# Report on the Health of Hongkong for the Year 1866
Table I. shews the number of admissions into, and deaths in, the Hospital, of members of the Police Force, during every month of 1866.
Table II shows the rate, per cent, of sickness and mortality of the Force during the same year.
Table III, kindly furnished to me by Dr. Robertson, the Principal Military Medical Officer, gives a comparative return of the health of the Troops serving in Hongkong, from which it will be seen that a marked improvement has taken place in the health of the Military: the death ratio not having reached one half of what it attained in 1865.
## II. THE GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL
Table IV. gives the number of admissions into and the Mortality in this Hospital during the year 1866, to which is added for the purpose of comparison the average number of admissions and deaths during the past nine years.
Table V. gives the rate of mortality in the Civil Hospital, during the same period, distinguishing the rate in the case of Europeans from Colored persons and Chinese.
Table VI. kindly sent me by the Resident Surgeon, Dr. Adams, gives information in reference to the Seaman's Hospital. It is gratifying to find a marked improvement in the death rate, following upon the opening of the magnificent establishment at Morrison Hill, for which the Seamen frequenting this port are entirely indebted to the princely liberality of one of our mercantile firms.
In the Civil Hospital the absolute mortality has been a trifle higher than it was in 1865. But as I pointed out last year this increase is rather apparent than real, for in the case of European patients the rate has actually been more favorable than it has been since 1862, while in the case of Indians it does not much surpass the average: it is among the Chinese that the great increase of mortality has again occurred, a mortality reaching as high as 38.53 per cent on the admissions. Such a frightful state of matters requires the explanation that, the great majority of Chinese admissions to Hospital consist of moribund or nearly moribund patients. Some of these I am led to believe have been put out into the street by those with whom they lodged, who are desirous of escaping the expense and other inconveniences attendant upon death in their houses, and are in this state picked up by the Police and brought to Hospital, where in half an hour or so death ensues. As all cases of this description have to appear in our Returns it is thus that the result looks so bad.
Under the head of Starvation there have been 35 admissions, 6 Indians and 29 Chinese; of this number 2 Indians and 17 Chinese have died. The same explanation, which has been offered in reference to yellow fever cases, may also to a certain extent apply to those of starvation admitted to Hospital. I am glad to say that no European was admitted into Hospital under this head, a result no doubt consequent upon the wise arrangements of the Government to which I referred last year. If therefore the 30 deaths from yellow fever and the 19 deaths from starvation are put out of consideration, the total number of deaths will be 80 only, which would give the wonderfully low death rate of 7.03 per cent on the 1,122 admissions. A result which, considering the utter unfitness of this establishment for its intended purpose, reflects great credit on Dr. Cochran the Resident Surgeon.
## III. THE GAOL
Table VII. shows the number of admissions into the Gaol Hospital and deaths there during the year 1866, with the average number of admissions and deaths during the past nine years, as a means of comparison.
Table VIII. shews the rate of sickness and mortality in the Gaol Hospital as compared with the total number of prisoners and with the number treated during the year 1866.
The numbers imprisoned in Victoria Gaol during the past year, were:
Europeans 695
Indians 194
Chinese 4,572
Total 5,481
The daily average was 584.44, of which number 70 have died.
The following return is in continuation of the tables I have already given for two years, shewing the change in weight which European prisoners undergo after several months imprisonment.
The Monthly weight of EUROPEAN PRISONERS confined in Victoria Gaol in the Year 1866.
155 cases of chain gang work which had lately been adopted. It was however found that by punishing every case of well proved self-inflicted injury and compelling those who had thus hurt themselves to march down and break stones in some public locality, with boards specifying their crimes placed in front of them, what threatened to be an epidemic soon diminished and has now nearly disappeared. Of those who died the great majority refused to submit to amputation and perished from mortification or the extreme prostration of the system consequent on the great drain produced by the extensive ulceration.
