PAGE 6-HONGKONG DAILY PRESS,
Serious Child Mortality
for the sick poor in these ter ritories.
(
GOVERNOR'S INTEREST
factor in the incidence and spread of tuberculosis,
HOUSING PROBLEM In saying this, I think it de-" Appreciating this, no doubt, one sirable to emphasise the fact that of Your Excellency's predecessors Government is fully alive to the appointed a Housing Commission situation. Your Excellency has in 1935. The Commission has re- evinced great personal interest in cently presented an illuminating the problem by visiting many report which is receiving the care- public and private hospitals in ful consideration of Government Hongkong, by appointing the Hos- at the moment. pitals Committee referred to, and Better housing (especially of the by approving of schemes which least fortunate) and the preven- have resulted in the past six tion of overcrowding will go a long inonths in over 500 additional beds way to reduce the constant menace being made available at Lal Chi from tuberculosis. The provision Kok and elsewhere (mostly for the of camps for refugees and desti- care of the indigent sick) and in tutes in these territories should the provision of a considerable contribute, it only in nucleus of the four hundred beds measure, to a solution of the pro- for Hongkong lepers sent to the blem by lessening congestion settlement at Shek Lung..
U
"BETTER WAGES
a small
(3) Improvement in standard of living (wages, etc); It has been found in other parts of the world! that housing alone is not a cure if the persons rehoused are, com-
CHILD MORTALITY Your Excellency, my friend and colleague, Hon. Dr. Li Shu-fan, has done a public service in inviting attention to the serious loss ofpelled to pay a higher rental or child life in these territories.
.Dr. Li mentioned that amongst every 1,000 born 327 infants died before attaining the age of one year in 1936. The figure was actually rather more serious, that is to say, 37%
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to spend more money in getting to and from their work, since the sum available for food is diminished in direct proportion. Hence, the need for increasing the general standardi of living.
Here again the Labour Officer whose early appointment Your Ex- In the following year, the rate cellency mentioned in your speech rose to 376, nearly one third of all in Council on October 13, 1938, the deaths registered were in should prove of great help. This respect of infants under one year officer will, no doubt, be in a posi- and in approximately half the tion to investigate conditions of total number of all recorded deaths work, wages, etc., and, later, be (45 per cent.), the deceased was five years of age or less.
From the figures available for the current year there is every possibility of the loss of life in this age group being still greater.
In considering statistics of this nature. It must, of course; be re- membered that an infant mortality rate will go up without any actual deterioration of conditions if birth registration is less complete or if icfants and children born outside these territories are brought here and subsequently die in the Colony,
Making due allowances for all such errors, the wastage of child life is a matter of grave moment and one calling for the concerted efforts of all members of the community to assist in combating.
TUBERCULOSI Tuberculosis occupied the third (not second) place on the list of diseases causing the greatest num- ber of deaths in 1937. On the other hand, one death in nine was attributable to tuberculosis which caused 4,028 deaths during the year in question.
and
The honourable member other members of Council will no doubt be glad to receive an assurance that Government and its Medical Advisers are already giving the question very close con- sideration.
"
The problem is being dealt with from various angles, the purpose being to attack the root cause K possible.
able to advise on such questions as minimum wage.
41
(4) Increasing facilities for the discovery, isolation, education and treatment of cases of tuberculosis:
HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION
I bave already referred to the personal interest Your Excellency has shown in hospital accommoda- tion in this Colony. The fact that Your Excellency decided to appoint a Hospitals Committee provides ample grounds for belief that you had doubts as to whether the exist- ing hospitals facilities were ade- quate to meet the needs of the community.
This Committee, has had under consideration the question 01 special provision being made for the care and treatment of cases of tuberculosis "and its findings will With- be published in due course. out wishing to commit the Com- mittee in any way. I think it would be fair to mention that my „col- leagues favour additional accom modation for "open" or infective cases of tuberculosis and the pro- vision of greater facilities for the more intensive treatment of the hopeful earlier cases.
I am not prepared to say at this Juncture that the system outlined by my colleague in his 'speech which is found to be satisfactory in Great Britain - and certain other countries, is likely to be the most suitable for Hongkong where other fac- tors have to be taken into ac- count. Due weight will, of course, be accorded to Dr. Li Shu Fan's views and extensive local experience..
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(1) Nutrition: Nutrition has a profound effect on the ability of the human body to ward of in- fection or to confine infection to certain sites' if the germ succeeds (5) Education of the general in entering and implanting itself public: In any campaign against in the body. Your Excellency fully the scourge of tuberculosis, It is appreciated this influence and has very desirable that active..pro- been pleased to appoint an e-paganda should be carried out larged Nutrition Research Com- amongst the general public, Bome- mittee over which I have the thing is already being done in the honour to preside whose duty will way of talks to mothers at wel- be to ascertain the amount of fare centres and by health nurses, malnutrition in Hongkong and to midwives, sanitary inspectors, etc.. European, are most co-operative in devise measures to counter the in the homes of the poor. effects and prevent the occurrence Furthermore, hygiene is taught of malnutrition as far as possible. in many of the Hongkong schools
(2) Housing: As mentioned by my and efforts are made to get the shion and the wireless broadcast- colleague the Hon. Dr. Ll Shu Fan, pupils to apply such lessons in ac- ing system and cinema provide yet
other channels. housing is yet another important | tual practice.
The Press both Chinese and
helping to get health ideas across to the public in a palatable fa-
HA
A great deal could be dong by every enlightened member. of the community both by ex- ample and precept to bring home to the ignorant and thoughtless the danger atten- daat upon the filthy habit spitting."