47
84
88. The incidence among the police of the New Territories for the same period was:-----
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1,205
877
428
278
265
258
148
55
89. Many of the Police Stations are screened and every man is provided with a mosquito net. Prophylactic quinine is issued and the living rooms are regularly sprayed with an insecticide in an endeavour to kill any adult mosquitoes they may be pre- sent. The police on night patrols are of course liable to infection.
90. The total number of deaths attributed to malaria was 455, giving a death rate of 0.56 per mille for the Colony. The lowness of the rate is, of course, due to the fact that the great majority of the population living in the drained urban areas are outside the zone of flight of malaria carrying anophelines and, therefore, not subject to risks of attack.
Dengue.
91. There was no epidemic of this disease during the year and only a few cases came under the notice of the Medical Officers,
Filariasis.
92. Researches carried out by the Malariologist show that this disease is far more prevalent than was supposed. An in- fection rate of 12 per cent was noted in one area. A fuli description of the investigations will be found in the Malario. logist's Report. In spite of the number infected there are very few cases showing symptoms of elephantiasis.
Infectious Diseases.
98. The infectious diseases of the Colony may, for con- venience, be classed into those which are notifiable and those which are not,
94. The most important of the non-notifiable infectious dis- eases are Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Leprosy.
;
35
95. The notifiable diseases are Plague, Cholera, Smallpox. Yellow Fever, Typhus Fever, Cerebro-Spinal Fever, Enteric Fever. Para-typhoid fever, Relapsing Fever, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Puerperal Fever and Rabies (human and animal).
96. Responsibility for reporting a case of notifiable disease lies with the legally qualified medical practitioner attending a case, or, in the absence of such, on the occupier or keeper of the premises or on the nearest male relative living on the pre- mises, or in default of such relative on any person in charge of or in attendance on the sick person. Reports are to be made to the Medical Officer of Health or to the Officer in charge of the nearest Police Station.
97. In actual fact practically the only reports received by the Medical Officer of Health are:-
(a) those from qualified medical practitioners.
(b) from the Medical Officer in charge of hospitals.
(e) from the Medical Officers in charge of the Public Mort- uaries where bodies have been taken for inspection and disposal.
98. The Health Authorities when they do discover a case of infectious disease have no power to remove it to hospital unless the patient or his guardian consents, or unless a Magistrate
nakes an order for removal.
Tuberculosis.
99. Pulmonary Tuberculosis ranks second to broncho pneu- monia as the principal cause of death. The total number of deaths was 2,042, that for 1981 being 1,983. The death rate per mille was 2.52 as compared with 2.60 for the previous year. Palmonary Tuberculosis in the majority of cases is a disease which unfits the individual for the active exercise of his employ- inent months or even years before death supervenes. Because of the tendency of those unable to work and earn a living to leave Hong Kong for their villages in China the deaths reported form an incomplete index of the prevalence of the disease,
100. The number of cases of disease is unknown but reckon- ing 10 for each death the total comes to over 20,000.
101. There is nothing to add to what has already been said with regard to this infectious malady. There is no sanatorium or home for the care of those who have contracted infection and the victims continue to struggle against their affliction under conditions which leave little hope for recovery.
48