M 57
Annexe I.
KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
REPORT BY DR. W. J. WOODMAN, Medical Officer.
The number of cases treated at the Government Dispensary, Kowloon, shows a slight decrease on last year, but this is more than accounted for by a decrease of about 200 in the examinations required on engaging new men for the staff of the railway and by a large decrease in the number of prophylactic injections of quinine owing to the decrease of malaria amongst the staff in the New Territories.
At the Public Mortuary, Kowloon, 980 autopsies were performed. The decrease was entirely due to the comparative absence of plague and small-pox. (A statistical report of the work is attached.)
During the year 15,892 rats were examined and of these 76 were found to have plague; this is a large decrease on last year when 181 were found to be infected.
KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
The health of the staff both European and Asiatic has been very good throughout the year.
Malaria has been of much less frequent occurrence; Tai Po and Fan Ling Stations as usual furnishing the larger number of cases.
The treatment of malaria has been entirely by quinine mixture or injection as the provision of pills for the Chinese staff seems to have little or no effect.
There were no cases of plague or small-pox amongst the staff.
Leave of absence on account of sickness was granted on 157 occasions mostly for malaria or minor injuries.
The medicine chests have been kept supplied during the year and the Dispensary at Tai Po with a Chinese dispenser in charge is still in use.
During the year one fatal accident was reported to me and one passenger died suddenly at Kowloon Station.
KOWLOON AND NEW TERRITORIES.
There were fewer cases of plague and small-pox in the district this year; no cases at all occurred amongst Government officials.