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relating to deaths, the notifications of infectious diseases and the records of Government and Chinese hospitals. Judging from the death returns the health of the Colony was not quite so good as that of the previous year. The crude death rate was 22.90 per mille as compared with 20.93 for 1934.
2. Respiratory diseases accounted for 41.62 per cent of the total deaths, the percentage for 1934 was 39.97. The principal diseases causing death were broncho-pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchitis, infantile diarrhoea and diarrhoea. The overcrowded houses, the expectorating habits of the people, and poverty furnish sufficient explanation for the prevalence of respiratory troubles.
3. Pulmonary Tuberculosis.-This disease continues to rank second to broncho-pneumonia as the principal cause of death. It is probable that some of the cases of the latter were of tuber-culous origin. The total number of deaths was 2,237; that for 1934 was 2,179. The death rate per mille was the same as for the previous year i.e. 2.31.
4. There is need for more hospital or infirmary accommodation for tuberculosis patients, especially for those of the poorer classes.
5. Malaria.—Owing to efficient drainage methods this disease has disappeared from the greater part of the urban districts. It still persists, however, in the suburbs and in the rural areas. There are parts of the New Territories where the spleen rate is as high as 41 per cent.
6. Malaria not being a notifiable disease the incidence figures are unknown. The cases admitted to the Government Hospitals numbered 577 as compared to 457 in the previous year. The percentage of deaths to cases admitted was 0.86%. Among the Chinese Hospitals there were 811 admissions with a case mortality rate of 19.35 per cent.
7. The total number of deaths attributed to this disease was 400, giving a death rate of 0.41 per mille over the whole population. The low death rate is, of course, due to the fact that the great bulk of the population residing in the drained urban area is not subject to risks of infection. If figures for local districts were available it would be found that in some areas the incidence and death rates were very considerable.
8. During the year the Malaria Bureau continued its investigations into the life history, habits and carry powers of the local anophelines. The results obtained were both interesting and instructive. As in previous years there was no obstruction from the local Chinese, on the contrary they took an interest in the proceedings and showed their eagerness to be of assistance. The Chinese Inspectors have shown ability and zeal.
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