M 53
SECTION IV.
PORT HEALTH WORK AND ADMINISTRATION.
GENERAL.
225. Reckoned in terms of shipping-tonnage, Hong Kong is one of the five greatest ports of the world. It is the principal commercial entrepot of Southern China and it is the terminus of steamship lines running between China, Japan, and North America.
226. In 1931, 4,884 British ocean-going steamers and 7,014 foreign ocean-going steamers entered and cleared the harbour. In addition there were 11,121 river steamers, 7,211 launches, and 21,821 foreign trade junks. The total tonnage of vessels entering and clearing was 41,933,748.
227. The Medical Staff engaged in Port Health duties consists of two European Health Officers and two Chinese Medical Officers.
228. The work of the department includes:—
(a) Routine inspection of ships.
(b) Quarantine duty.
(c) Duty in connection with emigration.
(d) Vaccination.
229. 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.
230. During the year 5,916 inward bound ocean-going vessels were boarded by the Health Officers. Of these 2,410 were on the British register and 3,500 on the foreign register.
231. 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.
232. During the year 203 special visits were made to ships for the purpose of examining persons suffering from infectious but non-quarantine diseases. 85 permits for the landing of corpses for burial were granted and 40 bodies were sent to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. Five cases of leprosy were detected amongst Chinese passengers. Twenty-four Chinese lunatics arrived in the Colony during the year. Bills of Health numbering 1,904 were issued.