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January 25, 1908.1
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Austin and Elgin Roads have bouses in con- secutive numbers; the others bave even numbers A meeting of the Sanitary: Board was held on one side and odd numbers on the other; also on Jan. 21st at the Board Room. The Hon. gee the return of rats found in streets in Dr. J. M. Atkinson (president) presided, and Victoria, which have been followed by cases there were also present Hon. Mr. W. occurring in houses. Dr. Macfarlane's ex Chatham (Vice-President), Dr. F. Clark,perience is that the first cases of rat plague are (Medical Officer of Health, Hon. Mr generally in houses; the rest are dumped, a.g. in A. W. Brewin (Registrar-Gen ral), Captain Elgin Road the first two cases occurred in Lyons (Captain Superiat atent of Police), houses followed by eleven thrown out, Acting | Colonel Martin, R.A.M.C, Hon. Mr. E. A. on this he has farned the general cleansing Hewett, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. Lau gang on the whole block if in acted rals were Chu-pak, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock, se retary. being found thrown out. People do not mind
the general cleansing, whereas special rat cleans ing alarma them. Infected rats thrown into the street are of very considerable value if the general cleansing is done after them, as even if a rat be found in one particular house it des not necessarily follow that it has always lived there.
BAT CATCHING.
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the
people on the side of plague preventive measures, to give them all the assistance which the Government can do (a) by the application of s i-ntifie discoveries (b) by useful and practical regulations on lines of their own off rts. The exterminati ›n of rats is no doubt one of the necessary anti- plague measures, but the rat citoher ging prevents the main object in view by irritating the people and setting them against us, and I therefore think that other methods should be sabatifut d for it. We have not here to deal
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with the prejudices of caste as in India, and the structure of houses is (as the M.O.H, points out) vastly better, our task therefore is im measurably lighter than the one in India, and I see no reason at all why we should not com- pletely succeed. The methods suggested as re- garda rate re (a) additional safeguards in the matter of drains, etc. (b) Relegation to plagne Mr. HOOPER - It is satisfactory to note that inspectors who supply rat traps, poison, bird the M.O.H. in his minute confirms the view lime, on application, and will only personally expressed in the report of the Public Health apply these measures if especially directed to and Building Ordinance Commission IRAA do so.
Are there any other methods by which paragraphs 160 to 170 and 241). I should | on-operation can by promoted? I suggest the like to see what Dr Ashburton Thompson, I following for disonssion. (c) Some special in- who is quoted by the Medical Offer of ducament to every householder to keep a oat, Health, says on the subject of rat ca ching. such inducement might take the form of partial I quite agree with His Excellency the Governor immunity from certain regulations. (d) Roward in bis minute (No, 2 C) that it would be well if for the capture of "Mas Rattus" (unt " Deca- every householder kept a cat, hat there is a
manns.") This I am aware is a dangerous experi- great difficulty in this Colony to do it as they ment and the rewards (if any, must be so small are very often stolen. I believe, for the purpose that it would not be worth while for anyone to of being eaten by the natives. If a reward is import rats from Canton ?-However all rata given for the capture of rata it must be small
brought for claiming the reward would at least Farther particulars shout "rattin onght to
bad strayed, and we should very soon know be obtained from cur local druggis's. whether any improper methods of getting them cannot agree that the present system were being resorted to (Note-lo a sube-quent compelling funnels to be placed on the oib'es minute His Excellency cincelled the suggestion connecting ships with wharves is of any of granting rewards.) (~). The most extended use use because, as a rule, gangway hoards are plie of rat poison. I recently saw in the "Merchant ed from the wharves to the ship for the use of Service Journal"(?) a description of a new inven. passengers and crew, so that a rat on always tion named Rattin" which claimed the follow. have access to the ship, and even when these ing:-( Poisoned vermin always come out to boards are not in use the fenders and guards of die in the open; (b) it was almost absolutely a ship are in contact with the wharf, thereb. harmless to any other animal. I regret I have affording easy access to the rats at all times to lost the numb›r. (f) More extended experi enter or leave the ship. On this point farther ments with Dinyi's verur. (3) The in. evidence should be taken from the captains trodnetion of rats from other place more of ships. His Excellency's suggestion
especially places where plague is prevalent tained in paragraph 4 for messureR to is
matter
especially guarded and in train the common people, and the establish. ¡ against,
the matter Hongkong ment of street committers. I consider has peculiar difficulties. I read in these papers be very good, and I ba'iere would
leid
of an arrangement fastened on all cables con- to excellent results With regard to His Ex- necting ships with shore to prevent rats travers. Whose cellency's suggestion about the emigration of ing them. Is this invariably done? Chinese from congested districts in Victoria to duty is it to see that it is? And what panalties Kowloon, I regret to say that whilst it would be for neglect This however, even if effectively most beneficial, judging from past experience, carried out, does not touch the large umber I do not believe the Chinese would avail them.
n trading junk coming from Canton, sto., selves of the opport nities off red, as they and to be seen daily moored alongside the object to living so far from the seat of their wharf at Victoria Esat, etc. Is it possible to labour. This is born out I consider, by the devise any method of stopping rata from coming large number of vacant tenements in the ashore from these junks? Either by causing east portion of Victoria at lower rentals than
them to sever connection at night or by a ledge obtain in the congested districts, no with of tin at right angles to the Praya Wall (some
the tenements standing the fact also that
six inches broad) which a rat coull not surmont ref rred to are easily and quickly accessible by or by romp-lling juuks to use traps and poison? fram. Albongh the mante of II E. the
(It is I believe a fact that a rat cannot or will Governor ard those of the P..MO sod
not cr a small bit of chapped thorns
similar M.O.H. are circulated confidentially I consider
(4) While impediment.} better results would be ob'ainsi by making them this subject I will take the opportunity of mak. as public as possible. I trust the Governmenting one or two further notes on the subject in will have no chịection to this being done.
