Page
This Colony has long suffered and still muters from the fact that neither the
Governmonty recognise that it is
до
THE HONGKONG, DAILY PRESS, - UKIDAN, "AUGEST (29TH, 1994
The purity of the water, milk, and food supply should be the special care of the Board::
Malaria.-I speak subject to correction, but I understand that this disease is on the increase in this Colony. If this is the case I should liket know the Govern- meat explanation.
CONSTITUTION OF THE DEPARTMAN'),
znies of small-pox, spinat meningitis and latterly typhoid, have broken out within recent years and as in the case of the earliest plague outbreak, the Colony-bas again hail to rely on voluntary assistance, freely and ably given, not the least of which were the two stuall-pox vaccina- tion campaigns, the first by St. Joba's Ambulance Brigade," the last by the Buy Scouts," for work which we sub- suit the Board should have been properly Control be entirely reconstituted. First
I would suggest, Sir, that the Board of organised and equipped to undertake and we are fortunate that no worse epidemicly, let it he greatly enlarged. The Presi
us befallen un..
deas should undoubtedly be someone possessing a Public Health Degree.
I do not see the need for the P.C.31.0. on the Beard, his Work in his own capacity being chiefly administrative. The M.O.H. bould be the Principal Medical Officer of the board-under him, the Health Officer of the Port, two assistant 31.0.E.'s (one for Hongkong and one for Kowloon) and another medical man with special quali
cations as an entomologist and malarial The Bacteriologist and Analyst would also be members. In addition to these techaient men, I suggest one or of big shipping and mercants firm who two leading citizens, such as the heads | have big interests at stake in the health of the Colony, the Director of Public Works, Director of Education. Forestry Department, and, of course, several pro
Rather a formidable minent Chinese. list you may say, but the Department in so important that I consider it should be fally represented.
Heine lovernment, or at times, this longer a "habe in armis but a full grown lusty man, capable of forming judgments and of insisting upon improvements and erforms in local matters when their neces sits in clearly proved, and in the present instance the polity of inner faire, evi- denced by the President of the Sanitary Board "when,' in answering Calunel Fitz- gerald's reference to the increase of
malaria, as deprecated the reforms asked fur in Dr. Koch's resolution, suggesting that they should go on as at present doing what they could "is precisely what the Colony is not content to dhi and he determined matters Should no longer continue to drift that I have auoyed the resolutions named.
CNIAC
expert.
HON. MR. MONTAGUE EDE'S SI PPORT.
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receive some enlightenment from the Un- lately has vertainly, phown that there official members on the subject but I have seems to be subtle objections to a Cadet not. - 'T-gather that they met together officer as the bead. That is very peculiar probably they looked at each other and for is the great sumisipality of Singapore to use the words of Lord Falmerston they and in Penang they have Cadet officers as concluded It does not matter what we heads of the Departments Mr. Hallifax, say as long as we lay the same thing." brother of our Secretary for Chinese They put two pieces of paper into the Affairs, did so well as head of the muni hat, who's for ?" and "who's against cipality of Singapore that be was asked and it came out“ Fox" I have been for by another city and the Giyerament Sanitary Department has always struck Reginald Farrer who us heat of the Muni, here now for a considerable time, and the reluctantly spared him. Then there is Sir me as being a very efficient department cipality at Singapore iminister's re- which performs its duties expeditiously venue ax large as this Colony and has and effiticatly. To take one point for in works in hand of untold millions. To lay stance when a very bad epidemic of that a Cadet officer is not a proper per- plague broke out at the time when Dr. son to be head of such a department Frank Clarke was the Medical Officer of seems to me rather ridiculous I have Health, I went rond with him on my first great admiration for the Cadet service, visit to crowded parts of the City and and I can say that quite frankly because when I saw what action was being taken I am not a Cadet officer. I have hardly it struck me that the Department was ever known one Cadet who has not done acting with the most extraordinary effi
his work efficiently. In teading the letters' ciency. He seemed to have get every; in the Press I see all sorts of objections; thing organiled Idaria very bad that the head of the Sanitary Department epidemic. I think there were over 2,00 was not efficient because he was not a chips. On that occasio Dr. Clark said plumber or had not a certificate of the the month of May. We were then in March The present head of the Department and he hoped to have it well under control by Sanitary Institute. That is grotesque, and his prediction was fulfilled. There his predecessor, and in fact al! I have has been another epidemic since then, knows since I have been diere, have done which was dealt with in the same efficient their work efficiently. I think the Sani- manner. We have hardly any cases of tary. Board does extraordinarily well plague this year at all; The Colony, in | The whole of this agitation featured in row pretically free from plague and in the Press and taken up by the Unofficial We have asked that the suggested
regart to that scourge I may say the Jembers is simply because of this small Board and Department should have cumi-
Sanitary Board and its officials are extra-increase in typhoid cases. There may be plete unalytical and bacteriological con-
ordinarily embient.
