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The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-I agree with the above.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE -I agree to dissolve on the understanding mentioned by Mr. Ede.
The VICE-CHAIRMAN-dissolving this special committee won't make any real difference, I understand P
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-Special committees had certain powers—power to des- troy animals.
The VICE-PRESIDENT--But as far as the segregation of the animal goes it will remain in force ?
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-Yes.
The VICE-PRESIDENT-I beg to move that the special sub-committee appointed be now dis- solved.
Mr. EDE-I second that. Carried.
THE SURVEYOR'S LEAVE OF ABSENCE. On April 1st Mr. J. R. Crook, Surveyor to the Board, wrote that he had been granted 12 months' leave of absence commencing April 27th, adding:-" During my absence I have arranged -with the approval of the Hon. Director of Public Works for Mr. Drury to carry on my duties as Sanitary Surveyor I submit this arrangement for the approval of the Board, and that Mr. Bryan, assistant sanitary surveyor, and Mr. Small, overseer of drainage works, be placed under Mr. Drury's instructions."
The minutes showed that the members of the Board approved.
THE OUTBREAK OF RINDERPEST AT SASSOON'S VILLA.
The COLONIAL VETERINARY SURGEON re- ported on March 21st-I have to report another case of rinderpest at Sassoon's Villa, Pokfulam. Will you allow me to keep the animal alive for two or three days in order that I may try some experiments. I will undertake to keep it well isolated from the rest of the non infected cattle, so that there will be no risk.
[April 9, 1898.
On the motion of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF | etiquette usually adopted by the scientific world HEALTH, seconded by the VICE-PRESIDENT, it in such cases. was decided to refer the matter to the law officer of the Crown.
THE SERUM TREATMENT OF RINDERPEST,
Mr. C. VIVIAN LADDS wrote on the 30th ult.: -Referring to my letter of the 2nd inst. in
which I stated that "I think the time is not
The VICE-PRESIDENT-We do not ask him to publish the report, but to lay it before the Board.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-But still if he informs the Board the Board will have the right to publish it. It seems almost too premature to say anything.
APPLICATION FROM THE HONGKONG HOTEL
COMPANY,
far distant when the serum treatment of this
The VICE-PRESIDENT-I moved a resolution disease (rinderpest) will be generally adopted," and Mr. Ede seconded it. Those in favour. I now have the honour to report for the infor-
The resolution was carried, The Vice-Presid mation of the Sanitary Board that I have sucent, Mr. Ede, and the Director of Public cessfully treated the last case of rinderpest Works voting in favour. The Medical Officer which occurred in Sassoon's Villa, Pokfulam,
of Health and the Acting Registrar General by this method, and that the animal has now
did not vote. quite recovered. From my knowledge of the subject, I am confident that by adopting serum treatment in the event of future outbreaks of cattle plague, that the death rate may be re- duced from about 90 per cent. or more to a minimum of four or five per cent., or even loss. In fact I am of opinion that if cases of this disease are taken in time everyone of them may be successfully treated with serum. Fur. her, I may mention that cattle can be immu- first injecting them with virulent blood, and nised against future attacks of rinderpest by afterwards with serum; but this would mean that the animal to be properly protected would thus have to undergo a mild form of the disease, which in the case of dairy cattle is not desirable.
The following minutes were appended :- The SECRETARY-Mr. Ladds is to be con- gratulated on the success of his treatment in this
case.
A
The PRESIDENT-As far as this goes it is certainly satisfactory, but no deductions can be drawn from the treatment of one case. detailed report should be furnished by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon for the informa- tion of the Board, giving more especially the origin of the serum
Messrs. Palmer and Turner, architects and surveyors, wrote on March 26th "On behalf of the Hongkong Hotel Company we shall be glad to know if the Board will allow the com- pany to fix on the ground floor of their pre- mises a range of Doulton's trough closets espe- cially constructed to replace the bucket system they have at present."
The Surveyor to the Board recommended that the permission asked for be granted subject to separate cistern accommodation being pro- rided, seeing that water closets are already fixed all over the hotel.
The minutes expressed approval of the re- commendation of the Surveyor.
It was decided on the motion of the VICE-
PRESIDENT, seconded by Mr. EDE, that the ap- plication be granted on the condition named.
THE MORTALITY RETURNA.
The mortality statistics for the week ended March 26th showed the death rate (excluding army and navy) per thousand per annum of the Population was 246, against 236 for the pre- vious week and 15 2 for the corresponding week last year.
7
THE PLAGUE AT TAMSUI,
or remedies used. Mr. Ladds is a servant of the Board, and all his ex- periments should be placed on record for the information of the Board and the future guid-Tamsui to the effect that in one district, from
ance of its officers.
publishing a more detailed account of the treat- ment Mr. Ladds will no doubt be guided by the rules of his profession.
