radio-active substances are used, and so far no signs of ill health due to this cause have been detected.
304. First aid classes have been organized for factory workers, and advice given on first aid and medical equipment in factories. The Section also deals with a variety of other problems of Industrial Health which are referred to it from time to time.
HEALTH EDUCATION
305. This continued to take an important place in the work of all divisions of the Medical Department.
306. The Maternal and Child Health Centres have continued to expand active Health Education programmes with the help of the twenty one Health Visitors on the staff. The School Health Service, the Tuberculosis Service and the Social Hygiene Service also carry out con- siderable health teaching campaigns in their own fields of work.
307. The anti-epidemic immunization campaigos against smallpox, typhoid fever and diphtheria, which were carried out at appropriate seasons during the year, showed that the best results followed propa- ganda from loud speaker motor vans to which mobile vaccinating teams were attached. The distribution of handbills by Health Inspectors of the Urban Services Department during their routine house inspections was also a part of the campaign.
308. For a period of six months a series of talks on general health topics by a radio doctor was commenced in October 1957. These were broadcast over the Chinese networks of Radio Hong Kong at known favoured listening times and have proved to be useful and acceptable.
IV. THE WORK OF THE MEDICAL DIVISJON
HOSPITALS
309. There are thirty one hospitals in the Colony, twelve of which are Government Hospitals. A further ten are maintained by voluntary and missionary bodies which receive substantial subventions from Government funds. There are nine private hospitals, and 132 nursing homes, registered under the Nursing and Maternity Homes Registration Ordinance. Details of all these institutions are at Appendix 6. Details of the cases treated in Government and assisted hospitals are given at Appendix 7, in which the classification of discuses follows the Inter- national Standard Classification using the International List of 150
58
Causes. Details of in-patients treated in all hospitals during the year are shown at Appendix 8.
310. The twelve Government hospitals provide a total of 2,184 beds, the Government-assisted hospitals 3.063 beds, and private hospitals 1,051 beds. In addition, various Government Dispensaries provide a further 123 beds, mainly in the New Territories, and practically all for maternity cases. There are 549 maternity beds in private maternity homes and nursing homes. There is therefore in the Colony a total of 6,970 beds for all purposes including the mentally ill and those suffering from infectious diseases. Excluding the 1,730 beds set aside for tuberculosis, the 261 beds for the mentally ill and the 540 beds for the treatment of leprosy, there are 4,439 beds available for all general purposes, in- cluding maternity. On an estimated population of 2,677,000 this gives a ratio of one bed to each 600 of the population for all general and maternity purposes and one bed to each 382 of population for all purposes. While this may be far from adequate by modern standards. undoubted progress is being made towards a more satisfactory ratio. Meantime, a number of hospitals are crowded beyond capacity, treating many more in-patients than the wards have been designed to take.
311. An analysis of the bed state in the Government and Govern- ment-assisted hospitals is given below:
Queen Mary Kowloon
Lai Chi Kok
Hospitals ..
180
TABLE 27
GOVERNMENT IHOSPITALS
Hospital
General Maternity Tubercadanta Janasen DHENILLE
Interroses Penerect aantal Tow
490
37
71
599
360
46
犨
313
176
120
476
Mental and Castle Peak
140 140
120 120
Stanley Prison
20
I
Lai Chi Kok Prison
Q
1
10
Social Hygiene, Wan Chai
30
30
Sai Ying Pun
88
88
1+
SL John Hospital, Cheung
Chau
Tsan Yuk Eastern Maternity
45
13
42
102
200
200
34
24
Total
1,028
321
309
230
30
361 2.184
59
18
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