uther reasons, but I have not found them trol of the water supply of the Colony,
Then wo: had an outbreak of cerebro and I have not seen any other argument. and the necessity for this as well as the wisdom of it, has surely been amply de-
spinal meningitis, which was also dealt If any increase in the staf is required with most expeditiously. The Sanitary the Government is willing to consider monstrated in the revelations made in
Board on that occasion arged that an it. The machine is there already; it may connection with the recent outbreak of typhoid, and we are convinced that the
expert should be got over from New York, be that a little more oil is sometimes and by the kindness of the Rockefeller :necessary. wesent arrangement of allowing the
Institution he came in about a month, and bacteriologient examination to leper
since that time our bacteriological in- formed by an officer already overburden COLONIAL SECRETARY'S REPLY.
stitute has continued to act on the recon l in his work, is not safe and should
The COLONIAL SKEERTARY: Sir, I think mendations made by Captain Olitsky and no longer continue; indeed the “water probieru
attractive idea to people who do not take so large a one that we are not sure that to refer to matters raised by the seconder disease, We have sporadic cases occa
sionally. it would not be desirable to separate the which do not, arise out of the motion and
Take the two outbreaks of small-pox to the trouble to understand the work, that Water Control entirely from the admit it may be convenient to do so now. There which reference was made by the mover technical department should have a tedly ally overworked Fablic Works has been no guarantine station here for of the resolution. In these cases nothing technical man as its head. The idea is Department, and a separate Water years, and I suppose we are very fortu
more complimentary to the apparently that the head of a department Board constituted, though in such case nate in having got along without one. adequate analytical, and bacteriologica We have been looking out for a suitable efficiency of the Board-than the way they which deals with matters of applied control" must be ensured. We should station for some time and it is quite were taken in hand The community science should be a man whose whole work came to the rescue and under the guid is of that nature. That is entirely in imagine that the Director of Public Works possible, that, we shall have a very fine ance of the officials of the Sanitary De.correct. The Sanitary Department ru would welcome the divorce,
quarantine Atation. We have not ex-
most efficient quins at its head an administrative My resolution closes with the demanderienced great need of one. Some people partment, they organised that the Head of the Board of He- from another port a few years ago were campaign. When the reports went Home officer. He has a very large staff to con- partmert shall be one' with the necessary so car less as to contract cholera. Those M. Government expressed their very trol, and what is more important, a very man in that position without a know- *pecial qualifications in Public Health. who contracted cholera were put on to one high appreciation of the work that had large part of his staff is Chinese and a I believe that under the Ordinance of 1887 lighter and the remainder were put on to
Now we come to consider various activi, ledge of the Chinese language would not the Principal Civil Medical Oficer was another lighter. I think there were one
ties of the Department. The slaughter. be worth the money he is paid. If yan the President of the Board, and it was or two deaths on that occasion. That was
houses are controlled by the Department Ket & Lechnical man for that job you it until the 19 Ordinance came into the only time when there was any real and we have got an Assistant Veterinary would find it difficult to get a man who force that a Cadet because the President necessity for quarantine. So far we of the Board. We are unanimous in aur havi een extremely fortunate but I Surgeon to help the Veterinary Surgeon sponks Chinese. The proposal in the in the inspection of slaughter-houses, resolution sounds attractive, but it is admiration for the excellence of our Civil think it is quite likely that we shall get which are extremely well-run. We hope cutirely wrong. It seems to have always Service Administration in this L'olony and a quarantine station. the conspicuous ability of very many of
With regard to the hon. member's state-before very long to move then, building been the newspapers' idea that the Scere- its Cadets, but whatever may be said in
ment that there is no Government Disin- even more efficient slaughter houses underary of State for War should be a The soldier. As we know, that is not the the proper control of the Board. defence of the systems which makes their feeting Station, 1 would ask has he ever markets are very well looked after and practice for this reason, that if you get appointments as interchangeable as they been to the Government Disinfecting if any defects are brought to the notice & technical man as the head of the De frequently are, surely it cannot be mi Station ! held when it becomes a question of what Hon Mr. Bind: I have been to a dis of the Government we will be only too partient he is not doing technical work. glad to rectify them. Then there are then the present instance the Department hujk. is or should be, a Public Health Depart infecting station, which is
technical well would go to pires unless ment, and we are convinced that the
cemeteries which are also extremely
office?" hai "ght an "officer to keep bim managed by the Board.
straight. The only thing he could assist
been trained. In he going to do that, or himself in is the subject in which he has
Hon. Mr. C. MONTAGUE EDE: Irine, Sir, to support the resolution, and I do so the more readily, because I am satis- fied that the Government is always will. ing to effect reforms where the necessity for them is shown,
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· 4' 1
ILE THE GOVERNOR. FLE. THE GOVERNOR: I should like to Bay a few words on what the Colonial Secretary has said with regard to the
at the Colony has now bei-ume before i reply to the motion I would fik we have had no further outbreak of that second half of the motion." It is an
"Head" of this Department should he
که
Hon. COLONIAL SEBETARY: I mean the Government Disinfecting Station below Caine Real. Mr. Lyon in charge.
