VICTORIA GAOL.
32. The number of prisoners admitted to Gaol this year was nearly as many as in 1882, and the daily average, about 60 less than in 1882, is still high, as the following figures shew.
Total No. of Prisoners admitted to Gaol.
Daily average No. of Prisoners.
1874, 3,645 350.04 1875, 4,023 374.06 1876, 4,062 432.60 1877, 3,964 395.22 1878, 3,803 519.22 1879, 3,665 576.13 1880, 3,530 575.25 1881, 4,150 666.00 1882, 3,498 622.00 1883, 3,486 542.1533. This shews a slight improvement for the last two years. The number of sick admitted to the Gaol Hospital during the year is still large when the accommodation provided for them is considered, which is chiefly owing, as I have before reported, to the number of vagabonds and destitutes that have of late years invaded the Colony, both European and Chinese.
34. Table IX shews the causes of admission to the Gaol Hospital. Many of the patients are in such a debilitated state from starvation and exposure that they spend the whole of their time in Hospital, some also suffering from horrible sores. Table X shews the cases treated in the cells. Besides these there are numerous petty complainants who, together with malingerers and others are brought up every morning for examination, or to be passed for punishment, averaging about 50 daily.
There were five deaths in the Gaol this year. Two were sudden deaths and one suicide. Table XI shews the rate of sickness and deaths in the Gaol for the year 1883.
Table XIa shews the number admitted into the Gaol Hospital immediately after their sentence. The Europeans were mostly cases of excessive drinking verging on Delirium Tremens. Table XIb shews the nature of their complaints.
Table XIc gives a list of the Opium Smokers received into Gaol reporting themselves as smoking half a mace of Opium and upwards daily. It also gives their ages, number of years they have been habituated to the use of the drug, weight on admission, and for the four following weeks. The weights on admission I think have not been kept quite accurately in some cases. None of the cases admitted to Hospital are from causes directly attributable to Opium Smoking that I can see, and none of them suffered from deprivation of the drug.
35. The reports of the treatment of Opium Smokers in the Gaol and the deductions I have made therefrom, appear to have created some discussion. The Anti-opium League especially seems to be interested in the matter. I could wish, however, that in their criticisms they would quote me correctly, as I am made to say, that Medical Missionaries are easily bamboozled. What I did say was that a Physician in a China Hospital, where the attendance is at least not so good as in European Hospitals, might easily be bamboozled by the Opium Smoker. I never made any sort of reference to Missionaries. There are few Physicians of any standing, I should think, but could tell tales of how they have been deceived by patients, and if such a man as the late Sir THOMAS WATSON can relate amusing anecdotes of how he has been imposed upon by Hospital patients, I presume it allowable to infer that Medical men of less gigantic intellect are not infallible, especially when in charge of Hospitals where the attendance is not so good as in England.
The experiments made by Mr. McCALLUM and reported in the China Review were as follows:- To an Opium Expert was given four samples of Opium-
No. 1. Ordinary Opium as prepared at the Hongkong Opium Farm. No. 2. Prepared Opium, minus Morphine. No. 3. Prepared Opium from the Opium Farm with 10 per cent of Morphine added. No. 4. Prepared Opium from the Opium Farm with 15 per cent of Morphine added.The Opium Expert reported as follows-
No. 1 is fairly good; is a mixture of Bengal Opium and something else. No. 2 is black, coarse, smells fairly good; is not Opium. No. 3 is coarse, but can be smoked; contains Opium with some other mixture. Is not so good as No. 1. No. 4 is very coarse and black, burns like charcoal, and contains no Opium.