M 89
(c.)-QUARANTINE DUTY.
This involves the special examinations of all vessels arriving from an infected port, as well as of all vessels having any suspicion of an infectious disease on board and whether from an infected port or not. Such vessels are examined on entering the quarantine anchorage.
During the year 5 vessels were detained in quarantine as under:
Small-pox, 3 vessels.
Cholera, 2*
The river steamer On Lee reported a case of small-pox while in port and alongside the wharf. This vessel was not detained in quarantine but was attended to at the wharf where she was disinfected and all hands vaccinated. S.S. Telemachus arrived on the 10th August from Kung Koo Bay near Saigon with a salvage crew on board. Four of these men died during the voyage while nine others were sent into hospital having symptoms somewhat simulating cholera but bacteriological examination gave the diagnosis of malignant malaria.
Macao was declared an infected port by Hongkong on the 14th August for cholera but no case was detected among the arrivals from that Colony. The restrictions were removed on the 2nd September.
All Japanese ports were declared infected with cholera from September 10th to December 9th. The epidemic was rather a sharp one as the figures in Table V show.
Manila also was declared infected with cholera on the 2nd September and has continued so at the end of the year 1916.
Table IV gives the number of ships detained in quarantine with the causes, dates, and periods of detention.
Table V is a rather interesting compilation of the infectious diseases prevailing in neighbouring ports and show where the dangers to Hongkong lie. These figures have been compiled from notifications received from the Principal Civil Medical Officer during the year.