Fevers.
The number of deaths among Europeans was 64, and the percentage to the number of residents 2.10; in only two of the past ten years has it been as low as this.
The rain fall for last year was 98.21 inches and the number of days on which it rained was 141. The heaviest rain was in July and August, 44.39 inches was the fall during these two months, it being nearly equally divided between them; 14.25 inches fell in April. It is owing to the heavy falls that occur in the Spring after a long drought as is generally the case, that we owe our freedom from disease, as the heavy down-pour serves to flush the drains and subsoil, and quickly drive out the impurities that have collected during the dry months; if it were not for this and the rain-fall was less heavy and only sufficient to stir up the impurities collected without removing them, the amount of sickness would be much greater, as there are no means of flushing the drains or subsoil but this. The greater part of the Chinese houses in the Colony drain only into the subsoil. The only means to meet such a contingency are improved drainage and greater supply of water. This year Mr. CHADWICK was sent out from Home, as Sanitary Commissioner, to report on the state of things in this Colony and was much impressed by these two great wants. That these are the great wants of the Colony together with a considerable alteration of the system of house building is his opinion, as it has been that of the Surveyor General and myself. The following figures will show what good grounds we have for forming this opinion.
Fevers.
Deaths among Chinese.
1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 Enteric 12 31 94 145 89 116 309 Simple continued 96 291 243 370 481 733 Typhus 2 8 33 21 38 Diarrhoea 16 195 231 288 259 311 === 125 701 608 348 435Deaths other than Chinese.
1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 Enteric 1 1 1 5 3 3 1 C 6 Simple continued 1 сл 5 00 15 21 12 Typhus 2 4 4 1 Diarrhoea 17 17 18 14 10 9 14 10 10 + 17There is one thing wrong about these returns, and that is Typhus Fever, there being no such thing as Typhus Fever here at all; it is I believe unknown in the East. Forbid it should ever come here, for we should never get rid of it again; the cases that are returned as Typhus should be Typhoid For Enteric Fever I think. But as the Chinese returns especially are very much mixed, and some of the Deaths other than Chinese are not attended by European Physicians, these may be considered only as regards the totals, the complaints having much in common as arising from bad water, bad drainage, bad ventilation, &c., and also much in common in their symptoms which may cause mistakes in diagnosis among the Chinese. What I particularly desire to bring to observation is the increase in the number of deaths attributed to these causes in the last five years, the last four years nearly doubling the number of deaths in the first four, especially among the Chinese. It is only during the last five years and especially in the last three that all China Town and a considerable portion of that part which before was occupied by Europeans has been built over with Chinese houses, all of them now three stories high, where before they were only two stories, and all built on the same insanitary principles that I pointed out eight years ago. At least two thirds of the Chinese quarter of the Town has been entirely rebuilt in the last eight years, and I do not believe there were a hundred three stories China houses in existence when I arrived here nearly nine years ago. I had the honour and vexation of shewing Mr. CHADWICK new Chinese houses which had not been occupied three months, in a disgracefully insanitary state, such as I venture to say could be found in no other town in the world under European supervision.
Fevers.
The number of deaths among Europeans was 64, and the percentage to the number of residents 2.10; in only two of the past ten years has it been as low as this.
The rain fall for last year was 98.21 inches and the number of days on which it rained was 141. The heaviest rain was in July and August, 44.39 inches was the fall during these two months, it being nearly equally divided between them; 14.25 inches fell in April. It is owing to the heavy falls that occur in the Spring after a long drought as is generally the case, that we owe our freedom from disease, as the heavy down-pour serves to flush the drains and subsoil, and quickly drive out the impurities that have collected during the dry months; if it were not for this and the rain-fall was less heavy and only sufficient to stir up the impurities collected without removing them, the amount of sickness would be much greater, as there are no means of flushing the drains or subsoil but this. The greater part of the Chinese houses in the Colony drain only into the subsoil. The only means to meet such a contingency are improved drainage and greater supply of water. This year Mr. CHADWICK was sent out from Home, as Sanitary Commissioner, to report on the state of things in this Colony and was much impressed by these two great wants. That these are the great wants of the Colony together with a considerable alteration of the system of house building is his opinion, as it has been that of the Surveyor General and myself. The following figures will show what good grounds we have for forming this opinion.
Fovers.
Deaths among Chinese.
1873 1874 1875
1876
1877 1878
1879
1880
1881
Enteric .................................
12
Simple continued........
96
Typhus.....
Diarrhoea
16
===
125
31
94
145
89
116
309
438
46
291
243
370
481
733
373
108
2
8
33
21
38
195
231
288
259
311
701
608
348
435
Deaths other than Chinese.
1873
1874
1875
1876 1877 1878
1879
1880
1881
Enteric.........
Simple continued....................
1
1
1
5
3
3
1
C
6
сл
5
00
15
21
12
17
Typhus..
2
4
4
1
Diarrhoea
17
17
18
14
10
9
14
10
10
+
There is one thing wrong about these returns, and that is Typhus Fever, there being no such thing as Typhus Fever here at all; it is I believe unknown in the East. Forbid it should ever come here, for we should never get rid of it again; the cases that are returned as Typhus should be Typhoid For Enteric Fever I think. But as the Chinese returns especially are very much mixed, and some of the Deaths other than Chinese are not attended by European Physicians, these may be considered only as regards the totals, the complaints having much in common as arising from bad water, bad drainage, bad ventilation, &c., and also much in common in their symptoms which may cause mistakes in diagnosis among the Chinese. What I particularly desire to bring to observation is the increase in the number of deaths attributed to these causes in the last five years, the last four years nearly doubling the number of deaths in the first four, especially among the Chinese. It is only during the last five years and especially in the last three that all China Town and a considerable portion of that part which before was occupied by Europeans has been built over with Chinese houses, all of them now three stories high, where before they were only two stories, and all built on the same insanitary principles that I pointed out eight years ago. At least two thirds of the Chinese quarter of the Town has been entirely rebuilt in the last eight years, and I do not believe there were a hundred three stories China houses in existence when I arrived here nearly nine years ago. I had the honour and vexation of shewing Mr. CHADWICK new Chinese houses which had not been occupied three months, in a disgrace- fully insanitary state, such as I venture to say could be found in no other town in the world under European supervision.
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