PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PLLC.O. 133
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Table I. shews the number of admissions into, aml deaths in, the Hospital, of members of the Police Force, during every mouth of 1868. -
Table II. shews the rate, per cent, of sickness and mortality of the Force during the same year.
Table III. kin-lly furnished to me by Dr. Robertson, the Principal Military Medical Officer, gives a comparative return of the health of the Troops serving in Hongkong, from which it will be seen that a marked improvement has taken place in the health of the Military: the death ratio not having reached one half of what it attained in 1865.
IT. THE GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.
Table IV, gives the number of admissions into and the Mortality in this Hospital during the year 1866, to which is added for the purpose of comparison the average number of a·Imissions and deaths during the past nine years.
Table 1. gives the rate of mortality in the Civil Hospital, during the same period, distinguishing the rate in the case of Europeans from Colored persons and Chinese.
Table VI. kindly sent me by the Resident Surgeon, Dr. Adams, gires information in reference to the Seaman's Hospital. It is gratiffing to tind a marked improvement in the death rate, following upon the opening of the magnificent establishment at Morrison Hill, for which the Seainen frequenting this port are entirely indebted to the princely liberality of one of our mercantile Erms.
In the Civil Hospital the absolute mortality has been a trife higher than it was in 1865. But as I pointed out last year this increase is rather apparent than real, for in the case of European patients the rate has actually been more favorable than it has been since 1862, while in the case of Indians it does not manchi surpass the average; it is among the Chinese that the great increase of mortality has again occurred, a mortality reaching as high as $3.53 per cent on the admissions. Such a frightful state of matters requires the explanation that, the great majority of Chinese admissions to Hospital consist of moribund or nearly moribund patients. Some of these I am led to believe have been put out in the street by those with whom they lodged, who are desirous of escaping the expense and other inconveniences attendant upon death in their houses, and are în this state picked up by the Police and brought to Hospital, where in half an hour or so death, ensues. As all cases of this description have to appear in our Returns it is thus that the result looks so bad.
Caler the head of Starvation there have been 35 admissions, 6 Indians and 29 Chinese; of this number 2 Endians amt 17 Chinese have died. The same explanation, which has been offered in reference to yellow fever cases, may also to a certain extent apply to those of starvation numitted to Hospital. I am glad to say that no European was admitted into flospital under this head, a result no doubt consequent upon the wise arrangements of the Government to which I referred last year. If therefore the 30 deaths from yellow fever and the 19 deaths from starvation are put out of consideration, the total number of deaths will be 60 only, which would give the wonderfully low death rate of 7.99 per cent on the 1,123 admissions. A result which, considering the utter unfitness of this establishment for its intended purpose, reflects great credit on Dr. Cochran the Resident Surgeon
III. THE GAOL
Table VII, shews the number of admissions into the Gool Hospital and deaths there during the year 1800, with the average number of admissions and deaths during the past nine years, as a means of comparison.
Table VIII. shews the rate of sickness and mortality in the Gaol Hospital as compared with the total number of prisoners and with the number treated during the year 1800.
The numbers imprisoned in Victoria Gaol during the past year, were:
Europeans Indians Chinese.......
695
104 .4,572
Total,..............5,461
of chain gang work which bad lately been adopted. It was however found that by punishing every case of well proved self indicted injury and compelling those who had thus hurt themselves to march down and break stones in some public locality, with boards specifying their crimes placed in front of them, what threatened to be an epidemic soon diminished and has now nearly disappeared. Of those who died the great majority refused to submit to amputation and perished from mortification or the extreme prostration of the system consequent on the great drain produced by the extensive ulceration.
In my last year's Report I referred to the system of public flogging and I håra seen no reason to alter the opinion then expressed. A more efficient whipping post would however be a great improvement. I have been present on every accasion when this punishment has been inflicted and have subsequently had the treatment of the men in Hospital and I have become very strongly impressed with the belief that a great improvement on the present system would be to cast the criminals a drift from the whipping post, to return to their companions in guilt, a terror to evil doers, rather than to take them into Hospital to be nursed for a couple of months, where they are too comfortable to be at all desirous of making a rapid recovery. It would prove much more deterrent of crime than long imprisonment or even repeated floggings. This suggestion applies all the more forcibly where the crime has been one admitting of branding the criminal previous to deportation, which might be accom- plished before the men are flogged. This admirable plan of tattooing a broad arrow on the lobe of the left ear, considering that it is never done except at the criminal's own request, has nothing objectionable in it that I can imagine. It is a painless operation which cannot affect the health.
The Establishment is a model of cleanliness, good ventilation and good management and reflects the highest credit on the Officer in charge.
IV. THE CONVICT HULK.
As this establishment was discontinued and merged into Victoria Gaol in October, as yet with apparently nothing bat good results, I need not do more than refer to Table IX. which shows the rate of sickness and mortality as Bone Cutter's Island, during the first nine months of the year.
