PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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SIR,
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Royal Naval Hospital, Hongkong, May 16, 1897.
IN forwarding the accompanying statistical table of Venereal Diseases occurring in the men of the Squadron employed on the China Station in the year 1895, in accord- ance with your memo. of 12th inst., I have the honour to remark that the information therein tabulated is derived from the "Statistical Report of the Health of the Navy for that year, the Report for 1896 not having yet been published.
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I would further observe that the mean force, corrected for time, employed on the Station in 1895 was 5,000.
To Commodore Swinton C. Holland, A.D.G., R.N.
G. MACLEAN,
Dep. Insp. General.
Statistics of Venereal Diseases occurring in the Squadron on the China Station in the
Disease.
year 1895.
J
Days SicknesA.
No, of Cases.
Total.
Ratio per 1,000 of Strength.
On Board.
la Hospital.
Syphilis
Primary Secondary
350
6.604
2-569
155
2-462
3-540
9-173 6-002
Gonorrhea and Sequelæ
642
9.944
3.852
13-796
70-0 31.0 128.4
Totals
1,147
19-010
9.961
28-971
229-4
SIR,
HONGKONG Committee to GENERAL COMMITTEE,
China Association, Hongkong, July 6, 1897.
In accordance with the request contained in your favour of 29th April, I have now the pleasure to hand you, in addition to those formerly sent, the accompanying documents having reference to the control of certain contagious diseases.
In calling these to your attention I desire to point out that the Local Medical Reports, though not consecutive, deal with a period of thirty-one years, and express the unanimous opinion of successive Colonial Surgeons (two of whom, Dr. Murray and Dr. Ayres, had each long and intimate acquaintance with the Colony, and a wide experience of the working of the Contagious Diseases Ordinances) as to the beneficial effects of medical supervision.
These reports speak emphatically, and are not less convincing of the terrible conse- quences brought about by abandonment of precautionary measures, than they are of the benefits which followed the enforcement of systematic control.
Previous to 1858, the year in which the Contagious Diseases Ordinances first came into operation, Hongkong had an evil repute as being a hot-bed of venereal disease, and of having developed syphilis of a particularly virulent type, which become known as "Hongkong disease," and, following the ordinary course of contagious diseases when left uncontrolled, was widely disseminated.
With the introduction of the above Ordinances matters gradually improved, and year after
year
there followed a steady decrease in the number of cases and in the virulence of the disease until 1888, when had almost disappeared, and Hongkong had become, in the opinion of both Army and Naval medical men, one of the healthiest stations, in respect to venereal diseases, in Her Majesty's dominions. Decadence followed the withdrawal of the Ordinances in 1888; and the records brought up to the present date afford the clearest evidence that as regards the prevalence of disease Hongkong has, in the absence of controlling influences, deteriorated to such an extent that the present state of affairs is scarcely less deplorable than that which existed in the earlier days of the Colony before restrictive measures had been attempted.
If, as seems to have been abundantly proved, good reasons exist why the Contagious Disease Ordinances should be reintroduced into India, the foregoing statements, amply corroborated by the medical reports to which your attention is now being directed, are conclusive that remedial measures for the protection of the community are as urgently needed in Hongkong as in India, and it is the earnest hope of the Committee that action in that direction will not be long delayed.
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The gradual change in public opinion in England, apparently largely due to the startling accounts sent home in regard to the condition to which the troops in India have been reduced by disease, seems to have brought a majority to the side of those who advocate a return to restrictive measures. It appears not improbable that a good deal of the opposition emanating from persons actuated by, no doubt, conscientious scruples will be withdrawn, and thus render more easy of accomplishment the self- imposed task of those who are striving for reform.
To those who deny the right of interference-the result, doubtless, of honest convic- tion, and for that reason worthy of respect-neither facts nor figures seem to appeal; but it is difficult to imagine that even they, however much they may consider the penal- ties attaching to the transgression of their code of morals only just retribution, will continue to much longer oppose a movement which has among other aims the protection of innocent women and children from the fearful consequences of contamination, the occurrence of which only strong measures can prevent.
The Committee are in entire sympathy with a movement which aims at the amelior- ation of the present existing state of things, and will be prepared to cordially support any steps you may deem it desirable to take towards the advancement of that object.
That the re-introduction of the Contagious Diseases Ordinances, not only in India, but also in the Straits Settlements and Hongkong, is imperative, has been so abundantly proved that the Committee consider it unlikely that the suggestion will any longer meet with opposition at the hands of Her Majesty's advisers. The effectiveness of the Ordin- ances might be much increased if, in view of the power possessed by even a single indivi- dual of spreading infection, more stringent laws were imposed as to the examination and segregration of women; but if the principle is admitted, such details may be safely left to be dealt with by medical experts.
I may mention that the two medical gentlemen already referred to are both in England-Dr. Ivor Murray, at present practising in Scarborough, and Dr. Ayres, resi- dent, I believe, in London-and would, if applied to, be only too happy to furnish you with any information it may be in their power to supply in addition to that contained in the reports herewith, and would no doubt be also willing to testify afresh as to the efficacy of the Contagious Disease Ordinances in Hongkong while under their observa-
tion.
It is intended to address the Governor, asking his assistance in the endeavour to bring about the reintroduction of the above Ordinances, and a copy of the letter will be forwarded to you when written.
F. HENDERSON,
Hon. Secretary.
R. S. Gundry, Esq.,
Hon. Sec. China Association, London.
COLONIAL SURGEON'S REPORT, 1861.
Table VII. affords a complete answer to those who think that the Ordinance under which this institution was established has effected no good. It will be seen that during the four years it has been in force 1,089 infected women have been segregrated from the localities in which they could convey infection, and that during a total of 30,072 days; or, in other words, supposing that every infected woman could only convey disease to one man during each day she was diseased, we have at least 30,072 cases of disease pre- vented-or, at all events, 30,072 opportunities of conveying disease have been prevented. The table shows further that the average number of days in which these diseased women have been under treatment has steadily decreased until it has almost reached the mini- mum we can look for. This proves the disease to be milder in type, and to have been arrested in its earlier stages.
COLONIAL SURGEON'S REPORT FOR 1862.
I must be permitted to hazard the statement (the data for arriving at which I have given in former Reports), that of the total sick, in all Hospitals in the East, fully 25 per cent. are afflicted with venereal disease.
1917
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