In my last year's Report I referred to the system of public flogging and I have seen no reason to alter the opinion then expressed. A more efficient whipping post would however be a great improvement. I have been present on every occasion when this punishment has been inflicted and have subsequently had the treatment of the men in Hospital and I have become very strongly impressed with the belief that a great improvement on the present system would be to cast the criminals adrift from the whipping post, to return to their companions in guilt, a terror to evil doers, rather than to take them into Hospital to be nursed for a couple of months, where they are too comfortable to be at all desirous of making a rapid recovery. This would prove much more deterrent of crime than long imprisonment or even repeated floggings. This suggestion applies all the more forcibly where the crime has been one admitting of branding the criminal previous to deportation, which might be accomplished before the men are flogged. This admirable plan of tattooing a broad arrow on the lobe of the left ear, considering that it is never done except at the criminal's own request, has nothing objectionable in it that I can imagine. It is a painless operation which cannot affect the health.
The Establishment is a model of cleanliness, good ventilation and good management and reflects the highest credit on the Officer in charge.
## IV. THE CONVICT HULK
As this establishment was discontinued and merged into Victoria Gaol in October, as yet with apparently nothing but good results, I need not do more than refer to Table IX. which shows the rate of sickness and mortality at Stone Cutter's Island, during the first nine months of the year.
## V. THE LOCK HOSPITAL
Table X. gives the usual information in regard to this Institution. Much has been done in the way of suppressing private and unlicensed brothels by the new Inspectors on their appointments, but whether from the first burst of zeal having become extinct or from the Prostitutes and their keepers being too sharp for the Inspectors, these spurts of improvement have been temporary only. No really thorough efficiency can be expected until the new Ordinance on the subject, which I believe it is the intention of His Excellency the Governor to introduce, becomes the law of the Colony.
Table XI. is an approximative estimate of the mortality among Foreign Residents in Hongkong during the last nine years. The data from which it is compiled are furnished to me, so far as the number of Residents is concerned by the Registrar General, and by the Sextons of the two cemeteries so far as the deaths are concerned. This table does not embrace Soldiers, Sailors whether employed in the Navy or the Merchant Service, or those who have been buried from the Hospitals. From an inspection of this table it will appear that the death rate among Foreign Residents in this Colony was, as might well have been expected, very much below the average, lower indeed than it had been since 1862.
Table XII. gives the usual information regarding the work performed by the Inspector of nuisances attached to this Department.
Table XIII. Shews the annual mean state of the atmosphere during the year 1866 as recorded at the Government Civil Hospital.
J. I. MURRAY, M.D., Colonial Surgeon.
Page 1
1.-POLICE
TABLE shewing the Admissions into Hospital and Deaths during the Year 1866.
NAME, SENTENCE JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER C. W...Life 155 157 185 165 158 159 # 7 A. J. ..Life 150 159 148 148 146 + W.M. Life 145 140 143 148 144 140 145 140 W. H... Life C. A....Life E. M. A. B...Life W. S. 8 years R. B. 10 years 6 years F. X...13 years 135 185 142 142 144 142 157 160 161 157 149 150 W. D... 7 years 182 138 139 152 153 169 162 163 160 161 162 160...
Page 363
2.-TABLE shewing the Rate of SICKNESS and MORTALITY in the POLICE FORCE during the Year 1866.
AVERAGE STRENGTH TOTAL SICK TOTAL DEATHS RATE OF SICKNESS RATE OF MORTALITY Europeans 69 Colored 325 Chinese Total 550 10 96.08 per cent 1.78 per cent3-TABLE shewing the RATE of SICKNESS and MORTALITY of the Troops serving in Hongkong during the Year 1866.
STRENGTH ADMISSIONS INTO HOSPITAL DEATHS RATE OF SICKNESS RATE OF MORTALITY White 246 27 287.682 per cent 3.445 per cent Black 286 12 Total 1,132 39Nov. 28