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the services of interpreters, who can assist the inmates of houses, where a case of infectious disease has occurred. Coolies are engaged and ambulances and dead vans provided in order to remove cases of infectious disease to the Infectious Diseases Hospital and dead bodies to the Mortuary. The Dispensaries receive sick infants and send them to one or other of the Convents and arrange for the burial of dead infants. Free advice and medicine are given and patients are attended at their houses. There are eight Dispensaries in existence. The Government makes an annual grant of $2,000, and the rest of the cost is defrayed by voluntary subscription. The Dispensaries are conducted by committees under the chairmanship of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
The Tung Wah Hospital, opened in 1872, is mainly supported by the voluntary subscriptions of Chinese, but receives annual grants from the Government amounting to $20,500. Only Chinese are treated in this institution. Various other services not appertaining to a hospital are performed by the institution, such as the free burial of the poor, the repatriation of destitutes, the maintenance of free vernacular schools, and the organisation of charitable relief in emergencies; Chinese as well as European methods of treatment are employed in accordance with the wishes expressed by the patients or their friends.
The Kwong Wa Hospital, opened in 1912, is situated on the Kowloon peninsula at Yaumati. About 50% of its expenditure is met by grants from Government and the balance by voluntary subscriptions.
The Tung Wah Eastern Branch Hospital, erected and equipped at a cost of over $300,000, was opened in November 1929. In 1930 two new wings were added costing $50,000.
These hospitals are now managed by a Joint Committee of Chinese gentlemen annually elected in accordance with the provisions of the Tung Wah Hospital Ordinance of 1890.