During the year 54 cases were sent to hospital for treatment, a reduction of 50 per cent. in comparison with 1908.
The following table shows a list of cases for the three years 1909, 1908 and 1907 :-
1909 1908 1907 Malaria 10 37 89 Dysentery 1 11 12 Beri Beri 8 16 0 Injuries 18 21 12 Cellulitis, Ulcers, etc. 3 7 12 Debility 3 3 3 Chest Diseases 2 4 Eye Diseases 1 2 Venereal Diseases 0 2 Alcoholism... 0 1 1 Hepatitis 0 1 0 Snake bite 0 1 0 Quinsy 0 1 Leprosy 0 1 0 Plague 0 1 0 Adenitis 0 1 0 Lumbago 1 Pleurisy 1 Rheumatism 0 1 2 Total, 54 113 146Thirty deaths took place on or near the Railway works, for the most part before aid could be summoned. As previously, many were old and decrepit individuals who wandered on to the Railway works in a very weak condition.
Dynamite explosions (misfiring) accounted for three deaths. The following shows the causes and number of deaths for the last three years:
1909 1908 1907 Malaria 4 14 14 Beri Beri 13 5 Injuries 5 2 Dysentery 1 3 Debility 2 1 0 Pneumonia 1 Poisoning by Gelatine Fumes 0 2 Small Pox 1 0 Plague 0 1 Phthisis 3 Total,.. 30 44 22One European was invalided from the Colony in December, the cause being Anæmia following successive attacks of Malaria.
J. W. HARTLEY, M.B., &C.,
Railway Medical Officer,
Kowloon, 1st February, 1910.