Government House, C. O. 1062 2017 JAN
14th December, 1899.
572 No. 360.
Hongkong,
Sir,
PRINTED FOR PARLIAMENT (Cas903 Apr 1906)
3826 Enclosure. 4th Dec 1899.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No.228 of the 10th October, in the second paragraph of which you ask for a further report, as to whether there would not be an advantage in appointing a Lady Doctor to be placed, as in Ceylon, primarily in charge of the Hospital for women and children as well as of the special venereal wards for women.
2. I have now the honour to transmit for your consideration the enclosed further report by the Principal Civil Medical Officer, in which he shows that there are not the same reasons for the appointment of a Lady Doctor in Hongkong as exist in a country like Ceylon, whose social system is strongly impregnated with prejudices of caste.
3. In paragraph 6 of his report, the Principal Civil Medical Officer states that for many years past, the female venereal wards have been in charge of a very capable matron who possesses a special knowledge of this class of diseases. This, combined with the fact that Chinese and Japanese Women do not object to being treated by the Hospital Doctors, appears to render any change unnecessary and perhaps inexpedient.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHAMBERLAIN, M.P. &C., &C.
4.