The following minutes were appended The PRESIDENT-I gave Mr. Ladds per- mission to keep the animal as he wishes The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-The Board has to ascertain if possible the duration and course no power to order Mr. Ladds to report. The of the disease. I went to Sassoon's Villa my-information he has given is sufficient, and in self with the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon yesterday (March 22nd) and saw the beast. It is perfectly isolated and at least 500 yards from any other shed. Mr. Ladds thinks he may be able to cure it. In my opinion the road-I leading to Sassoon's Villa should be blocked either by a temporary wall or a gate, as there is a way by the farm for the inhabitants of a village at Telegraph Bay to pass along. This might be referred in the first instance to the Director of Public Works, in order to ascertain whether the road leading down to and past Sassoon's Villa from the main road is a private
road or not.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-I understand there is a right of way along this road, and that it cannot be closed, at least with- out the consent of owners whose properties are situated on or below it.
The PRESIDENT-If this is the case another road must be made immediately behind Sassoon's Villa, so that the villagers and public shall not pass close by the infected farm. Please cir- culate at once for the opinion of the members as the C.V.S. informs me that this is a matter of urgency.
have visited the farm and could point out to an officer of the Public Works what is required.
The President having referred the matter to the C.V.S. for his opinion,
The COLONIAL VETERINary Surgeon re- ported-So far as the recent outbreak of rinder- pest at Sassoon's Villa is concerned, I do not think that it is necessary to divert the road in order to prevent any danger which might arise from possible conveyance of the infection of rinderpest by foot passengers or otherwise, as I am of opinion that the disease has now run its course, and that there will be no more fresh cases. Had this not been so the question of the desirability of diverting the road might have been profitably considered. It seems to me a mistake to have established a dairy farm upon land through which a right of way runs.
The VICE-PRESIDENT-How do you propose to settle this right of way?
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-I do
know at all,
|
|
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE certainly think the Board should have a record of the treatment followed.
A discussion ensued.!
The VICE-PRESIDENT—Are not the Board entitled to know how our officer has been treat- ing this animal? I mean an officer may go away and we may want some other person to carry out the treatment. I do not know whe- ther Mr. Ladds has got any particular objection to giving an account of his treatment. I beg to move that the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon furnish a detailed report on the nature of his
treatment.
Mr. EDE-I think it is very important it should be on record and I second it.
The COLONIAL VETERINARY SURGEON-If you would allow me to speak I would say that as this is the first case I do not think it advisable to publish any report, as at present a whole lot of misleading statements may be put in,
The -VICE-PRESIDENT-The Board will exercise their discretion as to what shall be reported.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I think we must leave it to Mr. Ladds--to his sense of propriety. I consider that the information published is quite enough for us.
The VICE-PRESIDENT-There is no in- formation at all.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL-The information is that the President put a diseased cow at his disposal for experiment and he cured it.
The VICE-PRESIDENT-We want to know how he cured it. We are no better off; Mr. Ladds is better off, but the Board is no better off.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-I think it usual for a
scientific observer to try to verify the facts as far as possible before communicating them, and as there has only been one animal treated it seems that for the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon to publish his form of treatment at present is contrary to the
A letter was read from the British Consul at
the 1st to the 15th ult., there were four cases of suspected plague and three deaths. There were six cases of smallpox and no deaths, In the centre of the island there had occurred 20
cases of plague and eight deaths. The letter concludes, As far as this island is concerned the authorities do not consider that the plague or smallpox is prevalent.”
The proceedings then terminated.
THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
Thursday Dr. Clark's report on the health of the At the meeting of the Sanitary Board on colony for the year 1897 was laid on the table. It is a voluminous and interesting document, but its length precludes our reproducing it in full. The following is an abstract of it:
Area. Under this head the area of the colony is stated and particulars are given of the num ber and location of domestic buildings.
Climate. Gives particuiars of the tempera- ture, rainfall, and sunshine of the year.
General Sanitary Condition.--Some little progress has been made during the past year towards the structural improvement of the sanitary condition of the Chinese dwellings in the colony, but much yet remains to be done to render them reasonably habitable. Legislation is urgently needed to remedy some of the most glaring sanitary defects.
Population. The constitution of the popu lation, of which ап analysis is given, has, Dr. Clark says, a most important bearing upon the vital statistics of the colony, for it should most certainly be associated with an abnormally low death-rate as well as a low birth-rate. This latter we undoubtedly have among the Chinese population, but I regret to say that instead of a death-rate of about 11 or at the most 12 per 1,000, such as should obtain in a population so largely composed of young adults we have a death-rate of no less than 18.85 per 1,000, the excess being, among the native population at least, largely due to the insanitary conditions under which the great bulk of them are at present compelled to live. A. far more graphic but equally true expression
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