K 19
When a Plague-infected rat is found in one of these bins men are specially detailed to fill up all rat-runs in the houses adjoining such bin, rat poison is offered to all the neighbouring householders, and special attention is paid to the integrity of all gratings for the exclusion of rats from the houses.
In addition to the foregoing special measures rat poison and traps are distributed throughout the year to all householders on application, and the Chinese generally are encouraged to keep cats in their houses and godowns, while a special rat-poisoning campaign is instituted just before the onset of the usual epidemic season, i.e., during January, February and March.
Throughout the year there is also a continuous house-to-house cleansing of native dwellings with a view to the removal of all rubbish which may serve as nesting places for rats, while the floors and skirtings are washed with a one per cent. solution of kerosene emulsion to destroy fleas and other vermin.
During the year 60,113 rats were caught or found dead in the City of Victoria and 16,022 in Kowloon. Those from the City were examined by the Government Bacteriologist at the Public Mortuary and those in Kowloon by Dr. Pearse, the Assistant Medical Officer of Health, with the result that 399 of those from the City and 108 of those from Kowloon were found to be infected with Plague. It is somewhat remarkable that throughout the whole year there was a marked preponderance of female over male rats caught, the numbers for the City being 28,946 males and 31,167 females.
Table III shows the monthly distribution of the Plague-infected rats during the year.
Typhoid Fever.
The number of cases of this disease during the year was 75 as compared with 38 during 1908 and 66 in 1907: 23 of the cases were imported, namely, 14 Europeans, 5 Chinese, 3 Indians and 1 Japanese. The cases of European or American nationality numbered 27, while the Chinese cases numbered 35, and 13 cases occurred amongst the other Asiatic races in the Colony. Seven of the European cases, three of the "other Asiatic" cases and 23 of the Chinese cases died. The case mortality among the European cases was therefore 26 per cent.
In most of the cases of Typhoid Fever that occur in this Colony the infection is probably contracted by eating salads of raw vegetables, which have been grown in Chinese market-gardens, where it is customary to water and manure the plants with diluted human excreta—both urine and nightsoil. Residents in the Far East should carefully avoid such articles of food as water-cress, lettuce, etc., in view of this danger of contracting Typhoid Fever, Cholera or Intestinal Parasites, all of which diseases may be conveyed in this manner. Oysters from neighbouring Chinese ports are also occasionally the source of infection.
J
K 19
When a Plague-infected rat is found in one of these bins men are specially detailed to fill up all rat-runs in the houses adjoining such bin, rat poison is offered to all the neighbouring householders, and special attention is paid to the integrity of all gratings for the exclusion of rats from the houses.
In addition to the foregoing special measures rat poison and traps are distributed throughout the year to all householders on application, and the Chinese generally are encouraged to keep cats in their houses and godowns, while a special rat-poisoning campaign is instituted just before the onset of the usual epidemic season, i.e., during January, February and March.
Throughout the year there is also a continuous house to house. cleansing of native dwellings with a view to the removal of all rubbish which may serve as nesting places for rats, while the floors and skirtings are washed with a one per cent. solution of kerosene emulsion to destroy fleas and other vermin.
During the year 60,113 rats were caught or found dead in the City of Victoria and 16,022 in Kowloon. Those from the City were examined by the Government Bacteriologist at the Public Mortuary and those in Kowloon by Dr. Pearse, the Assistant Medical Officer of Health, with the result that 399 of those from the City and 108 of those from Kowloon were found to be infected
with Plague. It is somewhat remarkable that throughout the whole year there was a marked preponderance of female over male rats caught, the numbers for the City being 28.946 males and 31,167 females.
Table III shows the monthly distribution of the Plague-infected rats during the year.
Typhoid Fever.
The number of cases of this disease during the year was 75 as compared with 38 during 1908 and 66 in 1907 : 23 of the cases were imported, namely, 14 Europeans, 5 Chinese, 3 Indians and 1 Japanese. The cases of European or American nationality numbered 27, while the Chinese cases numbered 35, and 13 cases occurred amongst the other Asiatic races in the Colony. Seven of the European cases, three of the "other Asiatic" cases and 23 of the Chinese cases died. The case mortality among the European cases was therefore 26 per
cent.
In most of the cases of Typhoid Fever that occur in this Colony the infection is probably contracted by eating salads of raw vegetables, which have been grown in Chinese market-gardens, where it is customary to water and manure the plants with diluted human excreta-both urine and nightsoil. Residents in the Far East should carefully avoid such articles of food as water-cress, lettuce, etc., in view of this danger of contracting Typhoid Fever, Cholera or Intestinal Parasites, all of which diseases may be conveyed in this manner. Oysters from neighbouring Chinese ports are also occasionally the source of infection.
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