CO882-6 — Page 26

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 882

6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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REPORT OF THE ACTING COLONIAL SURGEON For the Year 1871.

Whatever may be said against the working of the "Contagious Diseases Act" at home, there can be no doubt that in Hongkong the results are most satisfactory and valuable. In Table C it will be seen that out of 460 men admitted to the Military, Naval Police, and Seamen's Hospitals, 157 contracted the disease elsewhere than in Hongkong, and out of an average monthly number of 10,904, men in Port and Garrison, only 0.34 per cent. per month were diseased.

EXTRACTS from Special Report on Lock Hospital by Dr. R. Young.

5. A reference to Table A shows that the type of disease met with is more amen- able to treatment, from the fact that the average number of days during which patients were detained in Hospital has been reduced to a shorter period than has yet been reached during the past 14 years of the Hospital's existence. In 1870 it was 23.1 days, while during 1871 it has been 18.5 days.

6.-Tables B, C, D, E, and F show the amount of venereal disease met with in the Hospitals of this Colony, and the measures taken to prevent its spread. It will be seen on reference to Table C that in two-thirds of the admissions into the Seamen's and Civil Hospitals, the disease was not contracted in Hongkong. But for the Contagious Diseases Ordinance, there would soon be abundance of venereal disease in the Colony. I base this assertion on the fact that about 50 per cent. of those who for the first time submit voluntarily to examination are found to be diseased.

7.-I am frequently assured by Surgeons well qualified to give an opinion on the subject, that there is no place so free from this disease as Hongkong; and I am sure that when once the good that emanates from this Ordinance is properly understood at home, it will receive as much support as it now does opposition.

REPORT OF THE ACTING COLONIAL SURGEON FOR THE YEAR 1872.

Tables A, B, C, D, E, and F show the Statistics of the Hospital and the working of the Contagious Diseases Act in Hongkong. In Table C it will be found that of the 432 men diseased, 129 contracted the disease elsewhere than in Hongkong. The average number of men in Port and Garrison per month is 12,010, and the average of men diseased is only 0.29 per month. Last year the average was 0.34.

EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE COLONIAL SURGEON FOR THE YEAR 1888. Last year I reported the abolishment of the Contagious Diseases Ordinance, and the unexpected wishes of the women of all classes to continue the Medical Examination. This voluntary attendance has been, contrary to my expectations, wonderfully good and regular; but, notwithstanding this, the cases admitted to Hospital are of a much graver type.

The extent of the severity is well indicated by the average number of days under treatment, which has risen from 13.9 to 24.4, a larger average than has occurred since 1869.

At any rate I think it is well shown by these tables that the voluntary examination of the women is doing a great deal of good. We have much to be thankful for that they have shown so much sense, and it speaks well for the way the examinations are con- ducted in this Colony that they have caused no offence to the women.

EXTRACTS FROM THE STATISTICAL REPORT ON THE HEALth of the NAVY FOR 1891.

Foremost among the localities at which these diseases were contracted stand Hong- kong and Singapore, at which places a severe form of disease, frequently followed by constitutional symptoms, obtains. The medical officer of the "Egeria" makes the following remarks, "Concerning venereal diseases the amount of injury done by them is simply lamentable, more especially by syphilis, which, since the "Contagious Diseases Acts were abolished at Hongkong and Singapore, has become very prevalent and of a bad type, and which, if something be not done to minimise the evil, will seriously

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impair the efficiency of the service on this station, and do incalculable injury to inno- cent wives and children. At the present time, when the crew is mustered, it is deplorable to see so many fine young men whose constitutions are ruined and their usefulness in the service pretty well destroyed by this preventible disease; the number I know to be so diseased is quite alarming; half the cases discharged to hospital were sent for this complaint." The medical officer of the "Victor Emanuel" makes the following observations with reference to the disease at Hongkong: "On visiting the hospitals where Chinese women present themselves for treatment, the terrible ravages of syphilis are painfully impressive. Up to the time of their application for relief they have not been subjected to any kind of treatment, and the disease has played havoc quite unchecked. Our men are exposed to such risks, and out of a crew of barely ❝ 300 men over 50 have been about 700 days unfit to do active duty."

