401
caused to any individual. It was with a view, to the prevention of the continuance of such hardships that he had asked for the information referred to in his notice of motion. He hoped it would be found practicable, when the information he had asked for had been supplied, to take such measures as might ensure as far as possible the minimum of hardship to the Chinese community. Mr. Dan Chu Pak in his minute annexed to the motion confirmed in some respects the complaints made by "Anti- dumping" in his letter in the Hongkong Daily Press; he showed that people were turned out practically in the streets with their furni- ture, and he thought that with their know- ledge of the torrential rains which sometimes occurred in this Colony at this season of the year it was a very great hardship and some pro- vision should be made in order to prevent a repetition. Such rains were not only prejudi- cial to the people who were furned out but destructive to the belongings which were turned out into the streets.
The ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH replied as follows:-
1. I am not in a position to say how many bodies have been dumped in the streets during this or any previous year an only give figures for bodies found in streets or elsewhere other than in houses. These figures may include cases which have died in the street or on the hillsides.
The figures are as follows In 1898, 1815 cases, found 364 .. 1899, 1462
27.6 per cent. "332 26.1
11
1900, 1087
11
"
"
1901, 1650
"
313 27.8 228 13.8
$1
"}
1909, 572
:*
争要
15
"
11
35.5 37.5
1903, 98)
·
11
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[June 6, 1903.
to furniture and property during disinfec-, Kee did his work. The cleansing operations tion but if the people will not, as is were completed on the 30th of April. The generally the case, go to the observation limewashing was done on the 6th of May. The blocks, the Board has no means of housing work was however badly done and was no furniture turned out from any premis a. In passed by the inspector. On Kee was ordered this connection I may mention that it is quite to re-limewash the house and the work was not a common occurrence to find that people have properly finished till the 18th of May. begun to move their furniture before the Board's officers arrive at the premises. With a view to providing protection of furniture it would no doubt be possible though expensive to rent a much larger number of houses than the Board is at present for sheltering people and their property. If space can be found matsheds might be bu lt for this purpos3 but the accom- modation would have to be provided for twice. us many families each day, as there are cases of plague, as the cleansing and limewashing operations take as a rule, over 24 hours.
5. I am informed, and I believe rightly, but I do not know for a fact, that in 190 the flat where a plague case occurred only was disinfected; also that this was done because the disinfecting apparatus in Taipingshan was ont of order and could not therefore deal with a larger amount of clothing. Presumably this practice was discontinued on the disinfection plant being put in order. As I was not in the Colony at the time I can give no date. The disinfection now carried out, as far as clothing is concerned, is on the same lines as it has always been during my stay in the Colony.
|
(6) This is very indefinite but it is no doubt true that, owing to the very unsatis facto y way in which the former limewashing contractor attempted to carry out bis daties people were kept out of their houses for an aureasonable time. This has been remedied.. The Board cancelled his contract on the 23rd of May. A blacksmith at 42, Hollywood Road was kept out of his business for five daye while. awaiting the limewashing of his shop by the contractor On Kes. He and his fokis were however allowed to sleep every night on the.. ground floor while so waiting. In the cas, of No. 44. Cochrane Street, the tenants found a place to go to at once and removed there with their furniture. At 50, Cochrane Street the hou e except the top floor was found de serted. At No. 27. Hollywood Road the people were kept out for four days because the land.. lord asked to be allowed to do the Jimewashing himself and would not do it satisfactorily. On the third day the Board's contractor was ordered to do the work. This house was all deserted except the ground floor.
The PRESIDENT said he was personally very glad that Mr. Follock had brought forward this motion, because it gave the officers of the Board an opportunity to reply to the anonymous letters which had rece tly appeared in the Press. They would agree with him
6. It is impossible in any particular case to say whether the winter clothing locked_in a box may or may not be infected. Rats suffer from plague all the year round, and human plague may begin before winter clothing is left off. Winter clothing is not sharply demarcat-that it was the object of one, and all of ed from other clothing. Each case is treated on its merits and always bas been as far as I know.
'Anti-dumping's " letter-
14
according to which time the body may be removed. If the body be removed about 9 a.m. it is likely that the policeman will remain on day till about 10 am, next day. If the body be removed at 10 p.m. the time would be halved. (2) This is correct in the mair. The shelter of the observation blocks is however offered. With regard to clothing my answer to question 6 applies here.
(3) Fumigation is not as a rule done. Only one Chinese shop in Victoria has been fumigated this year. After the cleansing is over and while the house is awaiting the lime. w shers the doors are shut and uailed up as a protection against thieves. Sometimes the limewashing is finished the same day as the cleansing, and if so the tenants can return. If this cannot be done the people have still the option of going to one of the observation blocks. All plage inspectors offer to allow the tenants to go back to their house after the cleansing operations are over and while awaiting the lime- washing. In a very large number of cases the houses are found deserted by every one and the furniture removed.
