M 89
457. Very little information is available concerning either disease incidence or mortality in former years. There have been no registrations of deaths and no notifications of disease and the only records are those of the two dispensaries mentioned above,
458. The reasons for not taking further action with regard to both prevention and care appear to have been :-
(a) lack of information regarding the existence of disease. (b) prevalence of the idea that the people are unwilling to accept relief in the form of Western medicine,
(c) avoidance of interference with old established customs and habits.
The Position during 1931.
459. The Committee appointed by Government in the previous year submitted its report.
460. During the year medical relief was distributed by the Medical Department, the St. John Ambulance Brigade and the New Territories Medical Benevolent Society.
461. The Medical Department staff was as follows:-
1 European M.O. (part time), resident at Kowloon. 1 Chinese M.O. resident at Tai Po.
Un Long. 1 Dresser " 1 Midwife Tai Po. 1 Un Long. 1 Tsun Wan. "" 37 " 1 Cheung Chau. 27462. There is a dispensary at Tai Po and another at Un Long in the Northern District. There are no dispensaries in the Southern District,
463. The Medical Officer visited all the villages of any size both in the Northern District and the Southern District to investigate the position obtaining in each and to form an opinion as to the need for medical attention. As a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade he joined in the work being carried out by that body.
464. The Chinese Medical Officer as in former years confined his attention to dispensary work, only going afield when his services were requested.
465. The midwives, who work under the supervision of the Supervisor of Midwives, performed their duties in their respective districts.
466. The St. John Ambulance Brigade provided a travelling motor dispensary and established two full-time first aid stations in the Northern District, one at the ancient walled village of