carried out was the conversion of an ordinary domestic electric cooker to a large hot air sterilizer for orthopaedic instruments; others were the working out of a formula for a satisfactory method of painting hospital beds and cols, and the design of a padded room for mental patients.
286. A very great deal of work has been done on the manu- facture and repair of various items of surgical equipment, such as the sharpening of knives, scissors and needles; the repair of dressing drums: the servicing of items such as diathermy machines, atomizers, etc.; and the manufacture of instrument stands, trolleys and similar items of hospital furniture. No less than 2,188 items such as beds and surgical equipment have been repainted.
Auxiliary Medical Service.
287. The Auxiliary Medical Service is established under the provisions of the Essential Services Corps Ordinance to supple- ment the normal medical services during an emergency. Although, therefore, technically a part of the Essential Services Corps it is to a large extent autonomous, the Director of Medical and Health Services exercising, in respect of the Service, the functions of Unit Controller. It is not intended that the Service should operate as an independent unit but that it should be integrated into the regular medical service.
288. During the year recruitment was satisfactory, keeping pace with the inevitable wastage due to members leaving the Colony, reaching the age limit for service, etc. Training was stepped up and about 150 members received a full course of 16 lectures in basic first aid. Another 137 members attended a course of similar duration in basic auxiliary dressing. Full time courses lasting 4 days were attended by 129 members, and well over 550 members attended 5-day refresher courses. In addition, driving instruction was given to over 70 ambulance and lorry drivers, and courses in message writing were held for telephonists.
289. Courses of 14 days duration in hospitals were arranged for Auxiliary Nurses; in addition there was evening instruction for over 100 members of this group.
290. Classes on the preparation of sterile intravenous fluids were held on most Sundays by the Chief Pharmacist.
84
291.
A regular evening training programme in the applica tion of first aid principles, attended by over 1,000 members, continued throughout the year. It is pleasing to note that, at
the annual civil defence exercise, the performance of the members taking part received commendation from the umpires who reviewed the exercise.
Medical Exomination Buard,
292. During the year the Board has continued its work of examining candidates for Government employment, Government officers for promotion and transfer, and members and recruits for Auxiliary Defence Units.
298. The total number of persons examined during 1956 was 12,782, an increase of 485 as compared with 1966. Government candidates accounted for 7,768 of this figure, Auxiliary Defence Units for 4,870, and there were 144 not included in either category.
294. The Board now has records of the examination of 52,000 persone examined since March 1952. It has still not proved possible to make an exact analysis of the causes which have led to persons being found unfit for employment, but by far the most frequent of such causes has been pulmonary tuber- culosis. During the year 8 of all candidates presenting them- selves for examination were found unfit from this cause.
295. An innovation this year has been that, in the case of candidates for posts in the Medical Department, Schick and Mantoux testa have been carried out and, when found necessary, the appropriate immunizing injections have been offered. To date approximately 380 persons have been examined and it is interesting to note that only two have been found to be Mauloux- negative; neither of these two was born in Houg Kong, 53 persons have been found Schick-positive, and here it is of interest to note that nearly all were of the middle classes. It is evident that very few persons of the poorer classes reach adulthood without exposure to diphtheria.
V. TRAINING PROGRAMME
296. Medical Services in Hong Kong have reached a stage where a very large proportion of the total training in the various branches of medicine can be carried out in the Colony itself, and this process of "self-support" is developing further from year to
66