underwent a three-month course of training in simple laboratory procedures; this course is part of the training necessary for promotion to the post of Male Charge Nurse.
398. One Pathologist attended a short W.H.O, course in Virus and Rickettsial Diseases in India and one Assistant Medical Officer and a Laboratory Technician went to Singapore to gain experience in poliovirus techniques in connexion with the administration of the Sabin oral vaccine. Four Laboratory Assistants are in the United Kingdom on courses of instruction leading to the AIM.L.T.
Vaccine Production
399. Vaccine to the value of HK$807,660 was manufactured during the year and for the most part the vaccines were issued free as a public health measure to clinics, hospitals and registered medical practitioners in the Colony.
400. The epidemic of cholera affecting neighbouring territories in South-East Asia called for a greatly increased production of cholera vaccine so that adequate reserves were available for every emergency. Over a period of six weeks the reserve stock of cholera vaccine was built up from 100,000 doses to one million doses.
401. The vaccines for human use manufactured
Glycerinated calf lymph
Cholera vaccine
די
Typhoid-paratyphoid vaccine (Adult).
Typhoid-paratyphoid vaccine (Children) Rabies vaccine (2%)
Rabies vaccine (4%)
The Public Mortuaries
during 1958 were:
36,460 ml. 1,099,850 ml.
79,850 ml.
71,600 ml.
39,200 ml.
22,000 mL
402. The new Kowloon Mortuary was completed and put into use in November, 1958. The accommodation includes two cold chambers with storage capacity for twenty adult bodies, one air-conditioned autopsy room containing twelve tables, an eocoffining room, a viewing and identification room, one waiting room, an office and staff rooms. There is also special provision for the examination and refrigerated storage of rodent specimens sent in for plague control investigations.
403. At the Victoria Mortuary on Hong Kong Island the cold chamber and air-conditioning units have been overhauled and the premises re-decorated.
404. Table 30 below gives details of the autopsies undertaken during the year:
Total Autopsies performed:
Male
Female
Sex unknown
Chinese race
Non-Chinese
Bodies identified
unidentified
TABLE 30
Deaths from natural causes
Deaths from other than natural causes
Thake
Still births { female
Age groups Over 60
45-60
30-45
15-30
0–15 Ag Group
Under 1 month
1 year
13
-15 years
Homicide Suicide
Accident
-
Kowloon Victoria
I,་
3,181
1,06.5
2,007
677
1,171
382
1
6
3,170
1,050
11
15
1,092
$29
2,089
536
2,801
799
380
266
11
12
10
મ
192
115
419
245
532
191
176
108
674
7.5
596
152
$92
A
179
13
12
164
132
203
122
405. It is of interest to record the different patterns of suicide in Kowloon and Victoria.
Kowloon Victoria
11
6S
Drowning
+1+
Hanging
Jumping from heights
33
28
Poisoning
55
Other means
NEI
406. In Kowloon 24 of the suicides by poisoning were caused by the taking of insecticides.
407. The following table gives details of the number of rodents examined for plague;
TABLE 31
Total number examined
Kowloon 120,399 33,399
Hong Kong
143.018
Complete bacteriological examination
83
Rais found infected
FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
Dissection and macroscopic examination
69,052
122
408. The Forensic Laboratories are situated in the Police Head- quarters building and the medico-legal work in connexion with crime
80
B1