II.E. THE GOVERS I think the bon. member is referring to apparatus for the disinfection of ships
The Han. Mr. BIRD I mean the actual disinfection of ships.
for reform, I submit the resolutions stand much better one. ing in my name, confidently anticipating they will be unanimously passed by this Council.
SPEECH BY HON. MR. H. W.
- BIRD.
In spite of the fact that Hongkong is one of the biggest shipping ports of the world, we have no Quarantine Station!
It may be said we have got on very well ber_means. .”
could be
been dodeled both these occasions.
Coming to the work of house cleansing, Medical Officer of high qualifications and large experience in Sanitary and
which is the biggest and hardest task of the Sanitary Board, I cannot believe any Public Health Itygiene. The reforms will
other Board or authority would carry on is be going to leave to the Medica!") nean increase of staff and of course cost
the work better than. the way it has fieen Officer of Health! I suggest it is a wise noro mongy, but the Colony needs them
yone. A great many inspectors are em course of any Head of a department to and can afford it. The Sanitary Board has done excellent service in the past, but The Hon. Coroar. SteRELVET : Weployed in doing the work thoroughly and trust his technical officers and confine aystematically right through the City,himself to administrative work and sec as constituted at present, with its unita bave a disinfection station but we are fact is necessary to avoid enusing irritans, that this suggestions of his technical tions, it is out of date with the needs of not satisfied with our present ane. Mr. tion among the population. Nothing can advisers are carried out. The Head of the Colony, and for the reason that we Dunean has the matter in hand of select he more unpleasant than to bave offers the Sanitary Department stems to occupY are all convinced that there is urgent needing a site for one and we hope to get a come to a bouse to turn out the whole of a similar position to that of the Minister With regard to the Hospitals for falee the furniture and have the place washed of Health at Home or of his Permanent the Minister of down with disinfectant. They have to be Secretary. Neither tions Diseases the subject is under con-
Health nor the Permanent Secretary are very tactful." xideration of the Principal Civil Medienl Now we come to this proposal or de. technical officers. The Minister of Health Officer who arrived recently," and the Director of Public Works: I cannot tell mand for a Board of Health. It is rather is a Member of Parliament and the nice sounding isn't it -Board of Health! Permanent Secretary is an old colleague you how much the Government regrets I can see no other reason from all I have of mine in the Colonial Office without any Hon. Mr. H. W. BIRD: Sir, In scend that the building of the Infectious Disread for the demand for any change in special knowledge of public health. If ing the resolution DOW before this case Hospitals-there are two of them the present Board than that there have any adequate reasons are suggested for Council, I venture to make some sugis not at present ander way. Its been rather more typhoid cases, among the proposed change--so far I have gestions relating to the control of public obviously necessary where the Principal the foreign commanity this summer than seen absolutely none whatever I would health matters in this Coony. I know Civil Medical Officer raised certain quesis usually the case. Certainly, the cause be willing to
The consider them. how easy it is to criticise and how im- tions that they should be discussed. I
idea appears to be that the Depart- I don't know whether any of the hon. ment should have its own analyst and. sible it is to create a Utopia at a hope to put the proposal before the of this increase has not been found. agment's notice, particularly in a place Finaner Committee before long for the members has per studied the bacterio bacteriologist who ought to occupy their like Hongkong where so many of the in-allocation of the necessary funds but logical reports of the water taken from whole time with the analysis and bacteri habitants take no interest in health mat- am not able to say when. The present the reservoirs, filter beds and taps, and logical examination of the water supply ters, but there can be no doubt that the Infectious Diseases Hospital has per- all sorts of places. It is only when ece of the Colony. I do not quite know what achinery which propels the public health formed its work fairly well. It has been of the reservoirs becomes muddy that we time these analyses occupy, but I think service of this Colony bas pot kept pace open for only six months of the year have bad any deviation from the very if we put it down at two days in a with the growth of the Colony and now a and if cases occur in the other six months excellent reports we have bad in the past month we should be over-estimating. May complete overhaul is necessary.
