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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-MISCELLANEOUS.
before finally deciding to erect permanent quarters to ascertain by experience which would be the most suitable situation.
EDUCATION.
Little has so far been done in the way of Education in the New Territory. It has, however, been decided to build a school for teaching English at Ünlong, and during the cold season the attendance officer of the Inspector of Schools visited the whole of the Territory. An inquiry has been made regarding the schools at present in existence, and steps will be taken to bring them so far as possible under the Education Department.
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.
I attach a report* drawn up by Mr. Ho Nai Hop, Licentiate of the Hongkong College of Medicine for Chinese, showing the work done by the Medical Department in the New Territory.
Mr. Ho continued to reside at Táipó throughout last year, treating all Government servants for mild ailments and visiting the various villages from time to time. He treated 1,267 cases during the year, of which 961 were new cases and the rest were former patients.
Malarial fever was very prevalent in the rainy season. I append a report by Dr. Thomson and Dr. Young on the causes of the marked prevalence of malarial fever at Táipó. Dr. Thomson has also been examining and classifying the specimens of mosquitoes supplied to him from the various Police Stations throughout the New Territory, and his reports confirm what is now so well-known as the anopheles theory.
There has also been a great deal of dysentery amongst the Police stationed in the New Territory. This, in the opinion of Dr. Bell, Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer, is another form of malaria, as the malarial parasites have been found in the blood and have answered more readily to treatment by quinine than by the other drugs usually employed in treating dysentery. All cases of this disease admitted to the Government Civil Hospital are being carefully examined with a view to ascertaining the extent to which malaria is a cause of dysentery.
Free vaccinations have been performed by Mr. Ho, but only 78 in number. There are now 5 Vaccinators with a good supply of vaccine lymph in the New Territory, and it is hoped that the inhabitants may gradually be induced to abandon the practice of direct inoculation now prevalent and submit to be vaccinated in the manner in vogue in civilised countries.
HARBOUR OFFICE.
A station at Táipó in Mirs Bay was opened during January, 1900.
From the 1st January to the 31st of December last 6,140", licences, clearances, permits, &c., had been issued to junks at
Not re-printed.
↑ p. 25.