Some new industries have been introduced into the Gaol, and very good and strong grass matting is now made by the prisoners, as well as capital coir mats and matting, for which orders are gladly received.
The solitary cells do their work well, and it is a rare event to see the punishment cells all full. Very few floggings have taken place this year; the cane on the breech seems to have made a great impression; its marks once made are never got rid of, but the men can now show their backs without advertising to the world that they have been Gaol-birds.
Altogether, the health of the Gaol has been very good; the greater part of the cases taken into the Hospital are men who were suffering from disease on their arrival in the Gaol.
TEMPORARY LUNATIC ASYLUM.
This is at present at an old house in the Hollywood Road which is fast becoming uninhabitable. I have heard nothing about the intended new Lunatic Asylum, although the money for it was voted long ago and the site chosen.
Six lunatics were admitted this year; one of them still remains in the Asylum, one was discharged cured, two were relieved and two sent home.
TUNG WAH HOSPITAL.
The total number of cases admitted into this Hospital was 1,470; of these 796 died, most of the admittances being moribund cases or incurables; 77,467 out-patients were treated.
Into the Small Pox Wards 128 cases were admitted, of whom 73 died, but it must be remembered that the majority of these cases were infants under two years of age.
The number of vaccinations performed by the native Doctors belonging to this Hospital in the city of Victoria and in the villages and rural districts of Hongkong, was 1,769.
LOCK HOSPITAL.
There were more admissions into this Hospital this year, 129 as compared with 105 in 1878, but the average number of days' detention was considerably less, being 13.6 as compared with 19.0 in 1878, showing that the cases were of a milder type. See Table XV A.
One Chinese unregistered woman petitioned for admission, suffering from extensive and numerous sores on the body and limbs, and having lost a portion of the soft palate from ulceration; she has been in the Hospital some six months.
The total number of examinations made was 10,991.
Only one case of Secondary Syphilis has occurred this year among the registered women.
To the Military Hospital 183 men were admitted suffering from venereal disease as compared with 188 last year; of these 14 were cases of Secondary Syphilis, 7 of which were contracted in Hong-kong, exactly the same number as was recorded in 1878.
To the Naval Hospital 293 were admitted suffering from venereal disease; of these 67 cases were not contracted in Hongkong. In 1878 only 221 were admitted, of which 57 were not contracted in Hongkong. The number of cases of Secondary Syphilis was 39, of which 16 were contracted in Hong-kong. Last year the admissions for this cause were 35, of which 11 cases were contracted in Hongkong.
So that there has been a slight increase of disease among the Naval Seamen, the number of cases among the Military remaining much the same.
Among the Police there were thirty-two cases admitted to Hospital as compared with forty-one in 1878; and three cases of Secondary Syphilis as compared with two in 1878.
Forty-two cases of venereal were admitted to the Civil Hospital as compared with ninety-eight in 1878; of the forty-two, twenty-four were not contracted in Hongkong, and of the ninety-eight, thirty-seven were not contracted in Hongkong.
The trouble is with the women of the boat population, and it is from these that most of the soldiers and sailors contract disease.
HEALTH OF THE COLONY.
Table XVI shows the rate of mortality among the European residents for the last ten years, and it will be seen that only one year in the ten bears comparison, as regards mortality, with 1879; 55 deaths occurred this year as compared with 49 in 1873; the next nearest year is 1875, when the number of deaths was 59.
Table XVII shows the work done by the Inspectors of Nuisances. $619.15 as compared with $2,111.83 in 1878; the number of notices issued, 10,000 in 1878.
The fines amounted to 6,000 as compared with
Page 105
Page 106