CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
May 11, 1901.1 the bullock lines, so that the animals might be disease kept off the public roads, The drinking troughs will be thoroughly disinfected with permanganate of potash. It is necessary for the Board to declare the lines infected, but it will not be necessary to post watchmen. The Board should also, I think, prohibit the grazing of cattle in British Kowloon anywhere to the south of a line drawn from Mong-kok-tsui to To-kra- This can be done under section 7 of Ordinance 17 of 1887,” The CHAIRMAN added That was dated the 4th inst., and to-day Dr. Clark states there are no further cases reported. The PRESIDENT proposed that the area be declared infected.
Dr. BELL seconded, and the proposal was agreed to.
wan.
On the motion of Dr. BELL, seconded by Dr. CLARK, it was decided to request the Govern- ment to lay on water to the bullock lines.
It was further agreed, on the motion of Dr. CLARK, to serve a notice in writing on all cattle-owners in British Kowloon to the effect that no grazing would be allowed anywhere south of a line drawn from Mong-kok-tsui to To-kwa-
wan.
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This business having been concluded the PRESIDENT moved the suspension of the stand- ing orders, and in doing so emphatically con tradicted certain statements that had been made, to the effect that plague cases from Yaumati, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon City and Hunghom, and even from the more remote parts of the Kowloon Peninsula, are al brought to Hongkong, the majority of them in the public ferry launches." These statements contained not one word of truth. As a matter of fact, the Board had its own boat, in which sick and dead were placed, and the boat was towed by a police pin- nace to Kennedy Town Hospital." It was advis. able that the public mind should not be alarmed, and he accordingly took that opportunity of making the contradiction.
Dr. CLARK regretted to say that two baskets of infected clothing had been sent over by a Star Ferry launch, and the explanation he received was that it was a mistake on the part of a foreman, who took it upon himself to send over this clothing in the quickest possible way Clothing was frequently sent over by the launches after disinfection, but that there should be no mistakes in the future, the prac- tice had been stopped. There was no danger, but it was best to run norisks.
This was all the business.
Another special meeting of the Board was held on the 8th inst. at 4 p.m. to con- sider a suggestion by H.E. the Governor to let plague patients in Yaumati be treated in their own houses, under proper supervision. The President (Hon. W. Chathani, Acting Director of Public Works), occupied the chair, and there were also present the Hon. F. H. May, C. M. G. (Vice-President), Dr. Bell (Principal Civil Medical Officer of Health), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Lient. Col. Hughes, R.A.M.C., Mr. A. W. Brewin (Registrar General), Mr. E. Osborne, Mr. Fung Wa Chun, Mr. Chan A Fook, and Mr. G. A. Woode.ck (Secretary to the Board).
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Dr. BELL was of opinion that the recom mendation, of HE, the
should not
there was no pos-
to be developing so rapidly and the rate of mortality was so high that it almost made no difference where a patient be supported neither now nor at any other was treated at his own home or elsewhere. | time. He detailed how cases of infectious dis- From his personal knowledge of Chinese ease were treated in hospital, and maintained quarters in the city, in Yaumati, and else that the same methods were possible in a. where, he thought the method recommended house it might be a watchman's, or perhaps a for treating patients suffering from infec-rice-shop. Furtl er tious disease would not be found practic-sibility of having proper supervision. There able, especially where people were crowded might be a dozen cases, or fift or a hundred, together. There was no sub-division and how they were going to exercise supervi- of the houses, and consequently no means sion he entirely failed to see. He theref ro existed of isolating a patient. The propos- thought the Sanitary Board would make al, concluded the speaker, did not recommend great mistake if they held out any hopes of itself to him.
ever adopting the recommendation, which was Dr. CLARK suggested the establishment of one they should set their faces strongly a small hospital at Yaumati. The Sanitary against. He had heard something sai Board already possessed a small matshed there about the conversion of a matshed into which could be adapted to the purpose. There an hospital. To that proposal he had no was no reason why patients should not be saved objection, provided there would be proper the discomfort of being carried across the har- medical supervision, either by himself or by bour and conveyed to Kennedy Town. The Dr. Thomson. As to the treating of patients matshed could easily be fitted up for the in their own houses, he would strongly oppose purpose, and if the people could be induced it. Hainan was in China, and there the doctor to report cases of infectious disease, four had no power or right to move his patients. or five per cent. more might possibly be saved. The PRESIDENT Well, gentlemen, I think The fact of patients having to be carried it would be the best way to express our across the harbour seemed to deter people from opinion of this proposal by taking a vote. I reporting cases. As to the recommendation, Dr. think there is a pretty general consensus of CLARK thought their Chinese colleagues might opinion against it. express their views.
The SECRETARY read the following minute from H. E. the Governor:-" In Hainan the doctor treated his plague patients in their own houses, and so saved a considerable percentage: The number of cases was not sufficient to form the ground for a working theory, but the doctor said, in answer to my enquiry, that the disease had not spread to the other inmates. I suggest for the consideration of the Sanitary Board that it may be well to try the experiment in Yaumati of permitting cases of which timely report has been given to be treated in their own houses, and, if they desire it, by Chinese doctors. The experi ment could be closely watched, and in case of a spread of the disease to the other inmates, the permission could be with
to me the only course promis- ing any hope of assistance from the Chinese, without which, in a town situated like this, there is but slight hops of controlling the epidemic.
drawn t
seems
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Lieut. Col. HUGHES-Do you make any pro- posal?
