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REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
In January there were two deaths. The European, who had been suffering from dysentery during the preceding year, should be regarded as a case pertaining to causes existing in the year 1847.
The Indian died of apoplexy.
In February one European died. This was a case of accidental gun-shot wound at Aberdeen, in which the femoral artery was wounded.
In March, April, May, and June, there were no deaths.
In July five Europeans died. The first case was of six days' duration. It commenced with dysentery; then it was complicated with symptoms of remittent fever; lastly, the periods of exacerbation became indistinct, and the disease assumed the form of continued typhus fever, with gastro-enteritic irritation: death was not preceded by delirium, convulsions, or loss of mental perception. This man was brought into Victoria from Stanley. He had suffered previously from repeated attacks of fever. His early habits were very intemperate, and he was feeble and emaciated.
The second case was of a strong healthy young man, of temperate habits. He was brought from Aberdeen to the same station with the former case. His disease ran through precisely the same stages, all of longer duration, and his death was preceded by the same exemption from cerebral disease.
The third case was of a young man of the most robust frame, active intellect, and temperate habits. His illness commenced with marked symptoms of inflammation of the membranes of the brain. He had been casually exposed to the sun. The active symptoms were subdued, but his disease assumed the character of typhus fever: there were no periodical exacerbations, and symptoms of stupor, intellectual dullness, and low delirium preceded his death. His disease was of seven days' duration.
The fourth case was in all respects similar to the last, except that it terminated more rapidly.
The fifth death occurred at Aberdeen. This case resembled, in its attack and progress, the two first cases alluded to. The subject of it had suffered repeatedly from fever, had practised intemperance, and was feeble and attenuated in his body.
The month of August presents the fearful aggregate of nineteen deaths. Of these there were nine Europeans, six Indians, and four Chinamen. There was only one death from disease, and this was a case of typhus fever, resembling the third case detailed in July. The subject of it was a man of the most intemperate habits and violent passions. He was an European.
Seven out of the eight remaining Europeans were police convalescents, recovering from remittent fever. They were sent, by my directions, on a cruise in the police armed boat. They were unfortunately overtaken by the typhoon, which occurred on the 31st August, the boat was swamped at anchor, and sixteen policemen, besides the Inspector-an European, his son, and a Portuguese boy, were drowned.
In October there is the record of one death, an Indian, who was killed by a gun-shot wound while in the execution of his duty against a junk, the crew of which were in arms against the authorities.
In November a Chinaman died of remittent fever at Whampoa, where he went on sick leave.
In December there appear two deaths. Both cases were of Indians. One death occurred in Macao, from disease of the heart; the other in the civil hospital, from pulmonary apoplexy.
It will be seen that, in June, July, August, and September, the greatest amount of sickness prevailed in the year 1848.
It should be remarked that, in these months, remittent fever was the prevailing disease, and that the casualties occurred in those who were affected with fever of a continued type.
In October, November, and December, there was a numerical diminution of cases of sickness; yet the mortality was proportionably great. Bronchitis, in a very obstinate form, prevailed, and in many cases proved fatal.
Table No. I will show the daily and monthly rate of sickness in the police force; but it affords no evidence of the actual number of individuals who have been sick, nor the relative proportion of deaths to cases of sickness, nor of deaths to strength.
The following Tables are added in illustration of these points:
STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
TABLE No. 2.-Showing the Number of Policemen, their Wives and Children, actually Sick in 1848, the Number of Deaths, and the per Centage of Deaths to the Number of cases of Sickness.
Europeans Indians Chinese Number of Women and Children Sick Persons Sick Total Number of Deaths Per Centage of Deaths to Cases The Number of Policemen actually Sick 67 131 9 30 237 35* 15* The death of one woman, a policeman's wife, not before accounted for, is here included.
TABLE NO. 3.-Showing the Fixed Number of Policemen, their Wives and Children, the Number of Deaths, and the Proportion of Deaths to Number of Persons, in 1848.
Europeans Indians Chinese Number of Women and Children Total Number of Persons Total Number of Deaths Per Centage of Deaths to Persons Average Number of Policemen employed 50 130 28 37 245 35 14.28Allusion has already been made to the frequency of changes in the police force.
The preceding Table forms a most fallacious idea of the actual proportionate mortality in the police force, during the past year, to the number of persons employed, inasmuch as nearly double the number of individuals enumerated in the Table have been in the service of the police.
The following Table will give a more accurate proportion of mortality to strength:
TABLE NO. 4.-Showing the Actual Number of Persons employed in the Police Force in the Year 1848, their Wives and Children, and the Proportion of Deaths to the Number of Persons employed.
Europeans Indians Chinese Number of Women and Children Total Number of Persons Total Number of Deaths Per Centage of Deaths to Persons Number of Policemen employed during 1848 98 202 31 37 368 35 9.4Thus it is seen that the actual per centage of mortality in the police has been 9.4 per cent.
The summer of 1848 was remarkable for the intensity of its heat, and for the general and various convulsions and disturbances in the atmosphere.
The Chinese themselves have never recollected a season of so much intensity, nor one in which disease was so prevalent or so fatal in its effects.
The mortality on the east coast is represented to have been very great, and the character of disease remittent and intermittent fever.
It is gratifying to reflect that, although disease has prevailed, and the causes of disease have everywhere been rife, the most exposed of the civil community here have suffered so little from endemic causes.
The women and children of the police have passed through the severe trial of a burning season almost with impunity.
The following Table will exhibit numerically the comparative amount of sickness in the police in the several months of the years 1847 and 1848:
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