34
12. With regard to the segregating of persons found in infected premises it has been the practice in all cases to allow them the option of proceeding to Canton or of being housed in one of the marriage boats. In the majority of instances the former alternative has been readily accepted, only 21 persons being provided with accommodation afloat. On the 26th June the last batch was released.
DISINFECTION OF HOUSES.
13. In respect of the disinfection of houses in which cases of bubonic plague have occurred the provisions of Bye-law No. 25, made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, have been rigidly enforced, and every article destroyed that could not be satisfactorily disinfected. In the case le houses in Heung Lane, after fumigation with sulphur and clearing out all the moveable contents, the floors, walls and ceilings were thoroughly saturated with the acid solution of perchloride of mercury as recommended in a Memoranda of the 26th August, 1892, by Dr. R. THORNE THORNE of the Medical Department of the Local Government Board.
14. It will be observed that most of the cases of bubonic plague occurred in No. 6 Health District. Mr. HORE, the District Inspector, is deserving of praise for the painstaking way in which he has discharged a trying and, to say the least, lisagreeable duty.
LATRINE DISINFECTION.
15. The addition of Chlorinated Lime to the night-soil in public latrines, which had been discontinued at the end of May, was resumed in the case of the Heung Lane Latrine on the outbreak of bubonic plague in that locality and maintained until all danger of a further development of the disease in the vicinity had disappeared. For failing to comply with the Board's order in this matter and for a breach of one of the latrine bye-laws the keeper was fined $50 by the presiding Magistrate. MEZZANINE FLOORS AND CUBICLES.
16. The work involved in enforcing compliance with the provisions of sections 7 and 8 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, the controlling of which had been delegated to us as a Select Committee of the Board, mude satisfactory progress in the case of the worst class of houses in the City especially in districts Nos. 7 and 8, at the West, and Nos. 1 and 2 at the East end of the city, As, however, the Inspectors in charge of the Central Districts of the city proceeded it became evident that in granting permission for the retention of cocklofts in rooms partitioned into separate compartments the practice hitherto followed of dealing with each case on its merits could not be successfully pursued, and that clearly defined conditions applicable to all cases should be drawn up for the guidance of the Executive. 17. The question as to whether the owner or occupier should be held responsible for complying In many cases the cocklofts are the property of the tenauts; with the law was also fully considered. in others they belong to the owner. The Committee therefore decided to adopt the plan that had been found to work so well in the case of the illegal occupation of basements, viz., of serving the notice on both the owner and occupier. The notice on the occupier specified in schedule to our last report was therefore discontinued and a new form, after meeting with the approval of the Attorney General adopted, (appendix C).
18. The conditions drawn up by the Committee on the subject of cock lofts in buildings erected before and after the passing of The Closed Houses and Insanitary Dwellings Ordinance (15 of 1894) which, after submission to and approval by the full Board, were published in the Government Gazette and in the English and Chinese newspapers, will be found embodied in the notifications included in appendix D.
19. Up to date, notices with copies of the Board's conditions attached, to comply with the provisions of sub-section 1 of section 7 and sub-section b of section 8, have been served on the owners and occupiers in the case of 433 cocklofts and cubicles. So far this change of tactics has met with the best results, and it is confidently hoped that within six months all illegal cocklofts will have been removed.
BASEMENTS.
20. A complete list of the basements illegally occupied on the 1st of April, and on the owners and occupiers of which notices have been served, will be found in appendix E. The return does not include the very large number of basements in No. 7 District which were closed during the epidemic of plague last year and which are among the worst in the whole City. Great credit is due to Acting Inspector MACEWEN for the energy lie has displayed in preventing their re-occupation as dwellings.
21. Under our joint personal supervision the whole of the basements in districts Nos. 4, 5 and 6, have been inspected at night. In all 244 inspections have been made before, and 140 after, midnight.
The District Inspectors, Messrs. BURNETT, REIDIE and HORE, are doing their utmost to prevent their now illegal occupation.
PERMITS FOR COCKLOFTS AND BASEMENTS.
22. In a meno. dated the 9th of July (appendix F) the Cominittee referred for the consideration of the full Board the question as to whether permits for the retention of cocklofts, under section 7 and for the occupation of basements under section 6, should be granted to the owner or occupier. We are of opinion that the fullest publicity should be given to the fact that the Board has unanimously decided to grant such permits to the landlord only.
GENERAL REMARKS.
23. Although it may appear somewhat hazardous in the case of a disease like the bubonic plague, as to the origin and spread of which so little is known, we think it probable that the Colony has now seen the last of the disease in 1895. The widespread fear that the outbreak in Heung Lane was but the beginning of a formidable epidemic has happily not been realised. Twenty-six cases are known to have occurred; all died. If the particulars specified in appendix B are closely examined it will be found that the later cases the disease showed no signs of abatement in point of virulence. The experience of this year would seem to demonstrate that the discase was nipped in the bud, and an epidemic averted by prompt removal and segregation of the inmates and the disinfection and cleansing of the infected premises. The drastic measures it was deemed necessary to adopt were fully justified by the nature of, and the circumstances attending the outbreak.
among
24. The question here very naturally arises what are the prospects of a recurrence of the disease in the carly spring of next year? A vast improvement in the sanitary condition of the Colony has unquestionably been effected during the last 12 months, but much still remains to be done. In our opinion no measure of sanitary retorn calls for more prompt and vigorous action than that of clearing away the obstructions in back-yards and in the back parts of premises so as to provide a suitable and adequate area for the admission of light and air. This has been done already in many houses in the City. In Heng Lane the sanitary character of the bouses, in which cases of plague originated, has been completely changed by this simple and by no means costly structural alteration. We submit that no consideration of Departmental economy should be allowed to interfere with the early carrying out of this most desirable reform.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servants,
Appendix A.
WM. C. H. HASTINGS, Acting Captain Superintendent of Police. W. EDWARD CROW, Assistant Secretary and Superintendent.
Number of inspections of houses mode by 3 sections (A, B and C) of Police and Soldiers from 1st to 15th June.
Strength of party. Lodging houses. Tenement houses.
Section.
Nos. of Health Districts.
Total.
A
1, 2 and 4
9
419
2,225
2,644
B
5
9
763
1,257
2,020
C
6, 7 and 8
9
2,957
532
3,439
Grand Total,
27
4,139
4,014
8,153
Number of inspections of houses made by one section of Police and Soldiers from the 16th June to the 31st July.
Nos. of Tealth Districts.
Periol.
Strength of party. Lodging houses. Tenement houses.
Total.
16th to 30th June
6, 7 and 8
635
1,442
2,077
>
1st to 31st July
various
874
4,043
4,917
Grand Total,..
6
6
1,500
5,485
6,994
Number of passengers arriving from Canton watched to their destination by one Section (B) of Police und Soldiers.
Period,
July 1st to 31st.
June 1st to 15th.
June 16th to 30th.
No. of passengers, ....................................
1,451
21st October, 1895.
1,414
3,141
Total.
6,000
W. EDWARD CROW, Assistant Secretary and Superintendent.