affecting the health and welfare of industrial workers, and providing an advisory service on the medical aspects of industrial problems. The division's main functions are to prevent occupational diseases and to promote health at work. The inspection of industrial undertakings by medical officers, the monitoring of the working environment by the laboratory staff, and the investigation of notified occupational diseases and medical surveil- lance of special groups of workers, are the principal ways in which these functions are carried out. Professional and technical staff of the division give lectures to medical students of the University of Hong Kong and to assistant labour officers, assistant factory inspectors, labour inspectors, assistant smoke inspectors, student health visitors, health inspectors and health auxiliaries under training.
115.
Environmental surveys include measurement of silica dust in quarries, and of concentrations in the air of, among many, lead, manganese, solvents, and sulphur dioxide. These surveys also investigate standards of thermal comfort, ventilation, noise and lighting.
116.
Industrial health officers also act as advisers to commercial undertakings and other government departments on occupational health matters. They perform periodic medical examination for radiation workers, government divers and compressed air workers. In addition they serve as medical assessors for the Department of Civil Aviation.
117.
A total of 48,416 occupational injuries was recorded by industrial health visitors and nurses of the Industrial Health Division. Of these, 30,518 were accidents which caused the injured person to be off work for more than three days, and were therefore reportable under the Workmen's Compen- sation Ordinance. A total of 304 occupational deaths was recorded.
it was found on investigation that 37 occurred among seamen recruited in Hong Kong, and 46 were due to natural causes.
118.
Industrial health officers took part in medical boards to assess the degree of disability of 11,255 injured workers. Health visitors and nurses carried out case work, visiting homes and places of work as well as attending at the casualty sections of major hospitals.
119.
Monitoring of air pollutants continued throughout the year. The results from the four daily stations were shown along with the Huey plate figures for the 33 monthly stations 13 on Hong Kong Island, 13 in Kowloon and
J
7 in the New Territories. In the course of the year, the Advisory Committee on Air Pollution was replaced by the Environmental Pollution Committee. Staff of the industrial health division represent the department in two subcommittees, air pollution and noise pollution, each of them met monthly. The Clean Air
(Restriction and Measurement of Smoke Emission) Regulations 1973 were enacted
on 16th October, 1973 and came into force on 1st January, 1974.
120.
The industrial health laboratory is now designated by the World Health Organisation as a collaborating laboratory. It takes part in international studies on air pollution in conjunction with other national
laboratories throughout the world.
121.
HEALTH EDUCATION
A better community appreciation of the basic principles of
personal and environmental hygiene, and the prevention of diseases, continued
to be the main health objective. A wide area was covered by many divisions of the department, and the co-operation of all voluntary agencies interested
in such topics was actively sought.
122.
In addition, the health education unit in the New Territories
organised a number of local health exhibitions in rural towns. Exhibits
included displays on personal and environmental hygiene, prevention of
diseases, prevention of home accidents, maternal and child health, nutrition,
and others.
IV. WORK OF THE MEDICAL DIVISTON
123.
At the end of 1973, a total of 16,224 beds was available in
all hospitals in Hong Kong, excluding those maintained by the armed forces. In addition, there were 624 beds in government maternity homes, and beds in
private maternity and nursing homes. The total 16,848 beds represented a ratio of 4.1 beds per 1,000 of the population. The figures are based on the normal bed capacities of hospitals, but in some cases, the actual bed
Occupancy was much higher, since camp beds and other additional beds were
used whenever the need arose. Development over the recent past is illustrated
in Figure 11, and it will be noted that the bed provision in 1973 represented
an increase of 35 per cent over the bed provision in 1964.
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