130. Four launches and one fumigation barge were allocated by the Marine Department for Port Health work. The four launches have radio telephones installed on board and carry first aid equipment. In addition to routine work in the port area they provide an ambulance service and were frequently used by the Department for miscellaneous duties, arising mainly from new commitments, in the outlying islands.
131. A total of 6,402 ships carrying 59,879 passengers and 281,377 crew were inspected at the Quarantine Anchorages during the year as against 5,015 ships. 70,993 passengers and 245,605 crew in 1957. At the anchorages 791 persons required to be vaccinated against smallpox and 359 against cholera, the latter figure including 46 persons coming From cholera-infected ports and not in possession of International Certificates of Vaccination.
132. There were 27 cases of non-quarantinable infectious diseases found on board ships and arrangements were made for treatment,
133. Radio pratique was granted to 215 ships, and 406 ships were granted free pratique.
134. Altogether, 312,188 persons entered the Colony by the land frontier station at Lo Wu as compared with 686,198 in 1957. Of those entering 54,073 were vaccinated against smallpox.
135. A special check was maintained on arrivals by sea and air from Bangkok on receipt of information of an outbreak of cholera in that port and in other areas of Thailand, Passengers without valid certificates of vaccination against cholera were isolated or kept under surveillance after vaccination for a period of up to five days. Consignments of fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs which in the opinion of the inspecting Port Health Officer could be infected with cholera, were seized and destroyed. Ships that had taken on water at Bangkok were not permitted 10 discharge any water into the harbour without preliminary hyper- chlorination. This applied mainly to water ballast and to water for livestock obtained from rivers or streams.
136. In accordance with the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance, an inspection was carried out of all vessels carrying over twenty unberthed passengers travelling as emigrants. Sixty-six ships carrying 7,154 emigrants were inspected during the year as against sixty-four ships with 12,813 emigrants in 1957 and sixty-two ships with 10.173 emigrants in 1956.
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137. Although no longer required for International voyages, Bills of Health continued to be sought by masters of vessels and 1,748 Bills of Health were issued compared to a total of 1,861 in 1957.
138. Forty-eight ships were fumigated with sulphur dioxide, twenty- four with cyanide and 130 were granted exemptions. The fumigation staff also carried out the disinsecting of vessels and the fumigation of cargo in lighters.
139. Three Port Health Vaccination Centres were maintained, two on Hong Kong Island and one in Kowloon, for the convenience of persons requiring certificates for international travel. These centres also carry out the prophylactic vaccinations which are provided free to members of the public; 21,560 certificates issued by private medical practitioners were authenticated by Port Health Officers.
140. Regular inspections for the presence of mosquito larvae were carried out on small craft in the harbour. Mosquito breeding was negligible and no Acdes aegypti larvae were found on any of the 2,991 junks inspected during the year. The acdes index at the Airport remained at zero.
141.
The dock area and airport are included in the rodent control scheme for the Colony. Returns, of rodents destroyed and of bacterio- logical examinations carried out, were submitted weekly to the W.H.O. Epidemiological Intelligence Station, Singapore.
142, A constant check was maintained on the purity of drinking water supplied to ships. Bacteriological examination of weekly samples from water boats and dock hydrants continued and immediate remedial action was taken when and where necessary by the Water Authority or the Port Health Officers. A total of 430 samples were taken from water boats and dock hydrants and were submitted to the Institute of Pathology for bacteriological examination; 41 samples did not conform to the standard of purity. On request, 91 samples of water were taken from ships of which 39 were sub-standard.
143. A weekly exchange of epidemiological information was main- tained with the W.H.O. Epidemiological Intelligence Station, Singapore, and copies of reports were forwarded for the information of the Secre- tary of State for the Colonies.
144. During 1958, thirteen ships at sea called 'Port Health' Hong Kong for advice on the treatment of sick persons on board.
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