Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
VIII-VITAL STATISTICS.
(a.) Population.
1. The population of the Colony, at the Census taken in January, 1897, was 248,880, while at the Census taken in January, 1901, it was 283,975, exclusive of the Army and Navy, which amounted to 13,237 (Army 7,640, Navy 5,597). The total population of the Colony, including the Army and Navy, was estimated at 283,418 up to the middle of 1900.
2. The population of the New Territory, which is exclusively Chinese, was estimated at 100,000 in the year 1899.
(b.) Public Health.
3. Nine hundred and thirty-nine (939) births and 6,773 deaths were registered during the year. This is equal to a general birth-rate of 3.3 per 1,000, as compared with 4.3 per 1,000 in 1899, and to a general death-rate of 23.9 per 1,000, as compared with 23.8 per 1,000 in 1899.
4. The Matshed Hospital at Kennedy Town was re-opened for the reception of plague cases, and was in use from the 16th May to 15th August. The number of admissions was 224, of whom 200 died. In addition to this, 107 cases of plague were treated in the Kennedy Town Hospital itself, with a mortality of 77.5 per cent. The total number of cases reported during the year was 1,082, and the total number of deaths was 1,034, as against 1,486 and 1,428 in the preceding year.
5. There were only 17 deaths from small-pox last year; whereas in the three previous years the numbers had been 35, 110, and 209. This continued decrease has resulted in a marked apathy in regard to vaccination, the total number of vaccinations recorded being 2,123 less than in 1899.
6. The number of deaths from beri-beri almost doubled during the year, the disease being confined to the Chinese population.
7. Malarial and enteric fevers were more prevalent than in 1899. There was a considerable mortality among the troops from malarial fever.
8. In connection with this question of malaria an interesting experiment was tried. The military sanatorium has been abandoned for several years on account of the continued suffering of the troops stationed there from malarial fever. Under the advice of Dr. Young, employed in the China Expeditionary Force, the brushwood was cut down for a distance of three to four hundred yards, swampy places were drained, and anopheles pools filled in. For several months a company of Indian troops has been stationed at the sanatorium, and the health of the men is excellent.