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13. Early in the year the new Surgery for Staff was opened. Here consultations are given by M.O. starting at 9 a.m. An average of 5 patients attended daily. An Indian lady M.U. attends every Tuesday afternoon for the benefit of native Gynaecological cases and if necessary sees other patients (native) who so desire.
14. Public Health.
Malaria has been practically non-existent and not one case can be proved to have been contracted in the precincts of the Gaol. My grateful thanks are due to the Malarial Bureau for this, as they have kept the large area of rock pools well oiled. 157 sumps are looked after by our own staff under the supervision of the M.O. An area of seepage water in the precincts has been turned into gardens and drained and is, I believe, now safe. Anopheles mosquitoes are sometimes seen, but I believe these are carried by prevailing winds. This should become less likely in the future as the anti-malarial work has been extended in the offending areas.
Sanitation. The precincts of the Gaol are scrupulously clean, due to the efforts of a Principal Warder who has been trained by the M.O. He has a staff who carry out these duties in a routine method. Flies have occasionally been a source of much worry. Undoubtedly, here again prevailing winds play a great part carrying flies from the fishing village of Stanley about 800 yards away. On occasion, flies have been imported in manure to be used in gardens. An order now exists which should prevent this occurring again.
Disposal of night soil has proved a very difficult problem in the case of the Prison. A septic tank serves this purpose and on the whole has given excellent service, but in November it refused to function any more, being completely filled by a solid mass of matter. At present, the effluent goes straight to the sea. The reason for the tank refusing to function is due to abuse by excess numbers. The tank was supposed to serve 1,500 men, with presumably a margin of safety, but was until recently serving, in round figures, 3,000 men.
The number of prisoners in the Gaol, being nearly 1,500 in excess of what it was built for, means the breaking of all Public Health measures, inasmuch as many cells have 3 men in the one cell. This, combined with Eastern customs of passing stools when nature so demands, does not help to keep down disease (the men are locked up from 4.30 p.m. until 6 a.m. and all natural acts are performed in tins in the cells during this period). An additional source of worry from the health point of view is the number of cases which must be chronic carriers of disease so locked up with healthy men. Every endeavour is made to segregate tuberculous cases, but many mistakes must occur.
Water Supply: Owing to water shortage in Hong Kong, the Prison has suffered in common with the rest of the Colony, and this may be a factor in the upsetting of the septic tank. The hospital has certainly suffered very much, as normally most hospitals, even during restrictions, are not cut off from water supply. In addition, there was a further restriction due to the changing of the water main, where larger pipes were put in. The prison water supply comes from a reservoir of its own, and the hospital was of necessity cut off when the supply to the Prison was shut off.
General. During the year, the M.O. gave 60 systematic lectures on the principles of Medicine, Surgery, and Physiology to the hospital staff. However, this is really uphill work, and until intelligent, educated men are recruited for this service, it will be of very problematical value. A further series of lectures on Air Raid Precautions, Gas, and First Aid was given to the staff generally.
G. INGRAM SHAW.
Medical Officer.