- K 52
Annexe H.
KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
REPORT BY DR. J. W. HARTLEY, Medical Officer.
Staff.
Mr. Naidu has been stationed at North Face Camp, Beacon Hill Tunnel, throughout the year.
Dr. Chan Tsan Kun was Assistant Medical Officer at Taipokau until the 5th April, when he was transferred to the Bacteriological Institute in Hongkong and his place was taken by Mr. Lam Yun Hae who remained until the end of June when the post was abolished.
Mr. Kelly has superintended the Sanitary Work in the Camps along the line.
At each of the three Dispensaries, Kowloon Chai, Shatin and Taipokau, a Chinese dresser has been on duty, day and night, and from each Dispensary an Indian Foreman has made a daily round of coolie quarters on his section, issuing quinine, etc., to those in need and bringing in or reporting cases requiring medical attendance.
Quinine pills were issued daily to coolies whenever practicable during the months of June, July, August, September and October.
As the population was such a shifting one, it was impossible to carry out the regular issuing of quinine with any degree of thoroughness.
Coolie lines and all drains were regularly cleansed with disinfectant fluids throughout the year.
Camps are all supplied with Sanitary Dust Bins and Refuse has been burnt daily.
Pools of water which afforded harbour for mosquitoes and which for one reason or another could not be drained, have been regularly treated with kerosine oil.
The general health of the Railway employees has shown a steady improvement; there was a decrease in the number of entries from Malarial Fever and Dysentery in spite of the fact that a much greater proportion of the sick men came forward for Western treatment than formerly.
There was an increase under the heading of "Injuries" but the cases were for the most part slight, very few being serious enough to necessitate hospital treatment.
Beri-beri still causes a fair amount of sickness and several deaths have occurred from this cause, some with remarkable rapidity.
In November four coolies died at Kowloon Chai on four successive days, three of the deaths taking place in the same room.
The coolies had apparently been in fairly good health, at any rate they had been working as usual when they suddenly