The number of Police sent to Hospital in 1878, was very large; and in 1879, it was still larger. It is remarkable, however, that, while there were 29 fewer Europeans and 101 fewer Indians sent to Hospital, the Chinese part of the Force sent 135 more than in 1878.
From Table III it will be seen that the increase came principally from the Central District and Water-Police, and from Aberdeen. The greatest increase was from Aberdeen, whence 11 Chinese were admitted in 1878 and 61 in 1879. Of these, 52 were registered as cases of fever, and one of the latter, a severe case of remittent fever, was fatal in five days.
The Police were lodged in the Dock Company's premises from July 12th to October 2nd, during which period the largest amount of sickness and the one fatal case occurred. A representation of the extraordinary amount of sickness in Aberdeen was made to the Government in June.
The state of affairs at Aberdeen deserves the serious consideration of the Government, for every year a large number of men become infected there with malarious fever, and these men are more or less disabled for the rest of their career as constables, some of them, indeed, having to be discharged from the Police Force as unfit for further service.
The unusual number of Chinese constables admitted from the Central District and the Water Police probably arose from a variety of causes. First, the introduction of the eight hours' continuous duty, then the fact of a number of those infected with malaria being removed from Aberdeen to the Central District, and then overcrowding of the Chinese quarters and the unwholesome state of the Police Hulk,
The Chinese and some of the Indian constables complained very much of the lengthened hours, and I was at first disposed to attribute their coming to Hospital mainly to unwillingness to perform the extended term of duty. A more prolonged observation, however, has caused me to alter this opinion, for I have since found that while the Chinese ceased to complain of their long hours, there was a real increase of sickness among them.
Some of the more weakly men were recommended to be discharged from the Force, and it is possible that these having been replaced by stronger men, the strain will be less severely felt.
It may be that eight hours' continuous night duty is too much for the Chinese, but before a definite opinion can be formed upon this point, the men must be provided with more sleeping room. Great powers of endurance are not likely to be found in those who sleep in a vitiated atmosphere.
The total number of days spent in Hospital by Police constables was 5,381 as compared with 4,162 in 1878, and 3,391 in 1877.
Table V shows the varieties of disease among the patients generally, with the mortality from each. Fevers form a prominent item, but four-fifths of the fever cases were furnished by the Police. Venereal cases generally were much less numerous, those of Syphilis remaining about the same. Anæmia, usually associated with enlarged spleen, was more frequent.
Dysentery and Diarrhoea were less frequent.
Opium poisonings were about as numerous, and three cases of poisoning by mercurial fumes were recorded.
Contused wounds of the scalp were tolerably numerous, as usual, among the Chinese, resulting in most cases from blows with a bamboo.
Fractures of all kinds were well represented, and gunshot wounds were not below the average.
A case of parturition may be noted at the end of Table V. This was a Chinese woman, who was in need of surgical assistance. There is no accommodation for lying-in women in the Civil Hospital, and such cases are never admitted into surgical or medical wards at home.
There were 55 deaths as compared with 50 in 1878.
The receipts from paying patients amounted to $2,478.44; in addition to which the Board of Trade paid into the Treasury for the treatment of Merchant Seamen, the sum of $1,150.50, and Hospital stoppages for the Police amounted to $675.63.
The number of dead bodies brought to the post mortem room by the Police was 119, of which 39 were Chinese children; the latter mostly exposed in the street or on the hill-side, or thrown into the water to save the trouble and expense of burial.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
C. J. WHARRY, M.D., Superintendent.
PII. B. C. AYRES, ESQ., M.R.C.S., &c., &c.,
Colonial Surgeon.
A
The number of Police sent to Hospital in 1878, was very large; and in 1879, it was still larger. It is remarkable, however, that, while there were 29 fewer Europeans and 101 fewer Indians sent to Hospital, the Chinese part of the Force sent 135 more than in 1878.
From Table III it will be seen that the increase came principally from the Central District and Water-Police, and from Aberdeen. The greatest increase was from Aberdeen, whence 11 Chinese were admitted in 1878 and 61 in 1879. Of these, 52 were registered as cases of fever, and one of the latter, a severe case of remittent fever, was fatal in five days.
(
The Police were lodged in the Dock Company's premises from July 12th to October 2nd, during which period the largest amount of sickness and the one fatal case occurred. A representation of the extraordinary amount of sickness in Aberdeen was made to the Government in June.
The state of affairs at Aberdeen deserves the serious consideration of the Government, for every year a large number of men become infected there with malarious fever, and these men are more or less disabled for the rest of their career as constables, some of them, indeed, having to be discharged from the Police Force as unfit for further service.
The unusual number of Chinese constables admitted from the Central District and the Water Police probably arose from a variety of causes. First, the introduction of the eight hours' continuous duty, then the fact of a number of those infected with malaria being removed from Aberdeen to the Central District, and then overcrowding of the Chinese quarters and the unwholesome state of the Police Hulk,
The Chinese and some of the Indian constables complained very much of the lengthened hours, and I was at first disposed to attribute their coming to Hospital mainly to unwillingness to perform the extended term of duty. A more prolonged observation, however, has caused me to alter this opinion, for I have since found that while the Chinese ceased to complain of their long hours, there was a real increase of sickness among them.
Some of the more weakly men were recommended to be discharged from the Force, and it is pos- sible that these having been replaced by stronger men, the strain will be less severely felt.
