Y
that we were thought anything but alarmists, exaggerating greatly what we have described to exist in the way of overcrowding, filth, and general uncleanliness in quarters of the town seldom visited by Europeans I have made these long extracts from Mr CHADWICK's report because his opinions are not generally known, few people having sufficient interest to read, even if they had the chance, this voluminous Blue Book That the Chinese are as anxious as any one for decency, cleanliness, and order is sufficiently well proved by the articles that have appeared in the native papers
The courtesy and good will with which we were received when visiting houses in the poorest quarters of the city, when I accompanied Mr. CHADWICK in his inspections, surprised him greatly, while making enquiries of the residents we were invariably offered seats, and frequently tea Such enquiries as we made would have received but scant courtesy among the poorer class of Europeans at home, even if we got off without insult and injury.
It is
I
89. Mr MCCALLUM furnishes a very interesting report of the analyses made this year something to know that the water supply from Pokfulum is good, but it needs to be well filtered think it is much improved by being well boiled before filtering The milk analysis is not satisfactory. Not only is it largely diluted with water, but it is very doubtful where the water is obtained, and the knowledge that numerous wells exist in the Colony, more or less polluted, and easy of access, does not allow the comfort of thinking that this mode of cheating is less injurious to our systems than our pockets.
90. Among the poison analyses the cases of drugging by Datura have cropped up very largely of late One man was brought into the Gaol suffering from the effects of this drug The prisoners in one case, after sentence, said that the Datura was the drug used, which grows freely in Hongkong, but they got the plant from the native herbalists, that they used Jasmine in the decoction they made, which moderated the symptoms of Datura poisoning and rendered the patient less noisy, though it increased the danger to life and must be used very sparingly and with care They also stated that a decoction of liquorice root well sweetened with coarse brown Chinese sugar was an antidote, and that if this was mixed with the decoction of Datura it destroyed its efficacy This no doubt is only a popular delusion. The effects of Datura are well known all over the East It is very commonly used in India for drugging in the same way as here, it produces an appearance of intoxication, and this effect is produced very rapidly and takes a long time to wear off, generally at least twenty-four hours
In the first stage the patient is talkative and merry, performing all sorts of odd antics, as the effects progress it causes profound sleep, and if used in a poisonous dose, coma and death. As the sleepiness passes off the delirium and antics occur again. The pupil of the eye is always largely dilated, and this symptom remains long after all others have disappeared In India it is also used to produce an appearance of insanity, the patient being kept under the influence of the drug for weeks and months
I have the honour to be,
L
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable W H MARSH, C MG
Colonial Secretary
PH В С. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
HONGKONG, 24th March, 1883.
SIR, I have the honour to forward the Hospital Statistics for the year 1882, with some remarks upon them
2. I was absent on leave for the first nine months, and I am therefore not in a position to make a complete report of the working of the Hospital for the year.
3 The work was carried on in the makeshift establishment occupying the buildings at West Point known as the old Lock Hospital and the new Lock Hospital, neither of them deserving the name of Hospital at all.
4 In my annual report for the year 1878 I enumerated the defects of the first mentioned building, and in 1880 I drew attention to the defects of the latter, then just erected. I need not therefore now dwell upon the structural shortcomings of the establishment, but it is only right to mention them in passing, as they add materially to the difficulty of carrying on the Hospital work.
5. The number of cases on the Hospital Register for 1882 is 1,543, 85 of which were treated in the surgery and dismissed These 85 comprised superficial wounds and contusions, with 5 cases of dog bite, 2 of gunshot wounds, &c
6 There were thus 1,458 patients treated in Hospital during the year, including 44 who remained in Hospital on the 1st January, 1882 Of this number 549 were Police, and the remaining 909 were made up of seamen, private residents, destitutes, prisoners, members of the Chinese Revenue and Customs Services, and officers and men from foreign ships of war
Y
that we were thought anything but alarmists, exaggerating greatly what we have described to exist 10 the way of overcrowding, filth, and general uncleanliness in quarters of the town seldom visited by Europeans I have made these long extracts from Mr CHADWICK's report because his opinions are not generally known, few people having sufficient interest to read, even if they had the chance, this voluminous Blue Book That the Chinese are as anxious as any one for decency, cleanliness, and order is sufficiently well proved by the articles that have appeared in the native papers
The courtesy and good will with which we were received when visiting houses in the poorest quarters of the city, when I accompanied Mr. CHADWICK in his inspections, surprised him greatly, while making enquiries of the residents we were invariably offered seats, and frequently tea Such enquiries as we made would have received but scant courtesy among the poorer class of Europeans at home, even if we got off without insult and injury.
It is
I
89. Mr MCCALLUM furnishes a very interesting report of the analyses made this year something to know that the water supply from Pokfulum is good, but it needs to be well filtered think it is much improved by being well boiled before filtering The milk analysis is not satisfactory. Not only is it largely diluted with water, but it is very doubtful where the water is obtained, and the knowledge that numerous wells exist in the Colony, more or less polluted, and easy of access, does not allow the comfort of thinking that this mode of cheating is less injurious to our systems than our pockets.
90. Among the poison analyses the cases of drugging by Datura have cropped up very largely of late One man was brought into the Gaol suffering from the effects of this drug The prisoners in one case, after sentence, said that the Datura was the drug used, which grows freely in Hongkong, but they got the plant from the native herbalists, that they used Jasmine in the decoction they made, which moderated the symptoms of Datura poisoning and rendered the patient less noisy, though it increased the danger to life and must be used very sparingly and with care They also stated that a decoction of liquorice root well sweetened with coarse brown Chinese sugar was an antidote, and that if this was mixed with the decoction of Datura it destroyed its efficacy This no doubt is only a popular delusion. The effects of Datura are well known all over the East It is very commonly used in India for drugging in the same way as here, it produces an appearance of intoxication, and this effect is produced very rapidly and takes a long time to wear off, generally at least twenty-four hours
In the first stage
the patient is talkative and merry, performing all sorts of odd antics, as the effects progress it causes profound sleep, and if used in a poisonous dose, coma and death. As the sleepiness passes off the delirium and antics occur again. The pupil of the eye is always largely dilated, and this symptom remains long after all others have disappeared In India it is also used to produce an appearance of insanity, the patient being kept under the influence of the drug for weeks and months
I have the honour to be,
L
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable W H MARSH, C MG
Colonial Secretary
PH В С. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon
GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,
HONGKONG, 24th March, 1883.
SIR, I have the honour to forward the Hospital Statistics for the year 1882, with some remarks upon them
2. I was absent on leave for the first nine months, and I am therefore not in a position to make a complete report of the working of the Hospital for the year.
3 The work was carried on in the makeshift establishment occupying the buildings at West Point known as the old Lock Hospital and the new Lock Hospital, neither of them deserving the name of Hospital at all.
4 In my annual report for the year 1878 I enumerated the defects of the first mentioned building, and in 1880 I drew attention to the defects of the latter, then just erected. I need not therefore now dwell upon the structural shortcomings of the establishment, but it is only right to mention them in passing, as they add materially to the difficulty of carrying on the Hospital work.
5. The number of cases on the Hospital Register for 1882 is 1,543, 85 of which were treated in the surgery and dismissed These 85 comprised superficial wounds and contusions, with 5 cases of dog bite, 2 of gunshot wounds, &c
6 There were thus 1,458 patients treated in Hospital during the year, including 44 who remained in Hospital on the 1st January, 1882 Of this number 549 were Police, and the remaining 909 were made up of seamen, private residents, destitutes, prisoners, members of the Chinese Revenue and Customs Services, and officers and men from foreign ships of war
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