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The engines arrived in the Colony early in the current year and plate-laying was begun.
The general health of the employees has steadily improved during the year under review. The number of cases necessitating removal to hospital showed a marked decrease in comparison with previous years.
The expenditure during the year was $3,365,860 making a total of $9,617,499.
VI.-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.
(a.) HOSPITALS.
Government Hospitals consist of the Civil Hospital to which is attached an isolated Maternity Hospital, the Victoria Hospital for Women and Children, and the Kennedy Town Infectious Diseases Hospital. The Small-pox Hospital Hulk Hygeia was sold during the year and its place will now be taken by the Kennedy Town Hospital. There is an Observation Station capable of accommodating 1,500 persons in the event of an outbreak of infectious disease in a ship arriving in the Harbour.
The Civil Hospital contains 150 beds in 20 wards. 2,384 in-patients and 16,981 out-patients were treated during 1909. 188 cases of malarial fever were admitted as against 279 in 1908 and 243 in 1907. The Maternity Hospital contains 6 beds for Europeans and 4 for Asiatics. 98 confinements occurred during the year. The Victoria Hospital at the Peak contains 41 beds. During 1909 219 patients were under treatment. Kennedy Town Hospital contains 26 beds. In 1909 2 cases were treated, both Small-pox. On the Hygeia 10 cases were treated of which 8 were Small-pox.
(b.) LUNATIC ASYLUM.
The Asylum is under the direction of the Superintendent of the Civil Hospital. European and Chinese patients are separated, the European portion containing 8 beds in separate wards and the Chinese portion 16 beds. 176 patients of all races were treated during 1909 and there were 26 deaths.
(c.) THE TUNG WAH AND OTHER CHINESE HOSPITALS.
This hospital, opened in 1872, is mainly supported by the voluntary subscriptions of Chinese, but receives an annual grant of $8,000 from the Government. Only Chinese are treated in this institution. Various other services not appertaining to a hospital are performed by the institution such as the free burial of the poor, the repatriation of destitutes, and the organisation of charitable relief in emergencies. Chinese as well as European methods of treatment are employed in accordance with the wishes expressed by the patients or their friends. About half the number are now treated by Western methods. The Hospital is managed by a Committee of