consultant in dermatology and part-time lecturer in venereal diseases at the University Medical School. He is assisted by five full-time Medical Officers, a Technical Assistant, an Almoner, 12 Social Hygiene Visitors, 7 male nurses and 14 female nurses. The work is carried on at four clinics on Hong Kong Island, two clinics in Kowloon and four part- time clinics in the New Territories. The Wan Chai Female Social Hygiene Hospital contains 30 beds and a female out-patient clinic. The headquarters of the service is also located in the building.
233. The numbers of new patients and total attendances at all clinics during the past three years are given hereunder
TABLE 18
Tolod mew
Total new
New Patients
32,490
Total
Venereol
Tecnol
Pemeral
Attendancea
Diseases
Claser
Kexered? Disember
Tara! New odn Diseques
msci sleja Donaser
180.148
17,808
44.7
1957 1998
$1.393 27,841
193,674 15,724 201,954 12,877
50.0
46.2
5,855 6,264
19.0
18.5
8.417
4.$14
31.0
JE, DOHI
11.2
Venereal Diseases
237. The incidence of venereal disease in Hong Kong as represented by clinic attendances over the past five years is shown in the following table:
New Cases
Total Attendancea
TABLE 20
1954
36,632
223,031
19,55
1956
34,850 32.490 203.701
1957 1938
27.841 31,393
180.149
193,674
203,954
Admission to Hospital
$87
704
$15
T04
669
Notifications
2.187
2.743
3.435
4,158
4,686
Total Syphilis (except Congenital).
6.825
4.202
3,711
3,190
3,372
Primacy Syphilis
393
153
93
17
9
Secondary Syphilie
$4
34
20
7
3
Early Latent Syphilis
2.209
1.044
733
450
417
Late Latcol Syphilis
3,983
2,833
1.616
2,532
2.766
Congenital Syphilis (Vader 1 year) Congenital Syphilis (Over 1 year)
24
19
19
3
93
111
116
85
Gonorrhoea
10,785
11,309
10.6409
9,881
8,360
Lymphogranuloma Venereunti
Non-Veneral Disease
2,365 2,466
286 14,526 14,788
1,614
683
25-4
249
Hl
178
91
14.687
15,669
14,159
234. At the Wan Chai Hospital 668 patients were admitted, 36 fewer than in 1957. Of this number 46.4% were admitted for gonorrhoea, 9.7% for late latent syphilis and 38% for skin complaints.
Laboratory Investigations
235. The Government Laboratory service carried out 33,609 ante- natal blood tests on patients in hospitals, clinics and private maternity homes throughout the Colony using the V.D.R.L. test. Table 19 lists the results over the five year period 1954 to 1958.
TABLE 19
1954
No. of tests from Clinics & Hospitals 20,749 % of Positive Rate No. of tests from Private Midwives
B.5%
4.5%
5.697
5.439
1955 1956
23,716 26,803
3.8% 5,454
% of Positive Rate
AE
6.0%
4.2% 3.4%
1957 1958
27,330 28,026
3.5% 3.3%
4,623 5,583 2.7% 3.2%
236. Gonococcal cultures and penicillin sensitivity tests have been carried out as a routine throughout the year. For the sensitivity test the disc method has been used and the percentages of resistant strains encountered were 8.8% fromo males and 5.2% from females.
48
Chancroid
238. The number of cases of primary and secondary syphilis, 9 cases and 3 cases respectively, is the lowest yet recorded, but there was a rise in the number of cases of late latent syphilis which is apparently due to an extension of routine blood testing. There has been a relative rise in the incidence of late syphilis in men over the age of 35. It is of interest to note that Hong Kong is no exception in recording a considerable reduction in syphilis, gonorrhoea and chancroid similar to that which has occurred in other centres five years after the introduction of penicillin therapy. The situation does not give any cause for complacency and an increase in gonorrhoea may be expected again, as elsewhere, due to the slow emergence of resistant strains of gonorrhoea.
239. An assessment of the incidence of venereal disease in pro- stitutes attending the Kowloon clinic was made during the year. Of a total of 531 patients attending 17.3% had gonorrhoea, 15% early latent syphilis and 11.8% late latent syphilis,
240. Penicillin continues to be the mainstay of treatment and there has not been any change in the dosage schedule for syphilis, although in three cases it was considered advisable to employ aureomycin in its
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