The measures taken with a view to lessen dumping fall under two heads, piz, those taken by the police which are directed towards the (1) A policeman is telephoned for by a M.O.H. detection and punishment of offenders in this or sanitary inspector when he hears of an respect and those taken by the Sanitary uncertified death. The inspector or M. O. H. Board. With regard to the former I bag to views the body, and if he decides that the body refer you to the reply to Question 3. With should be removed to the mortuary for regard to the latter I may recall the fact to examination the policeman remains on guard your notice that the Board are now offering over the house till the cause of death compensation for articles destroyed during is made known. This may be over 24 disinfection, and further I have for a consider-hours but the length of time varies able time endeavoured to carry out the disinfection bye-laws with as little damage to property as possible. For example it is not now the custom to remove any partitions or cubicles whether Hlegal or not during the disinfecting operations as long as the structure is not rotten and can be got at at both sides for cleansing and limewashing The provision of the observation blocks is also a measure under taken with a view to lessen the hardship which the vacation of houses entails. The object of the above measure seems however to be defeated by the fact that any disinfecting operations whatever, involving as they must do a great amount of personal discomfort and domestic derangement, are so distasteful to the people and detrimental to business that they completely overshadow all efforts made to reconcile the people to the necessity of such measures. With reference to the question as to whether I have any further suggestions to make in this matter I may direct your at tention to a minute of mine before the Board to-day referring to this very subject. Further than this I am not at present able to go. Convinced as I am that disinfection and dumping stand in the mtnil relation of cause and effect and not feeling justified at the present time in recommending any serious alterations in the methods at present adopted to deal with plague, I am of the opinion that unless some method of bringing the offence home to the offenders by seyere punishment be devised we must always expect to have some bodies dumped in the streets. The question of punitive measures is, however, one which can be better dealt with by one who has knowledge, which I do not possess to a sufficient degree, of the life, customs and prejudices of the Chinese people.
4 (a) Those turned ont of infected houses are offered shelter in the Board's observation blocks east and west. A further block has just been taken for his purpose in Bridges Strest in the Ceral District. This block would have been madonbtedly obtained earlier if it had not been for the fact that the houses though looked for could not be found.
....』
All care taken to avoid damage
(4) It is, possible that damange may be done sometimes to articles such as are here mentioned. I can call to mind however only one case where a complaint has been made. The Board by their Committee offer reasonable compensation.
(5) This is quite correct, The house was deserted by the inmates before the inspector arrived. The old man spoken of died of plague on the 6th of May. On the arrival of the inspector at this house he found all the furniture aud clothing removed into the streets by the tenants. He disinfected the furniture in the street and all clothing which he could get hold of. He was of the opinion, however, that much of the clothing was already beyond his reach. He stopped a marine-store hawker in the act of carrying away rags, etc., from the deserted ground floor of this building. The great delay which occurred in the completion of the sanitary measures undertaken in connection with this house was due to the unsatisfactory way in which the former limewashing contractor On
them to carry out these measures with as little discomfort as possible to the inhabitants, aud he thought the Acting Medical Officer of Health would be able to conclusively show to the members that many of those statements in the letters referred to were, to say the least of it, exaggerated in many cases aud in others grossly untrue.
Mr. POLLOCK thought it would be satisfac-, tory if a sub-committee could be appointed to go into this matter. He moved that a sub-com- mittee be app inted and that Dr. Pearso's report be printed aud circulated. It was a very. important question indeed, and it seemed to him that from what had been read by Dr. Pearse that possibly-he might say probably a great many of those people who
Fere burned ont and living in the streets in the rain and bad weather were not aware of the fact that they had the privilege if they cho e of going
in'o these ob ervation blocks.
The PRESIDENT said they were always in- formed of that fact by the sanitary inspectors. Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-I do not think so. The PRESIDENT asked the Acting M.O.H. whether the Inspectors did not invariably make this offer to the people?
ACTING M.Ö.H. Yes that is so. Mr. POLLOCK added that it was hard to suppose that people would voluntarily live in the streets during heavy rains. He moved that a sub-committee be appointed.
Mr LAU CHU PAK seconded. It was high time, he said, that the Board should enquire. into all the complaints which were dealt with in the report. The suffering inflicted upon the Chinese must be very severe or they would not. go to such an extreme as that a wife should allow the body of her husband, to be thrown
or a mother the body of her chill. awThe motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDENT proposed that Messrs. Pollock, Lan Chu Pak, Dr. Pearse and himself be appointed as the sub-committee.
Captain LYONS seconded.
Mr. POLLOCK proposed that Mr. Fung Wa Chun be added to the committee.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK seconded. The PRESIDENT accepted the amendment, and his motion was agreed to.
PROPOSED BRANCH HOSPITALS. The VICE-PRESIDEST pursuant to notice. moved That with a view to encouraging the inhabitants to report cases of plague and submit them for treatment, the Board recom mead that arrangements be made for opening temporary hospitals in various districts of the. City and Kowloon, suitable promises being hired or temporary structures erected where practicable, for the purpose. The hospitals to
1