Dr. CLARK-I am prepared to move that the Board recommend the Government to utilise the Sanitary Board matshed at Yanmati for the treatment of patients, provided they can get the services of a doctor from the College of Medicine to take charge of the hospital.
Lieut.-Col. HUGHES-I second that.
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Mr. OSBORNE, dealing with the recommenda. tion of H.E. the Governor, said that if adopted it would result in a very drastic change in the steps hitherto taken to combat plague, and he thought it rather late in the day to introduce that change. He thoroughly agreed with the President in saying that they ought not to support the recommendation. In Hainan the doctors saved a considerable percentage of cases, but there was not the slightest doubt the doctors in Hongkong could do the same if they got the patients in time. A Chinaman, when he got fever, simply went and lay down until it had developed into plague; then he was removed by his friends to Canton, or wherever his home was ; more often, however, he was allowed to die and his body afrerward dumped into the street. After dealing with similar peculiarities of the Chinese where a question of illness is concerned, Mr. OSBORNE concluded by again saying that he thought it inadvisable to introduce at present any such step as that suggested by H.E. the Governor for the treat ment of plague patients.
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Mr. MAY agreed with what Mr. Osborne had said, and thought that the Sanitary Board at any rate might congratulate itself on the fact that since the plague outbreak of 1894, which took them unawares, plague had never got out of hand. That was more than could be said in India, where, he believed, the authorities had had to give in to native prejudices and practically admit themselves defeated. Al- though plague in the colony was protty bad, it was not nearly so bad as in '94, when it was allowed to grow to a very serious extent before they knew anything about it. Therefore, he believed in leaving well alone and in profiting by what experience had taught them.
Mr. BREWIN asked if the Medical Officer of Health could give the percentage of deaths.
Dr. CLARK replied that the number of deaths last week was 65 per cent. There had been an increase in the number of unidentifed deaths.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN, in answer to Mr. Osborne, said he thought the Chinese were quite willing to report their cases, but ad mitted that coolies were in the habit of hiding them. Though not quite in favour of the suggestion to treat patients in their own houses, he thought it might be given a trial. In Canton, where such treatment had been tried, only one case out of nine had ended fatally. He suggested that the Board should write to the British Consul at Canton to enquire
The PRESIDENT was of opinion that, from the patients' point of view, it could make very little difference where they were treated. Theif such was the case.
Dr. BELL I propose a resolution to the effect that the Board do not think it would be advisable to carry out the suggestion.
Mr. BREWIN-I think you might add, “un- less information be forwarded.”
The PRESIDENT-I second Dr. Bell's pro- posal."
Mr. MAY expresed the opinion that he did not believe the statement of the doctor in Hainan, nor did he believe that of Mr. Fung Wa Chun about the nine patients in Canton.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-It was told me by a man.
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On a vote being taken, Dr. Bell's motion was carried. Mr. Brewin was the only member who voted against it.
Dr. CLARK's motion that the Sanitary Board matshed at Yaumati be converted into a hospital, which had been seconded by Lieut.- Col. HUGHES, was then put to the meeing.
Dr. BELL-There is one thing to say about that. Where are you going to bury the people who die in the matshed ?
Dr. CLARK-They would be brought across here, as at present.
Mr. OSBORNE-Plenty of space at Kowloon. On a vote being taken, the motion was carried unanimously.
The PRESIDENT intimated that the proposal put forward at last ordinary meeting of the Board to increase the number of men on duty to patrol the streets and prevent as far as pos- sible the dumping of dead bodies therein had been sanctioned. If available, an additional number of men would be obtained from the military to assist in the patrol.
Mr. FURG WA CHUN proposed the erection of an hospital matshed in Wanchai. He thought it was necessary to have one, tɔ do away with the carrying of people through the streets up to Kennedy Town. Whilst on that point, he might say that he had seen the private effects and clothing of sick people carried right along Caine Road close to the residences of Europeans, Therefore he begged to propose that matshed be erected in the district he had named.
Mr. OSBORNE seconded. He alsɔ was op- posed to the carrying of patients through the streets, and thought that the continual sight of dead-boxes and ambulances was in- imical to the public health. In his opinion, it was very unwiso always to hold before people's eyes this unnecessary evidence of the existence of plaguș,
Dr. BELL was not in favour of the proposal. There was already a good hospital in Wanchi, besides & mortuary where bodies could be effectually dealt with. Further, he did not think the presence of dead-boxes in the street had any serious effect upon anyone. self had seen Chinese laughing and whilst one was being carried past, and he's the suggestion that the practice cause plague. Beverting again to the for the erection of a matched in Wanchai. Dr. BELL said that if he were a residens in that district he should oppose it tooth and nr 1.