The Navy returns 56 cases, as compared with 65 in 1875, but in both years the majority of the cases were contracted elsewhere than in Hongkong. The total number of cases admitted for all causes to the Naval Hospital was 147, of these there were 62 in which the disease was not contracted in Hongkong. In 1875, there were 177 cases and 82 were not contracted in Hongkong. Then it must be remembered that there were a very much greater number of sailors here this year than last, owing to the arrival of the Flying Squadron, and therefore the decrease of the disease is much greater than is made apparent by these figures, owing to the difference in the proportion of the number of men.
Among the Police, there were only 2 sufferers from Syphilis, as compared with 8 in 1875. Admitted to the Governinent Civil Hospital were 16 cases, as compared with 22 in 1875.
So that among the small portion of the community is shown a considerable reduction of disease of an hereditary nature, and this class of cases has been steadily diminishing every year. The working of the Ordinance then, as far as they are concerned, must be looked upon as a most decided success.
The number of Gonorrhoea cases remains pretty much the same, a little more one year a little less another, and but very few cases proportionate to the number of men.
The number of women taken into the Lock Hospital this year suffering from Primary Syphilis was 3, as compared with 46 in 1875, and the type of disease was of the mildest.
The health of the women in the Chinese brothels has been much better, and since my inspections and the regulations laid down in consequence for the prevention of overcrowding and for keeping the houses clean and in good order, that is to say, during the last two years, there has been no case of Typhoid Fever in the brothels. These places, which were among the filthiest, overcrowded houses in Hongkong, are now the cleanest, least crowded and inost orderly houses to be found in the Chinese quarter of the town.
HEALTH OF THE COLONY.
There has been a slight increase in the mortality among the European Community, the percen tage being 2.93, as compared with 2.34 in 1875. The accounts I have given of the Sanitary state of the town of Victoria makes it a matter of wonder that the mortality is so small, not that it should fluctuate in the way it does, increasing a little one year and decreasing the next.
The Metereological Table shows the greatest rainfall that has occurred during the last eight years, inches 103.35 having fallen. The maximuin temperature was as great as any of the past eight years, except 1873, when it was 91° as compared with 90° this year. The minimum temperature was 37°, the lowest it has been in the past eight years, except in 1871, when it was 36°.
SANITATION.
Table XIII shews the work done by the Inspectors of Nuisances, by which it will be seen that the number of summonses is much less than in 1875, but the amounts of fines collected is nearly double. The contractor for scavenging having been heavily fined for the negligent way in which his contract was carried out is the principal cause of the great increase in the amount of the lines.
The Honourable 11. E. Woprnouse,
Acting Colonial Sceretury.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
P. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.
Government Civil HospiTAL,
HONGKONG, 29th March, 1877.
Stu,- I have the honour to forward the Report on the Civil Hospital für 1876, with the usual Tubles of Statistics. The Hospital work is still curried on in the old ffôtel d'Europe and the adjoining house. The many objections to n con- tinnous occupation of these buildings for Hospital purposes was alluded to in last year's Report; and in the quarters especially, the defective nature of the accommodation lins been markedly apparent. The Superintendent had to go on sick leave in the autumn, the Apothecary suffered more or less, and at the present time the Storekeeper is laid up with fever.
The patients, too, on the ground floor of the miljoining honsa huve been injuriously affected from the same cause: the fever proving much more intractable than is usual under ordinary circumstaners.
Much thought and attention liave been bestowed in attempting to obviate the evils arising from the defective condition of the place, but with indifferent success.
The mortality has indeed been lower during the year, but this is partly attributable to the fact that in a number of futal enses ol' disensu and injury, the parimts have preferred to be carried fame to die,
The totul number of admissions during the year was 1,001, of these 10 wore moribund from various causes, and died within 24 hours of their sulmission. Of the 991 treated in the Hospital, the Police furnished 410, the remaining 681 boing made ap of seamen, privato patients, destitutes and prisoners brought in by the Police.
The total tubmissions firun the Police were fewer by 20 than in 1870, a smaller number having come from the Indian part of the force, viz., 209 instead of 260 in 1875.