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For those whose homes have been destroyed and who are destitute and homeless, we recommend that two courses be taken. Firstly, if found to be free from signs of any active disease requiring treatment, they should be housed in one of the Government camps; secondly, if requiring medical attention, such patients should be housed in a simply equipped and staffed section of the Tung Wah group of hospitals.
(g) Mental disease.
We recommend that the policy of transferring Chinese nationals suffering from mental disease to Canton and of Europeans and others to their various countries should be maintained.
We also recommend that a new hospital for mental diseases of about 150 beds capable of expansion later to 200 be erected on an open site where the different types can be segregated where occupational therapy can be used the project to start in four or five years' time.
(h) Leprosy.
As in the case of mentally afflicted, so with lepers we recommend the continuance of the wise policy adopted by Government of sending lepers to settlements in Kwangtung and of maintaining them there at the expense of this Government-providing grants-in-aid for the actual buildings.
We also recommend the erection of four fly-proof huts in the compound of the Leper Settlement similar to those built in a few days at the height of the smallpox epidemic in the compound of the Infectious Diseases Hospital adjoining.
The premises occupied by the lepers which are dangerous and dilapidated should be demolished at an early date.
(i) Out-patient facilities.
We recommend that out-patient facilities be improved in these ways. Firstly, we advise that a system of Health Centres should be established at different sites in the urban and rural areas and that, apart from public health and educational work, such centres should provide for the treatment of infants, pre-school children, school children, mothers, persons suffering from tuberculosis, eye diseases and venereal diseases. In the case of the centre at, we suggest, old St. Peter's Church, the possibility of a general polyclinic might be considered, alternatively, a new and enlarged out-patient department on the site of the former Government Civil Hospital would prove very useful. Secondly, we recommend that the out-patient departments of the Tung Wah group of hospitals should be improved both as regards accommodation and staff. These departments are largely taken up by herbalist "doctors" at the moment.
Treatment of casualties and emergencies.
We are of the opinion that, when funds become available for the purpose, it would be a definite advantage if a traumatic surgery unit could be organized.
Meantime, much can be done by the introduction of a system of casualty dresserships. Under this, senior medical students will be posted to the Casualty Department of the Queen Mary Hospital to see and learn how to treat minor surgical conditions, burns, scalds, fractures, surgical and other emergencies, and the like. In order that this scheme can become operative it is essential to provide sleeping accommodation in the grounds of the Queen Mary Hospital. We recommend that a students hostel be built to house nine students (capable of being enlarged as and when funds permit), and a refectory for about thirty students. Until a hostel has been built, the Director of Medical Services has arranged for a flat to be converted for the use of five or six students to be appointed to casualty dresserships.