1887-1903
HONG KONG 1902.
(B.) ASYLUM.
377
15
The Lunatic Asylum is under the direction of the Principal Civil Medical Officer. European and Chinese patients are separated, the European portion of the Asylum containing 8 beds in 8 separate wards, and the Chinese portion 16 beds. 120 patients of all races were treated during 1902, and there were 13 deaths.
OTHER GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.
The Prison, Observatory, Post Office, Educational establishments and other Government institutions are dealt with under separate heads.
VII—INSTITUTIONS NOT SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT.
Among institutions recognised and encouraged, but not to any considerable extent supported by Government, may be mentioned the Po Leung Kuk and the College of Medicine for Chinese. The Po Leung Kuk is an institution presided over by the Registrar-General and an annually elected Committee of twelve Chinese gentlemen, for the protection of women and children. The inmates of the Home receive daily instruction in elementary subjects, and sometimes earn pocket-money by doing needle-work. During 1902 a total of 617 persons were admitted, made up of 494 women, 93 young girls, and 30 small boys. Of these, 261 were restored to their parents or sent to charitable institutions in China, 27 were sent to missionary schools and convents, 19 were married, 10 adopted, and 310 allowed to leave. The Home is medically attended by one of the Colonial Surgeons.
The Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese was founded in 1887, for the purpose of teaching surgery, medicine, and midwifery, especially to Chinese. The Government of the College is vested in the Court, of which the Rector of the College, who has always been a Government official, is President. 76 students have been enrolled up to 1903, and of these, 18 have become qualified licentiates and have obtained various posts under Government and elsewhere. The institution is of great value in spreading a knowledge of Western medical science amongst the Chinese; and in addition to the employment of certain of the licentiates in the public service, the senior students have frequently been made use of for various purposes during epidemic seasons. A Government grant-in-aid of $2,500 is made to the College, to be used as honoraria to the lecturers.