V. THE LOCK HOSPITAL
Table I. gives the usual information in regard to this Institution. Much has been done in the way of suppressing pri vate and unlicensed brothels by the new Inspectors on their appointments, but whether from the first burst of zeal having be rome extinct or from the Prostitutes and their keepers being too sharp for the Inspectors, these spurts of improvement have been temporary only. No really thorough efficiency can be expected until the new Ordinance on the subject, which I believe
it is the intention of His Excellency the Governor to introduce, becomes the law of the Colony.
Table XI. is an approximative estimate of the mortality among Foreign Residents in Hongkong during the last nine Tears. The data from which it is compiled are furnished to me, so far as the number of Residents is concerned by the Regis trar General, and by the Sextons of the two cemeteries so far as the deaths are concerned. This table does not embrace Sol- diers, Sailors whether employed in the Navy or the Merchant Service, or those who have been buried from the Hospitals. From an inspection of this table it will appear that the death rate among Foreign Residents in this Colony was, as might well have been expected, very much below the average, lower indeed than it had been since 1862.
Table XII. gives the usual information regarding the work performed by the Inspector of nuisances attached to this De- partment.
Table XIII. Shews the annual mean state of the atmosphere during the year 1806 as recorded at the Government Civil Hospital.
J. I. MURRAY, M.D., Colonial Surgeon.
1.--POLICE
TABLE showing the Admissions into Bospital and Deaths during the Year 1806,
126
The daily average was 581,24, of which number 70 bare died.
EUROPEANS.
COLORED.
CHINESE
The following return is in continuation of the tables I have already given for two years, shewing the change in weight which European prisoners undergo after several years imprisonment.
The Monthly weight of EUROPEAN PRISONERS Confined in Victoria Gnol in the Fear 1866.
TOTAL TOTAL
MONTES.
Admissions.
Deaths. Admissions. Deaths, Admissions. Deaths.
Admissions Deaths.
NAME.
SESTENCE.
JANUARY.
FEDHUARY.
MARCH.
Arail.
MAY.
JUNK.
JULY.
AUGUST.
SEPTENDER
OCTOBER.
NøvrиDER.
DECEMBER.
TIME IN
GAOL
January,
13
February,
12
March,
7
April,
12
May,
13
Juar,.
16
July,
13
C. W... Life, A. J. W.M.
155
157 165 165 158
150
August,
11
..Life,
Life,
W. H.
.. Luife,
C. A.... Life,
A. B... Life,.
W. S
„! 8 years,
R. B... 10 years,
EM... 6 years, F. X.
13 years, W. D... 7 years,
125 124 130 131 152 153
R. B... 3 years,
J. K.
3 years,
151 170
145 150 150
169 152 150
143 148 146 143 133 144 140 145 140 135 135 142
144 142
142 157 100 161 157 149 150 154 151 167 167 168
167 165
167 170 360 139
138 140
157 133 132 132
130 130 ! 124 110
115 110 113 113
114 110 1201 127 125
122 142 121 133 140; 134 159 162 163 150
September,
17
145
1421
140
138
142
143
5
October,
19
November,
153
156
163 159
December,..
8
::_::_:::::
103
166 171
169
111 112
122
131 131 112 123 123
131
3
Total,.
151
2
355
88887288*983 | 3
31
NO ES LO DI DI 60 69 17 m2 601 -
98888399889= |
48
6
31
2
687
10
6:: bei come ::
112 3
3
135 131
126
132
132 193
139
162 164 162 151 153
160
158
104
165
155 133
140
145
147
174 173
P. N.
10 years,
143
W. C.
7 years,
132
T. J.
3 years,
141 146 143 144 141 142 143 147
133 131
13 132 133 138 137 139
155 155
148 147
148
Europeans.
Total.
2---TABLE akewing the Rats of Sickness and Mortality in the Police Ponce during the Year 1866.
AVERAGE STRENGTH,
Colored. Chinese.
TOTAL SICK.
TOTAL
DEATEL.
RATE OF SICKNESS.
RATE OF MORTALITY,
138
139 139
•
106 166
69
325
165
559
189 152
$ years,
B.
2
years,
96.08 per cent,
3-TABLE shewing the RATE of SICKNESS and MoRTALITY of the Taoors ærving in Honoono during the Year 1866.
1.78
537
10
per cent.
Another year of yellow fever, as I have already mentioned has gone far to swell the death rate. 533 Prisoners suffering from this disease were admitted into Hospital, of which number 32 died.
Extensive ulcers of the feet and legs terminating not unfrequently in death formed almost an epidemic at one time. 281 prisoners were admitted into Hospital of whom 16 died. This disease became so alarmning in its extent that His Excellency the Governor ordered an enquiry to be made by the Police Magistrates and myself, and the result of our enquiry proved these sores to be in the great majority of cases self inflicted, for the purpose of escaping from the, to them objectionable, system
• Transferred to Convict Hulk Royal Saxva.
↑ Discharged.
STRENOTA.
ADMISSIONS INTO HOSPITALİ
DEATHS.
RATE OF SICKNESS.
RATE OF MORTALITY.
White.
Black. Total. White. Black. Total.
White. Black.
Total.
237.833
3.445
846
288 1,132 2,076 614 2,800 27
12
39
per cent.
per cent.
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