SECTION IV.
PORT HEALTH WORK AND ADMINISTRATION.
Reckoned in terms of shipping-tonnage, Hong Kong is one of the five greatest ports in the world. It is the principal commercial entrepôt of Southern China and it is the terminus of the Steamship Lines running between China, Japan, and North America.
In 1930 4,721 British ocean-going steamers and 7,749 foreign ocean-going steamers entered and cleared the harbour. In addition there were 9,578 river steamers, 6,326 launches, and 21,235 foreign trade junks. The total tonnage of vessels entering and clearing was 38,571,650
The Medical Staff engaged in Port Health duties consists of two European Health Officers and two Chinese Medical Officers.
The work of the department includes:
(a) Routine inspection of ships.
(b) Quarantine duty.
(c) Duty in connection with emigration.
(d) Vaccination.
The laws dealing with the subject of Quarantine and Port Health are contained in Table L of the Hong Kong Port Regulations, the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance and the Vaccination Ordinance.
During the year 6,236 inward bound ocean-going vessels were boarded by the Health Officers. Of these 2,363 were on the British register and 3,873 on the foreign register.
River steamers from Canton, Macao and West River Ports, also junks and small crafts were only visited when cases of sickness or death were reported.
During the year 165 special visits were made to ships for the purpose of examining persons suffering from infectious but non-quarantinable diseases. 87 permits for the landing of corpses for burial were granted and 42 bodies sent to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. Seven cases of leprosy were detected amongst Chinese passengers. Twenty-four Chinese lunatics and two European lunatics arrived in the Colony during the year. Bills of Health numbering 1,954 were issued.
QUARANTINE.
Hong Kong has no quarantine station for ships' passengers or crews. When segregation is necessary it is carried out on board ship at the quarantine anchorage. A limited number (26) of infectious cases can be accommodated at the Government Infectious Diseases Hospital at Kennedy Town but there is no room for contacts.