It may be that eight hours' continuous night duty is too much for the Chinese, but before a definite opinion can be formed upon this point, the men must be provided with more sleeping room. Great powers of endurance are not likely to be found in those who sleep in a vitiated atmosphere.
The total number of days spent in Hospital by Police constables was 5,381 as compared with 4,162 in 1878, and 3,391 in 1877.
Table V shows the varieties of disease among the patients generally, with the mortality from each. Fevers form a prominent item, but four-fifths of the fever cases were furnished by the Police. Venereal cases generally were much less numerous, those of Syphilis.remaining about the same. Anæmia, usually associated with enlarged spleen, was more frequent.
Dysentery and Diarrhoea were less frequent.
Opium poisonings were about as numerous, and three cases of poisoning by mercurial fumnes were recorded.
Contused wounds of the scalp were tolerably numerous, as usual, among the Chinese, resulting in most cases from blows with a bamboo.
Fractures of all kinds were well represented, and gunshot wounds were not below the average.
A case of parturition may be noted at the end of Table V. This was a Chinese woman, who was in need of surgical assistance. There is no accommodation for lying-in women in the Civil Hospital, and such cases are never admitted into surgical or medical wards at home.
There were 55 deaths as compared with 50 in 1878.
The receipts from paying patients amounted to $2,478.44; in addition to which the Board of Trade paid into the Treasury for the treatment of Merchant Seamen, the sum of $1,150.50, and Hospi- tal stoppages for the Police amounted to $675.63.
The number of dead bodies brought to the post mortem room by the Police was 119, of which 39 were Chinese children; the latter mostly exposed in the street or on the hill-side, or thrown into the water to save the trouble and expense of burial.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
PII. B. C. AYRES, ESQ., M.R.C.S., &c., &c.,
5.
Celonial Surgeon.
Your most obedient Servant,
C. J. WHARRY, M.D., Superintendent.
A
The number of Police sent to Hospital in 1878, was very large; and in 1879, it was still larger. It is remarkable, however, that, while there were 29 fewer Europeans and 101 fewer Indians sent to Hospital, the Chinese part of the Force sent 135 more than in 1878.
From Table III it will be seen that the increase came principally from the Central District and Water-Police, and from Aberdeen. The greatest increase was from Aberdeen, whence 11 Chinese were admitted in 1878 and 61 in 1879. Of these, 52 were registered as cases of fever, and one of the latter, a severe case of remittent fever, was fatal in five days.
(
The Police were lodged in the Dock Company's premises from July 12th to October 2nd, during which period the largest amount of sickness and the one fatal case occurred. A representation of the extraordinary amount of sickness in Aberdeen was made to the Government in June.
The state of affairs at Aberdeen deserves the serious consideration of the Government, for every year a large number of men become infected there with malarious fever, and these men are more or less disabled for the rest of their career as constables, some of them, indeed, having to be discharged from the Police Force as unfit for further service.
The unusual number of Chinese constables admitted from the Central District and the Water Police probably arose from a variety of causes. First, the introduction of the eight hours' continuous duty, then the fact of a number of those infected with malaria being removed from Aberdeen to the Central District, and then overcrowding of the Chinese quarters and the unwholesome state of the Police Hulk,
The Chinese and some of the Indian constables complained very much of the lengthened hours, and I was at first disposed to attribute their coming to Hospital mainly to unwillingness to perform the extended term of duty. A more prolonged observation, however, has caused me to alter this opinion, for I have since found that while the Chinese ceased to complain of their long hours, there was a real increase of sickness among them.
Some of the more weakly men were recommended to be discharged from the Force, and it is pos- sible that these having been replaced by stronger men, the strain will be less severely felt.
It may be that eight hours' continuous night duty is too much for the Chinese, but before a definite opinion can be formed upon this point, the men must be provided with more sleeping room. Great powers of endurance are not likely to be found in those who sleep in a vitiated atmosphere.
The total number of days spent in Hospital by Police constables was 5,381 as compared with 4,162 in 1878, and 3,391 in 1877.
Table V shows the varieties of disease among the patients generally, with the mortality from each. Fevers form a prominent item, but four-fifths of the fever cases were furnished by the Police. Venereal cases generally were much less numerous, those of Syphilis.remaining about the same. Anæmia, usually associated with enlarged spleen, was more frequent.
Dysentery and Diarrhoea were less frequent.
Opium poisonings were about as numerous, and three cases of poisoning by mercurial fumnes were recorded.
Contused wounds of the scalp were tolerably numerous, as usual, among the Chinese, resulting in most cases from blows with a bamboo.
Fractures of all kinds were well represented, and gunshot wounds were not below the average.
A case of parturition may be noted at the end of Table V. This was a Chinese woman, who was in need of surgical assistance. There is no accommodation for lying-in women in the Civil Hospital, and such cases are never admitted into surgical or medical wards at home.
There were 55 deaths as compared with 50 in 1878.
The receipts from paying patients amounted to $2,478.44; in addition to which the Board of Trade paid into the Treasury for the treatment of Merchant Seamen, the sum of $1,150.50, and Hospi- tal stoppages for the Police amounted to $675.63.
The number of dead bodies brought to the post mortem room by the Police was 119, of which 39 were Chinese children; the latter mostly exposed in the street or on the hill-side, or thrown into the water to save the trouble and expense of burial.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
PII. B. C. AYRES, ESQ., M.R.C.S., &c., &c.,
5.
Celonial Surgeon.
Your most obedient Servant,
C. J. WHARRY, M.D., Superintendent.
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