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Further proof that China is earnest in her desire to advance along lines which have been successful elsewhere is shown by the fact that she has invited the League of Nations to assist her in bringing her Public Health System up to standard and the League has accepted the invitation and has made arrangements for active co-opera-
tion.
Because of its limited area and of the fact that practically the whole of the factors having a bearing on the public health lie within the City of Victoria, the town of Kowloon and the Port, this Colony is not comparable with any other except it be Gibraltar. But it is comparable with the Panama Canal Zone where the Governor is the authority to which all heads of department are directly responsible. In so far as Public Health problems are concerned it is in many respects comparable with the International Settlement of Shanghai.
The Panama health zone consists of a territory which is approximately 40 miles long and 10 miles broad and which contains two cities Colon and Panama The population all speak Spanish or Indian. There are no rivers or mountains to mark the boundaries which can be crossed and recrossed without trouble. There are ocean going vessels and there are numerous coasting vessels. Hundreds of people from Panamanian territory cross and recross the border daily and enter and leave the cities.
The cities of Panama and Colon are now among the worlds best, when the Americans took over they were probably the worlds worst.
In the Zone the whole of the matters bearing on the Public Health including town planning, housing, scavenging, night soil disposal, sewerage, drainage, markets, dairies, stables, nuisances, anti-mosquito measures, births and deaths registration, vaccination, control of infectious disease (including leprosy and tuberculosis) quaran- tine, hospitals, dispensaries, and lunatic asylums are all under the department of Public Health, the Head of which is the Chief Health Officer who is directly respon- sible to the Governor.
The system runs with a simplicity and economy that is equalled in very few places and excelled in none.
The Officers are highly paid but because of the completeness of organisation there are comparatively few of them. Everything is done to make them comfortable but at the same time they have to work hard. Such is their prestige and their status that the service has the pick of the United States. There is no pension but there is provident and a superannuation scheme which is its equivalent. " Every year each Öfficer gets leave to the United States and cheap rates are provided "on the Zone steamers. The Officers are happy and contented and there, are no resignations.
It was
Panama is now a health resort for invalides from the United States. once the white man's grave. There have been no cases of yellow fever since 1906 and malaria contracted in the sanitated area is practically unknown,
The Public Health Department of Shanghai, like that of Toronto the most up to date city in the Western Hemisphere, deals with all Public Health activities with the exception of town cleansing, scavenging, disposal of refuse, conservancy and sewage disposal and water supplies the mechanical aspects of which are executed by the Municipal Engineer. The Public Health Department is divided into the following sections - Administration, laboratories, hospitals, foods, dairies and markets, sanita- tion, infectious disease control.
The food, dairies and markets section controls all slaughter houses, cattle- sheds, dairies and markets, and food establishments.
The Hospitals and Infectious Disease Control Section deals with all infectious diseases removal, isolation, treatment and also with the mortuaries and the collection and disposal of dumped bodies. It also deals with all matters connected with disin- fection and with ambulances. It also deals with the control of animal disenses.
ས་མ་ཅིག་ག་
The organisation of the Health Service of Hong Kong could well be on the lines which have proved successful in Panama. Shanghai, Toronto or other up-to- date cities of the world if it were recognised that so far as Public Health is concerned the Governor and the Legislative Council occupy the positions held by the President and Council of a Municipality, that the D.M.S.S. corresponds to the Commissioner of Health or Medical Officer of Health and that the Sanitary Board corresponds to કૈ Sanitation Committee and the Sanitary Department to a town cleansing department.
ance.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The laws dealing with Quarantine and Prevention of Disease should be group- ed together under one Ordinance the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordin-
This Ordinance would not only deal with human infectious disease of an. epidemic character such as plague, cholera and small-pox but with less dangerous infectious diseases such as diphtheria, measles etc. and with special disease such as malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, Vaccination would be included. The scope of the Ordinance should be extended to include animal diseases, animal quarantine and the control of slaughter-houses,
The Sale of Food and Drugs Ordinance should be amended so as to allow of Health Officers taking action and to ensure that none but Government Analysts shall be analysts under the Act. The scope of this Act, should be extended so as to in- clude provisions for insuring the purity of foods and drugs sold and to prevent the sale of food and drugs unfit for human consumption. It should include provisions for licensing places where food is prepared for sale and for places where food is sold either retail and wholesale and for eating houses, restaurants and dairies.
There should be a Factory and Workshop Ordinance for dealing with the sani- tation of factories and workshops for regulating the hours of work allowed, and for ensuring proper precautions being taken in the case of dangerous trades.
All matters relating to Urban sanitation, houses, drains, scavenging, and town cleansing, conservancy and sewerage, and the licensing of premises other than those where food is sold or prepared for sale should come under a Sanitation Ordinance. There should be a clause authorising the Governor to apply any or all the provisions to villages and rural areas.
Regulations regarding the construction of buildings should come Buildings Ordinance.
under
a
There should be an Ordinance for Town Planning and Town Improvement.
The Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance, the Sale of Food and Drugs Ordinance, and the Factories and Workshops Ordinance should be administered by the Medical and Health Department.
The Registrar of Births and Deaths should be the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services.
The Town Planning and Town Improvement Ordinance should be administer- ed by a Board which should contain the D.P.W. and the D.M.S.S.
The Water Authority under the Water Works Ordinance should be a Board on which the D.M.S.S. has a seat.
ment.
The Buildings Ordinance should be administered by the Public Works Depart-
The Sanitation Ordinance should be administered by the Sanitary Board and the Sanitary Department.
The Sanitary Board which for 26 years has only functioned in a minor degree as an administrative body should remain as an advisory body to the Sanitary Depart- ment and as a vent for public opinion.
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