Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841–1941
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
menced with marked symptoms of inflammation of the membranes of the brain. He had been casually exposed to the sun. The active symptoms were subdued, but his disease assumed the character of typhus fever: there were no periodical exacerbations, and symptoms of stupor, intellectual dulness, and low delirium preceded his death. His disease was of seven days' duration. The fourth case was in all respects similar to the last, except that it terminated more rapidly. The fifth death occurred at Aberdeen. This case resembled, in its attack and progress, the two first cases alluded to. The subject of it had suffered repeatedly from fever, had practised intemperance, and was feeble and attenuated in his body.
The month of August presents the fearful aggregate of nineteen deaths. Of these there were nine Europeans, six Indians, and four Chinamen. There was only one death from disease, and this was a case of typhus fever, resembling the third case detailed in July. The subject of it was a man of the most intemperate habits and violent passions. He was a European. Seven out of the eight remaining Europeans were police convalescents, recovering from remittent fever. They were sent, by my directions, on a cruise in the police armed boat. They were unfortunately overtaken by the typhoon, which occurred on the 31st August, the boat was swamped at anchor, and sixteen policemen, besides the Inspector—a European, his son, and a Portuguese boy, were drowned.
In October there is the record of one death, an Indian, who was killed by a gun-shot wound while in the execution of his duty against a junk, the crew of which were in arms against the authorities.
In November a Chinaman died of remittent fever at Whampoa, where he went on sick leave.
In December there appear two deaths. Both cases were of Indians. One death occurred in Macao, from disease of the heart; the other in the civil hospital, from pulmonary apoplexy.
It will be seen that, in June, July, August, and September, the greatest amount of sickness prevailed in the year 1848. It should be remarked that, in these months, remittent fever was the prevailing disease, and that the casualties occurred in those who were affected with fever of a continued type.
In October, November, and December, there was a numerical diminution of cases of sickness; yet the mortality was proportionably great. Bronchitis, in a very obstinate form, prevailed, and in many cases proved fatal.
Table No. 1 will show the daily and monthly rate of sickness in the police force; but it affords no evidence of the actual number of individuals who have been sick, nor the relative proportion of deaths to cases of sickness, nor of deaths to strength. The following Tables are added in illustration of these points:
TABLE NO. 2.—Showing the Number of Policemen, their Wives and Children, actually Sick in 1848, the Number of Deaths, and the per Centage of Deaths to the Number of cases of Sickness.
Europeans Indians Chinese Number of Women and Children Sick Total Number of Persons Sick Total Number of Deaths Per Centage of Deaths to Cases The Number of Policemen actually Sick 67 131 30 237 35* 15The death of one woman, a policeman's wife, not before accounted for, is here included.
TABLE NO. 3.—Showing the Fixed Number of Policemen, their Wives and Children, the Number of Deaths, and the Proportion of Deaths to Number of Persons, in 1848.
Europeans Indians Chinese Number of Women and Children Total Number of Persons Total Number of Deaths Per Centage of Deaths to Persons Average Number of Policemen employed 50 130 28 37 245 35 14.29Allusion has already been made to the frequency of changes in the police force. The preceding Table forms a most fallacious idea of the actual proportionable mortality in the police force, during the past year, to the number of