If

of

K

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(SURGEON SPRY, R.N., IN) STATistical Report ON THE HEALTH OF THE NAVY FOR 1895. With reference to Hongkong, "some of the most severe cases were contracted at this place. Venereal diseases are undoubtedly on the increase in this Colony, and the cases which come under treatment certainly show a larger proportion of the severe "form of the malady than was formerly the case."

*C

Disease,

Cases.

350

VENEREAL DISEASE ON THE CHINA STATION.

Invalided.

Dead.

Syphilis Primary Syphilis Secondary 155 11

Gonorrhoea

642 8

1,147 19

...

Total

***

(Average Strength, 5,000.)

Ratio per 1,000 of

On Board.

Days Sickness.

In Hospital.

Total.

Average Number of Men

Cases.

Bick Daily.

6,604 2,569 9,173 25-13.

70

Strength.

Invalided.

Dead.

Bick Daily,

Average Ratios for 8

years, 1887-1894.

Cases.

5.02 74.04

Invalided.

Dead.

Blok Daily.

-

5:38

3.64

7:45

31 2.2 3-28 38-732-571 2,462 3,540 6,002 16:44 | 19,944 3,852 13,796 37-79 128-41-627-55 123-51 67 119,010 9,961 28,971 79-37 229-4 3-8 2 15-87 236-3 3-25 1 16:49

LOCK HOSPITAL.

Showing the admissions into the Government Lock Hospital, during the 35 years of its existence, with the number of Diets issued and the Average Length of Treatment:-

Admissions.

Number of Diets Issued.

Average Number of Days Treated.

1858

124

1858

4,797

1858

43.8

1859

162

1859

5,389

1859

30-8

1860

361

1860

9,107

1860

23-7

1861

442

1861

10,778

1861

23+4

1862

485

1862

12,193

1862

22-0

1863

420

1863

11,707

1863

23.7

1864

422

1864

11,940

1864

27-0

1805

390

1865

13,303

1865

28-0

1866

406

1866

13,060

1866

28.6

1867

434

1867

13,120

1867

25:6

1868

579

1868

16,462 1868

23-6

1869

546

1869

16,799 1869

24.8

1870

722

1870

18,382 1870

23-1

1871

593

1871

12.308

1871

18:5

1872

656

1872

15,103

1872

20-9

Total

6,762

Total

182,448

1817

42

Admissions.

Number of Diets Issued.

Average Number of Days Treated.

1873

500

1873

11,219

1873

19:5

1874

345

1874

6,814

1874

18-4

1875

134

1875

2,916 1875

18-7

1876

168

1876

2,730 1876

14.3

1877

177

1877

3,069 1877

16.6

1878

105

1878

2,242

1878

19-0

1879

129 1879

2,149

1879

13.6

1880

57

1880

1,300

1880

14.7

1881

44

1881

1,330

1881

21.7

1882

99

1882

1,831

1882

15-5

1883

273

1883

3,451

1883

12-0

1884

325

1884

5,174

1884

13 1

1885

411

1885

6,161 1885

15.6

1886

401

1886

· 4,837

1886

12.2

1887

144

1887

2,014

1887

13.9*

1888

66

1888

1,616 1888

24.4+

1889

84

1889

1,540 1889

18:31

.1890

82

1890

1,660

1890

20-08

1891

80

1891

2,041

1891

25.5

1892

65

1892

2,392 1892

36.8

1893

63 1893

1,568

1893

24.8

18941

27

18941

884

18941

29.2

1895

1896

21014.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

No. 18.

GOVERNOR SIR C. B. H. MITCHELL to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received September 28, 1897.)

(No. 295.)

(Extract.)

•

[Answered by No. 20.]

Government House, Singapore, September 1, 1897.

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