RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
90
No. 33.
year,
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The Colonial Surgeon's Report, with Returns on the sanitary condition of the Colony for the past
is published for general information,
By Order,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 12th March, 1860.
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.
VICTORIA, HONGKono, 25th February, 1880.
My first annual Report of the Sanitary condition of Hongkong refers to a year eminently healthy. Asiatic cholera, which proved a formidable scourge in 1858, has not revisited the Colony. Swall por, which recurs ench Spring and Autumn did not fail to make its appearance, and I understand that its ravages were considerable, especially among the native population.
In June and July an epidemic of ophthalmiis first appeared in the Grol and rapidly spread throughout the Colony, attacking both Europeans and Natives. It was of a very mild character and generally yielded to the simplest treatment
in a few days. It was difficult to assign any local cause for its appearance. The unprecedented drought at the commence- ment of summer, and the great glare and dust, consisting of decomposed granite violently blown about by the high winds, would naturally have suggested themselves as causes. I found however that the disease was equally prevalent at Canton, Amoy, and Foo-clow-foo, and even more so at sea and among the ships in harbour, than on shore. I am therefore inclined to attribute this visitation to some atmospheric influence.
In November the Colony was threatened by an epidemic of Diphtheria. Ten cases were seen, of which two proved fatal, and a third very narrowly escaped death. I understand that about the same time this disease made its appearance in Bombay, where at least one fatal case occurred in a school.
Diarrhæs, Dysentery and Intermittent fever, which are to some extent inseparable from a tropical climate, oscarred among us, but the cases were by no means so numerous or fatal as in 1858.
As it might be considered presumptuous in one, who has held office for so short a time as myself, to enter at any length upon Sanitary matters, I shall, as briefly as may be, append the usual Statistical Tables, making a very few remarks upon the Various Institutions under my professional supervision.
The following Tables I, II, III, and IV 'will show in a remarkable manner the extreme healthiness of the Police Force of this Colony.
Tables V and VI will show the nature of the diseases, and the result of treatment, in the Government Civil Hospital. The new building at West Point, first opened in July, is a great advance on the former building, which is now used as the temporary Magistracy.
Table No. VII, kindly furnished to me by the Resident Surgeon, Mr. Preston, gives somewhat similar information in regard to the Seamen's Hospital.
Table No. VIII exhibits the state of health in the Gaol, which it will at once be seen was remarkably good during the past season. Only four deaths have occurred therein in the course of the year: one previons to my taking charge; the second in the case of a woman, a confirmed opium smoker, who sank under the combined effects of chronic Hepatitis and Dropsy; the third from congestion of the brain, the result of injury, the death occurring almost immediately after admission; the fourth, ■ beggar, from starvation. Not one of those deaths therefore resulted from disease contracted within the building; and none of the Europeans have suffered fatally. From the date of my taking charge (in April) there have been seldom more than two Europeans or a dozen Chinese in Hospital at one time. The Chinese thrive amazingly in confinement and, after a few months' incarceration, are sent out fat and healthy.
As in all Prisons, a continual change of prisoners is going on. During the year the numbers were :———
Europeans,
Chinese or
Colored,
Females,
But the average number was only :—
Europeans,
Chinese or Colored,
Females,
Total,
615
1,817
52
2,484
52 185
9
Total,
239
Table No. IX gives the number treated and average duration of disease in the Lock Hospital. No. X shows what the Inspector of Nuisances has done since his appointment in November. No. XI gives the results of vaccination since ite successful introduction at the end of September, No. XII in a Meteorological Table kindly furnished me from the Royal Engineer Department. After another year's residence in the Colony and additional experience, I may be in a position to speak at greater length upon the sanitary condition of Hongkong,
J. I. MURRAY, M.D.
Colonial Burgeon.