19. In 1874 the Colonel of Engineers informed me that, having quoted my reports on the sanitation of the Colony, a grant had been made by the War Office of a large sum to improve the drainage and sanitation of the Barracks, and to what was then done he afterwards attributed the improved health of the Troops in the two following years. Since 1876 the health of the Troops has apparently been going from bad to worse, until it reached the highest number of admissions to Hospital in the past nine years in 1881.
20. It would be interesting to know to what cause this is attributed, for the information furnished in Mr. CHADWICK's report of the sanitary arrangements in the Barracks does not sufficiently account for the sick list being nearly doubled between 1876 and 1881. Nor can it, I presume, be all laid down to inefficient working of the Contagious Diseases Ordinance.
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL
21. In my last Annual Report I referred to the condition of the buildings at present occupied by this particular Establishment. As I described them then, so they remain at present, but we have now brighter hopes of a speedy improvement in the state of things that has been so long grumbled at. The Superintendent in his report refers to his Annual Report for 1878 on the same subject. I wrote a special report on these buildings dated April 10th, 1879, also a special report on the proposed plans for the new Hospitals dated September 20th, 1880, which will be found attached to CSO2352 of that year, when the whole subject was discussed.
22. There is nothing new to be stated about the buildings at present in use as a Hospital; we can only wait and hope the promised improvements will not be long delayed. The subject of a Government Civil Hospital has been under discussion for fifteen years, the Colony never having as yet possessed a Hospital, but only makeshifts pending this discussion. The first building occupied as a Hospital was a most inefficient old Mission House, which was blown down in the Typhoon of September 1874; the next building used for the purpose (an unoccupied Hotel) was a decided improvement, but that was burnt down in the great fire, December, 1878.
23. The admissions during the past year have been more numerous than ever before. The following table will show the number and position of the patients admitted during the past two years.
18811882 Police.198549 Board of Trade,117116 Private paying Patients,193268 Government Servants,6788 Police Cases,139207 Destitutes,...222230 1,2361,45824. The admissions from the Police show an increase of 51 compared with 1881. Government Servants an increase of 21. This represents a considerable loss in money and services to the Colony. Police Cases and Destitutes have more than doubled their numbers since 1880, when their numbers were 101 and 107 respectively; these also represent incumbrances and loss to the Colony. Against these may be placed the Board of Trade and private paying Patients, who a little more than pay their expenses.
25. In 1881 the influx of European loafers and Chinese beggars reached its present height. The European loafer is a terrible nuisance. Left on the beach without money or clothes, he wanders about the streets and sleeps on the hill sides; plenty of good-natured people give him drink, but he gets very little food. A short time of this lands him either in the Hospital as a destitute or a Police Case, or in the Gaol as a vagabond. Dismissed from either, he has only the streets to go to, and soon turns up in one or other establishments again, the Hospital for choice. He cannot get work (though he does not exert himself much in trying) because he soon becomes well known in the Colony. There is great difficulty for him in getting away from the place, for there are always plenty of applicants of better character for berths on board ship, and if he knows nothing of sea-going work, his chance of getting away at all is very poor, and depends entirely on the efforts of the charitable of the Community. So there are a number now in the Colony who have for years been taking alternate spells in the streets, Hospital, and Gaol, and it is perfectly astonishing how well they wear under the circumstances. With the Chinese beggars, the life is similar, with the difference that they go to the Tung Wa Hospital instead of to the Government Civil Hospital.
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19. In 1874 the Colonel of Engineers informed me that, having quoted my reports on the sanitation of the Colony, a grant had been made by the War Office of a large sum to improve the drainage and sanitation of the Barracks, and to what was then done he afterwards attributed the improved health of the Troops in the two following years Since 1876 the health of the Troops has apparently been going from bad to worse, until it reached the highest number of admissions to Hospital in the past nine years in 1881
20 It would be interesting to know to what cause this is in Mr CHADWICK's report of the sanitary arrangements in the for the sick list being nearly doubled between 1876 and 1881 to mefficient working of the Coiltagious Diseases Ordinance
attributed, for the information furnished Barracks does not sufficiently account Nor can it I presume be all laid down
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPTI AL
21 In my last Annual Report I referred to the condition of the buildings at present occupied by this particular Establishment. As I described them then so they remain at present, but we have now brighter hopes of a speedy improvement in the state of things that has been so long grumbled at The Superintendent in his report refers to his Annual Report for 1878 on the same subject I wrote a special report on these buildings dated April 10th, 1879, also a special report on the proposed plans for the new Hospitals dated September 20th, 1880, which will be found attached to CSO 2352 of that year, when the whole subject was discussed
22 There is nothing new to be stated about the buildings at present in use as a Hospital, we can only wait and hope the promised improvements will not be long delayed The subject of a Govern ment Civil Hospital has been under discussion for ifteen years, the Colony never having as yet possessed a Hospital, but only makeshifts pending this discussion The first building occupied as a Hospital was a most inefficient old Mission House which was blown down in the Typhoon of September 1874, the next building used for the purpose, (an unoccupied Hotel) was a decided improvement, but that was burnt down in the great fire, December, 1878
23 The admissions during the past year have been more numerous than ever before The following table will shew the number and position of the patients admitted during the past two years
Police.
Board of Trade,
Private paying Patients,
Government Servants,
Police Cases,
Destitutes,...
1881
1882
198
549
117
116
193
268
67
88
139
207
222
230
1,236
1,458
24. The admissions from the Police shew an increase of 51 compared with 1881 Government Servants an increase of 21. This represents a considerable loss in money and services to the Colony. Police Cases and Destitutes have more than doubled their numbers since 1880, when their numbers were 101 and 107 respectively, these also represent incumbrances and loss to the Colony. Against these may be placed the Board of Trade and private paying Patients who a little more than pay their expenses.
25. In 1881 the influx of European loafers and Chinese beggars reached its present height. The European loafer is a terrible nuisance Left on the beach without money or clothes, he wanders about the streets and sleeps on the hill sides, plenty of good natured people give him drink, but he gets very little food, a short time of this lands him either in the Hospital as a destitute or a Police Case, or in the Gaol as a vagabond. Dismissed from either, he has only the streets to go to, and soon turns up in one or other establishments again, the Hospital for choice. He cannot get work (though he does not exert himself much in trying) because he soon becomes well known in the Colony There is great difficulty for him in getting away from the place, for there are always plenty of applicants of better character for berths on board ship, and if he knows nothing of sea-going work his chance of getting away at all is very poor, and depends entirely on the efforts of the charitable of the Community So there are a number now in the Colony who have for years been taking alternate spells in the streets, Hospital, and Gaol, and it is perfectly astonishing how well they wear under the circumstances With the Chinese beggars the life is similar, with the difference that they go to the Tung Wa Hospital instead of to the Government Civil Hospital
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