con-
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The reply from the Government relative to the rat catching system was 18 under :-Sir, I am directed to inform you that the ques ion under which rats are caught in connection with the measures for the prevention of plague has been under the consideration of the Government, and I am to transmit for the consideration of the Fanitary Board the enclos d copies of minutes by the Medio Officer of Healt and the Principal Civil Medical Officer, together with the accompanying tables of statistics showing the results of the labours of the staff employed in the catching of rats, to- pether with the statement of the cost of the staff. I am also t. epclcse 8 copy of a minute by His Excellency the fovernor in which this question, with others, is com mented on. In view of the figures contained in the first and second paragraphs of the P. M.O's minute above referred to, and the statement therein that "the first osses of rat plugue are generally in houses-the rest are dumped e.g.-ia Elgin Road the first two case occurred in houses followed by eleven thrown οπέ, the Government would be glad to learn whether in the opinion of the Sanitary Board eff at would be given to the suggestions of Dr. Clark. (d] F. H. May, Colonial Secretary.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH minat (d-There are 14 r t catching coolies now employed, while some portion of the time of the coloured foremen interpreters of the plague ataff is given to the supervision of these coolies. I have for miny months past been convinced that in this Colony at le st the rat ostchers are not worth retaining. They are a Fou'ce of irritation to the Chinese, who resort to every method of stultifying their work-snch as by springing off the traps, turning the bird lime boards upside down, or hanging them up in inaccessible positions, and if perchance a rat is caught it is usually flung into the road way and oppo its a neighb ur's house rather than opposite the once where it was caught or had died. We cannot hope to make an appreciable impression upon the enormous rat opulation that lives underground-in sewers, storm drains, retaining walls and burrows, and hence I think that ur efforts should be directed wholly to excluding rate from dwellinga. This we do by requiring concreted ground surfaces, in the provision of gratings to all drain inlet and ventilated op nings, the ab lition, as far as possible, of ceilings and hollow walls, and the regular collection of garbage so as to leave as little food as possible available for these vermin. I would not abolish rat catobing altogether, but would make this merely a small part of the ordinary duty of the plague insp. ctor who should supply rat traps and poison and bird lime boards on application by any householder, and otherwis- only apply these measures when specially directed by one of the Medical Offers of Health. This would dispense with the necessity for any special rat catching staff. I am glad to see that Mr. LAU CHO-PAK-It has long been known only within the last two or three months Dr. that rat catching in the way it his beer cou- Ashburton Thompson has expressed similar ducted could never give a successful result, and will only set the people against the efforts of the views on plague Dr. Thompson is a well knowA authority on plague. Dnysz virus has not board so long as it is continued. Unless the so far proved a
in this Colony. | Chinese are taught to co-operate it is simply a The PRINCIPAL CIVIL M DICAL OFFICER waste of
money. I entirely endere -From the lists attached it will be seen that Excellency the Governor's remarks that ad
and practical M-08 should in Victoria 208 plague infected rats were found ditional
b in houses during 19: 6, and in Kowloon 50. In substituted for the old, costly and drastic twelve of the cases in Vio'oris plague has measures. Why is this marked confid-ntial? followed and in two in Kowloon, but rat plague has been foll wed by human plague in adjoining houses in five more cases in Kowloon, namely:
Rat plague.
Human plague. 69 Station Street 14 Temple Street North 10 Templ-Street North. 14 Temple Street South 12 Temple Street outh. 18 and 21 Austin Road 10,20 and 23 Austin Rd. 27 Elgin Road.................................、 28 Elgin Road,
Succes
71 Station tree'.
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Hon. Mr. HEWETT-I tink the Gaveram- should be asked to publish these papers. His Excellency's minute is specially worthy of; consideration by the community.
Hii
The Minute by His Exellency was as fol lowe :-After a cireful sudy of these papers 1 am inclined to a ree that the special r«t catch ing staff shou'd be abolished on the grounds that they irritate the people who do th- ir atm-st to render their work nugstory sad us leke. am myself convinced that there is only on- solution to this question, and that is to enlist the sympathy and co-operation of the
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or
to ba
on
general. (1) W- hava bere many intelligent and public spirited Chinese gentlemen who at their own expense have paid lecturers to address the common people in t'e streets and explain to them the motives of Government in its sanitary and anti plage messures, nod to andes sour to enlist their cooperation. Buob step is I think altogether invaluable and should
every way ba supported in
by Govern. necessary, meat pecuniarly, if
and also drawing by
..t op
of simple lectures to be translated into Chinese. Those can be distributed larg-ly among the people and also delivered orally. Ther should be coached in very simple language informing them of the Catbreak in India and our eumquential study of condition and remedies, of the infranos of rate and not as of the u«e and object of disinfection, of the ralon of light and sir as shown by the freedom of Europeans from plagas, of the object of each Government remedy oven though great expense has been incard, som- odiam sad some depreciation A record of the number of of raizes, etc. lectures delivered, and whether they are