of the year we have to send a special We have always been assured that the I ask what this very "expensive officer ——— A L'ARANTINE STATION... attendant and nurses down to take their water supply an Hongkong is noted for would do for the remaining 25 or 26
residence there:
Regarding the lack of ambalances, its excellence and purity, and when this days? It is further suggested that, this particular reservoir became muddy the autocratic body is to give directions to don't know exactly what the hon. memter was tholorinated and made per all kinds of Departments as to what they fectly good so far as being innocuous is are to do. If for example the Board up to now without ane. That may be. Į Hon. Mr. BIRD: Launch 'ambulances. concerned. It is extremely nasty to considers that a certain bulish or pool But one never knows when such an in- Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY: A launch stitation may be urgently needed. It is is available for the removal of cases from drink, perhaps, without taking something is a breeding place for mosquitoes is it to not very many years ago that several ships. As regards removal from Kowloon in it. Why should we have a Board of say that the Public Works shall remove cholera casa arrived here in a ship and to Hongkong, we have in cases occasional Health because of them, purely ephemeral, this What is necessary is intimate co- occurrences? It is not clear to me what operation between the Department, in they had to be housed in junks. Can wely used a launch and occasionally a ferry is meant by having complete analytical spite of the ridiculous statements made in be proud of that?
Unfortunately the other day there was ‘a Here again we have no proper Govern- rather urgent case that led to a lot of fand bacteriological control of the water the newspapers, and the almost equally ment disinfecting stauen. What has been correspondence in the public Press and supply. If the Board were to say that ridiculous statements in the Sanitary done in this direction up to date has been editorial remarks, but it was mostly based this water is bad and this reservoir must Board as to what happens at present. I carried out by private enterprise. How on entire fabrications and the matter has be shut, I don't know whether that is cannot accept the motion.
intended, we certainly would not do it. I Hon. Mr. HOLTOAX: It is not the first does the Government justify this state of been dealt with by correspondence wars do not see how the analysts and bacterio- time in this honourable Council that the
Tairs?
those concerned. It is hardly accessary logists of a Board of Health can do more honour of the unofficial members has been Ibelieve it to be a fact that on account to have a special ambulanco launch now, than the present analyst does in regard impugned. In most of the caris part of the lack of these two important because the Kowloon hospital is expected to food, and the present bacteriologist of the reply of the Colonial Secretary nedical qualifications, Hongkong ranks to be opened next March-I think it least does in regard to water. The proposed he was merely frivolous That the atly ne a 2nd Class port in the League we have given a promise for next March Board looks not unlike the present Board unodicial inembers would bring to this of Nations. I know as Infectious Dis-and to embark now on building a except that there should be a Medical Council a suggestion inspired by the cases Hospital does exist in name at special ambulance launch for the few Oficer at the Head of it. I do not see Press is not worth serious consideration Kennedy Town. Ja the Government months remaining is hardly necessary what is to be gained by erecting a board in my remarks on the resolution 1 in- proud of it! And does it da credit to considering that we have made arrange to take the place of, or supplement, the dicated that from the time the resolution our Colony1".
ment with the ferry company to clear a present Sanitary Board. If all the Heads of Dr. Koch was turned down in the certain part of the ferry.
of Departments proposed to sit on this Sanitary Board the unofficial members We have seen a lot of correspondence Hon Mr. BIRD: That does not deal Board are to be asked to go down and sit had this resolution under way. It was about the lack of ambulances, and whilst | with the cuse of ships. not accepting all one reads as Gospel Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY: I don't know through long discussions it will be most
thout hearing the other side of the what the arrangements are, but I know irritable. We have lots of work to do in pot inspired by the Press. Usually there the public services, though many people is a division of opinion among the un- case, on enquiry there doos seem to be a stand that arrangements exist. grave lack of this very necessary accom. Now, Sir, coming to the motion itself, seem to think we have not I may add official members but almost with a unaTÍ modation. I would suggest the immediate I don't think I have studied, the local that the Government is absolutely ready mous voice, they have charged the Gov sequisition of a launch to be fitted up for papers, their correspondence, articles to create any new department which is ernment with being unprepared in this ambulance purposes, to work in conneo sub-articles, etc., more closely than I proved to be necessary. For instance, we matter. The matter has been seriously have just recently, with the sanction of advocated by the unofficial members; it tion with the motor ambulance and be have during the last few weeks on the the Secretary of State, created a Port has been frivolously dealt with and I have under the control of the same authority subject of the proposed Board of Health, Development Department. I only men nothing further to say but to press the
motion....... who should be pule to give instructions I have read everything that has boon tion that to show that the Government is relating to its uso at all times of the day published on the subject and I must say quite ready to create a new deportment or night. Further, I would like to see that after reading it all I was entirely air attendant, with some nursing quali in, the dark as to the reason for the sugil there is any good reason shown for it, member was not referring to me when Beations, on the launch and motor am- gestion that there should be this Board of As regards, a technical head of the depart- he said the subject was dealt with bulance during the transit of patients. Health. I had hoped to-day that I would ment it is difficult to see why a technical frivolously.
(Continuat on page 7.) head should be required. My reading
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