L 62
Annexe I.
KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
REPORT BY DR. J. T. SMALLEY, Medical Officer.
The number of cases treated at the Government Dispensary, Kowloon, shows an increase of 1,645 over the figures for 1913, a satisfactory feature being a steady increase in the number of Chinese females and children who have come up for treatment.
The Report on the Public Mortuary, Kowloon, with statistics (which is attached) shows an increase of 201 post mortems as compared with the previous year, mainly due to an outbreak of Plague.
During the year 18,943 rats were sent to the Mortuary for examination by the Medical Officer, 181 of these were found to be Plague-infected. These figures show a decrease of 2,521 on the number of rats examined and an increase of 136 in the number of Plague-infected as compared with the figures for 1913.
Mr. P. D. R. Naidu acted as Assistant to the Medical Officer throughout the year and performed his duties well.
KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
The health of the European Staff has been very good. The Chinese and Indian Staff were largely increased in connection with the new night service to Canton. As a result of this and also on account of the amount of Malaria in the New Territories there was a considerable increase in the number of Railway servants treated.
On account of this increase in the Staff I had 280 men sent to the Dispensary for physical examination, as the vast majority of these men had to have their sight and colour vision tested as well as their ability to read the rules of their particular posts, the amount of work entailed was very considerable.
Leave of absence on account of sickness was granted on 248 occasions as compared with 160 in 1913. Five cases of Bubonic Plague occurred amongst the Chinese Staff.
Malaria was very rife during the year in the New Territories, so just before the onset of each Malarial period—June and October—we had recourse to prophylactic injections of Quinine. 379 such injections were given (always on the gluteal region) and on no occasion did any inflammatory trouble ensue. The average dose employed was Quin. Bihydrochlor gr. xii. I completely gave up giving pills to the Chinese Staff, employing only injections and Quinine mixture and on many occasions enforcing daily visits to the Dispensary to ensure the dose of the latter being taken.