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578. Pending the completion of the Medical Centre, it was arranged for the staff to sleep at Kowloon, spending the day at Shing Mun. It was also arranged for the Travelling Dispensary to visit three times a week and for a stock of medicines and dressings to be kept on the spot.
579. Every day, the lines were visited by the Medical Officer and the dresser, and any found sick were given treatment or sent to hospital. All cases of fever had their blood tested for malaria.
580. Instructions were issued that a daily statement should be sent to Medical Headquarters showing the strength of the labour force, the number of sick, and the causes of sickness, and the number of deaths.
581. The work of the medical staff was handicapped by the delay in the completion of the hospital and medical centre and quarters for the staff, which were only ready for occupation in October.
582. The labour force, which was small at the beginning, steadily increased until upwards of 800 were in residence.
583. From time to time, blood tests were made to ascertain the parasite rates of the various sections of the labour force. It was proved that a varying percentage of those engaged were already carrying the parasite when they took up residence. In such cases, there was often little or no external evidence to indicate that they were carriers, and the coolies themselves were unaware of the fact.
584. The following tables, compiled from figures supplied by the M.O. i/c New Territories, are interesting for comparison:
| Date | Race | No. examined | Parasite rate per cent. | Spleen rate per cent. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| September | Cantonese | 72 | 15.3 | 1.0 |
| | Shanghai | 100 | 12 | 0.74 |