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3. Victoria West C'entral (present Health Districts 6, 6, 7, 7a, & 8)
with a population of 90,000.
4. Victoria Western (present Health Districts 9, 10, & 10A) with 2
population of 90,000.
5. The Peak and South Coast including Pokfulum, Dairy Farm, Aber-
deen, Aplichau Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay, Stanley, Shek O.
6. South Kowloon--estimated population 100,000.
7. Kowloon Central-estimated population 100,000.
8. North Kowloon and New Kowloon-estimated population 100,000.
9. New Territories and Islands and Boat population 200,000.
There should be a Dispensary Launch to attend to the needs of the population who reside in boats and who number over 100,000. Such a Launch would become as popular as the River Dispensary Launches in Malaya. Operating as a Medical Re- lief Boat it would, when the confidence of the people had been won, figure as a centre for propaganda and prevention purposes.
A Motor Travelling Dispensary such as is used in Malaya is required for work in the New Territories,
It would be advantageous if the whole of the investigative staff-Bacteriolo- gists, pathologists, and analysts, were accommodated at one headquarters. If the Bacteriological Institute were enlarged this could become the centre for research and investigation.
With regard to medical relief there should be 1 bed for every 300 popula- tion for general diseases and at least 1 bed for every 3,000 for infectious diseases.
The G.C.II. should be rebuilt and afford accommodation for 500 patients and the Kowloon Hospital should be extended to make room for another 500.
There should be erected at Kennedy Town an Infectious Disease and Quaran- tine Station having permanent accommodation for 250 and space for temporary ac- commodation for a similar number.
A. R. WELLINGTON,
Driector of Medical and Sanitary Services,
Hong Kong, 21st September. 1930.
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Appendix.
A. THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANISATION OF THE PANAMA CANAL ZONE.
The Health Service of the Panama Canal Zone which has been instrumental in turning one of the most pestilential regions of the Globe into a Health Resort where invalides from the United States spend their winters is one which is at the same time simple, economic and efficacious.
The Health scheme is based on the plan of placing all medical matters and health matters in the hands of a Medical Expert, and making him directly respon- sible to the Governor. The Chief Health Officer has high status and is on the Governor's Executive Council.
At the commencement of the history of American occupation of the Zone the Medical Department had not the position it now occupies. Then the Head of the Medical Department was only a Major and not thought fit for a place on the Board of Commissioners, nor was it thought necessary to accept his advice in toto. Schemes drawn up after very careful consideration were spoiled through want of support and the fact that they were only accepted in part. Many died of Yellow Fever and Malaria, and the blame was placed by the Commissioners on the Medical Department when it should have been attached to themselves because of their failure to back up the efforts of those competent to deal with the subject. The Chairman of the Commissioners an engineer even asked for the recall of Gorgas whom he thought was wasting time dealing with mosquitoes when he should have been dealing with hospitals.
It was at this point that President Roosevelt who had been with Gorgas in Havana took a hand. He promoted Gorgas to the rank of Colonel, gave him a seat on the Board of Commissioners, and a free hand with medical organisation and con- trol. From this time forward matters progressed until with the disappearance of Malaria, Yellow Fever and Enteric Fever following improvement in sanitation the sickness and death rates became scarcely higher than those of a health community in a temperate climate.
The last case of Yellow Fever occurred in 1906 and Malaria is unknown in the sanitated area.
The Health Department of the Zone includes among its personnel :-
(a) Officers seconded from the Army Medical Corps.
(b) Officers seconded from the United States Health Service.
(e) Civilian Doctors (Full-time).
(d) Dental Surgeons.
(e) Veterinary Surgeons
() Pharmacists.
(g) Sanitary Inspectors
(h) Nurses.
(7) Statisticians and Clerks.
The Health Department is divided into (a) the administrative Branch, (b) the Quarantine Branch, (c) the anti-malarial Branch, (d) the Colonial Municipal Health Branch, (e) the Panama Municipal Health Branel, (f) the Ançon Hospital Branch, (g) the Colon Hospital Branch, and (h) the Mental Asylum Branch,
The Administrative Branch consists of the Chief Health Officer, the Asst. Chief Health Officer, the Secretary and a staff of highly qualified statisticians, stenogra- phers and clerks. The Branch has its offices in the General Administrative Building on Balbao Heights. Here are filed reports, records, plans, photographs, etc., etc..
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