M 51
CHOLERA.
The Colony is liable from time to time to cases of Cholera imported from the neighbouring ports of China especially from Canton and its district.
There can be no doubt that Hongkong is saved from epidemics of this disease by its very fine water supply.
In the year 1902 before the great increase in the capacity of the impounding reservoirs at Tytam an epidemic of Cholera occurred during a serious shortage of water.
The Chinese then obtained water from various questionable sources and nearly 600 cases of Cholera were known to have occurred.
The table below shows the numbers of cases of Cholera during the last ten years.
The following comments on this table will be of interest.
In 1913 the disease was prevalent in neighbouring coast ports and was introduced to the Colony by fishing vessels and Chinese cargo vessels mostly belonging to the villages of Shaukiwan.
In 1914 all the cases were imported.
In 1915 the disease was imported into the older portion of the Colony viz., the Island of Hongkong and the Kowloon peninsula, from the New Territory to which place it was presumably brought from Chinese Territory.
In 1916 of the ten cases notified seven were known to be imported.
In the year 1919 although only 46 cases were notified as Cholera it is highly probable that an epidemic of Gastro-Enteritis which caused 339 deaths was in reality one of true Cholera.
As the Colony had been free from any notified case of Cholera for two years it must be assumed that the infection in 1919 was imported.
During the summer of this year there were established depots for the free distribution of congee owing to there being a shortage of rice.
It is probable that the spread of Cholera and Gastro-Enteritis was due to infection of the congee so distributed.
In one case it was found that a Chinese coolie engaged in the work of distributing congee was also employed as an attendant on Cholera patients.
In 1920 five cases were known to have been imported.
In 1921 one case was known to have been imported.