K 58-
The number of visits to the Out-Patient Department was 90,650 (70,843 in 1907). 37,847 were seen by the Chinese native doctors, and 2,803 by Drs. Jeu and Leung.
2,348 persons were vaccinated at, and in connection with, the hospital (1,405 in 1907). Vaccinations are performed by Dr. Leung Chik Fan, who attends at the villages named on Table IV for this purpose.
2,425 destitute persons were temporarily sheltered and fed, until they could be sent to their native villages or otherwise be provided for (930 in 1907).
1,258 dead bodies were brought to the Hospital Mortuary to await burial (696 in 1907). For purposes of registration, diagnosis of the probable cause of death is made in all possible cases by inspection of the body and cross-questioning of relatives as to the symptoms preceding death. Where internal examination is considered necessary for medico-legal or public health reasons, or because of contradictory statements regarding the fatal illness, such examination is made at the Public Mortuary. During the past year 131 bodies of persons brought in dead, and also 108 bodies of persons who died in the hospital, chiefly of persons who were moribund at the time of admission, i.e., 239 in all, were sent to the Government Public Mortuary for post-mortem examination (199 in 1907).
Free burial was provided by the Hospital for the bodies of 4,112 poor persons (2,756 in 1907).
Table III shows in outline the foregoing statistics, and reveals a remarkable increase in the work being done by this institution.
The Infectious Diseases branches of the Hospital were under the supervision of Dr. Moore throughout the year (see separate report page 45). The registers show admissions as follows:-
Plague Branch ................. 275 Small-pox Branch, 69Cases requiring operation are, so far as possible, persuaded to go to the Government Civil Hospital, and this is more easily done than in earlier years, few cases where such transference is urged by the Inspecting Medical Officer refusing consent.
Dr. G. Montagu Harston continues to attend at the Hospital on Mondays and Fridays at 4.30 p.m. to see Eye Out-Patients. 687 new cases were seen (487 in 1907), and 2,550 visits were made to this department. Of the new cases, 292 were Trachoma. 62 pupils were sent from various schools to be examined for this disease, and of these 44 were found to be cases of Trachoma, the remainder suffering from other diseases of the eye. 103 eye operations were performed, of which the following were the more important:-
Excision of fornix in bad Trachoma, 2 Snellen's operation for Entropion, ... 2 Jaesche-Arlt operation for Trichiasis, . 14 Hess's operation for Ptosis, 1 Mules' operation for Evisceration of the eyeball, 5 Extraction of Cataract, ....... 23 Iridectomy, 8 Irido-lysis for Glaucoma, 1 Pterygium, ... Paracentesis for Hypopyon or Corneal Ulcer, ... Tenotomy for Squint, ............. 1Some of the worst cases were taken into the wards and dealt with as in-patients, but the frequent congestion of the hospital, already referred to, limited the possibilities in this direction.
Table V is a classification of the diseases treated in the Eye Department.
Dr. Leung Chik Fan assists Dr. Harston in the ophthalmic work of the hospital, and acted for him during a short absence from the Colony.