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}
C
Guotesure 2.
Remarks made by His Excellener the Officer Administering
the Government.
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I do not intend on this occasion to deal in any exhaustive way with the very interesting and instructive report written by Lieutenant Olitsky as a result of bis investigations of the out- break of epidemic Meningitis in Hong- kong in the early part of this year which has been laid before you to-day. I think, however, that bon. members will agree that the Colony is indebted to Lieutenant Olitsky for the painstaking care with which be studied, during quite short period, conditions entirely new to him with the result that he has been able to give some very practical advice as to how this threat to the public health may best be met.
The portion of the report that will appeal most strongly to the ordinary reader is that contained on pages 7 to 10, namely, the course of the epidemic and the factors contributing to its dis- semination, especially the facts as re- gands overcrowding on pages 9 and 10. I feel sure that honourable members will realise what the work entailer in getting rid of such overcrowding, quite apart from the expenditure, would amount to. The task of correcting the errors of the past will, however, have to IN ESTRY M be faced it the community is to be pro-
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tected against epidemics of serious disease. In this connection I would direct attention to the interesting com parison on page 16 of the report between the overcrowding in Hongkong and Can- ton and to the statement in paragraph C (1) of the summary on page 21 that the greater number of cases developed in cold weather as compared with hot weather is due to overcrowding becoming greater in cold weather and not to any effect of cold weather on the meningo- cocci.
The recommendations made by Lieuten ant Olitsky have, of course, been carefully considered. Steps have been taken to prepare the serum for the treatment of epidemic meningitis and in the quantity suggested. As regards the treatment of the patient it will require careful and continuous persuasion to get the serum used; and in the event of an epidemic every effort will be made to provide the patient with methods of Western treat- Tho ment, including the use of serum. prevention of pharyngeal infections and influenza can only be effectively achieved by keeping the individual in the best possible state of health, by segregating the sick from the healthy and (what is more difficult. in fact, at present practically impossible) by avoiding overcrowding. The employment of masks could only be resorted to in special circumstances, as in hospitals, for example. Prophylactic vaccination as a method of prevention is still in the stage of enquiry.
was
into
During the epidemie this year a leaflet
drawn up and translated Chinese dealing with certain efficacious measures capable of being easily carried ibuted. into + Should there unhappily be a return of the disease in epidemic form this method of propaganda, in conjunction with oral advice, would probably be the most effec- tive way of educating the population There I will leave the report for the pre- sent, and I feel sure that honourable members will wish to record their sense of the obligation this Colony is under to the Rockefeller Institute for the valuable Assistance rendered by it in this matter,
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