K 79
Annexe P.
HEALTH OFFICE OF THE PORT.
Report By Dr. F. T. KEYT, Health Officer of the Port.
During the year the work of the department was carried on by Dr. Jordan, Dr. Keyt, Dr. Gröne and Dr. Aubrey. On March 10th, Dr. Jordan left the Colony on vacation leave for twelve months.
The duties of the Health Officer of the Port may be considered under three separate divisions:—
(a.) The daily inspection of Shipping.
(b.) The inspection of Emigrants.
(c.) Quarantine duty.
(a.)--The Daily Inspection of Shipping.
This duty consists in regularly boarding all ships as they arrive in Port between the hours of 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. Ships arriving after 6 p.m. are boarded early the next morning.
"Infected" and "Suspected" ships, from ports which are declared to be infected, are not permitted to enter the Port after 6 p.m.; they anchor outside the harbour limits and come into the Quarantine Anchorage at six o'clock the following morning, and their crews and passengers are then examined and the ship dealt with under Section 23 of Ordinance 10 of 1899. "Healthy" ships, however, are exempted from these restrictions provided they have on board a qualified Ship's Surgeon. Two forms are then signed by the Master and the Surgeon certifying that there has been no sickness, nor deaths during the voyage.
During the year there were 4,198 arrivals, of these 2,041 were British vessels, and 2,157 Foreign vessels. These figures do not include the River Steamers from Canton and Macao; these are not boarded except when cases of an epidemic nature are reported to us. H.M. Ships and Foreign Ships of War are also not boarded by us.
(b.)-The Inspection of Emigrants.
This is an important part of the Health Officer's duties, and consists in the Medical Examination of all Emigrants leaving the Port of Hongkong. They muster on board a few hours prior to the sailing of the ship, provided with their tickets, and in the case of assisted emigrants, women, and children, with photographs as well.
In this work the Harbour Office and the Registrar General's Department send representatives who check the tickets and examine the photographs so as to prevent any substituting or kidnapping of children.
The emigrants pass in single file, and those who appear to be suffering from any communicable disease, and those physically unfit for labour are stopped and sent ashore. This examination at best can only be a superficial one, but yet sufficient to detect febrile conditions, skin diseases, eye diseases, physical debility, and the more pronounced symptoms which make themselves evident in Beri-beri, Syphilis, and Tuberculosis.
K 79
Annexe P.
HEALTH OFFICE OF THE PORT.
Report By Dr. F. T. KEYT, Health Officer of the Port.
During the year the work of the department was carried on by Dr. Jordan, Dr. Keyt, Dr. Gröne and Dr. Aubrey. On March 10th, Dr. Jordan left the Colony on vacation leave for twelve months.
The duties of the Health Officer of the Port may be considered under three seperate divisions :—
(a.) The daily inspection of Shipping.
(b.) The inspection of Emigrants.
(c.) Quarantine duty.
(a.)--The Daily Inspection of Shipping.
This duty cousists in regularly boarding all ships as they arrive in Port between the hours of 5 a.m. and 6 p.m.. ships arriving after 6 p.m. are boarded early the next morning.
"Infected" and "Suspected" ships, from ports which are de- clared to be infected, are not permitted to enter the Port after 6 p.m., they anchor outside the harbour limits and come into the Quarantine Anchorage at six o'clock the following morning and their crews and passengers are then examined and the ship, dealt with under Section 23 of Ordinance 10 of 1899. "Healthy' ships, however, are exempted from these restrictions provided they have on board a qualified Ship's Surgeon. Two forms are then signed by the Master and the Surgeon certifying that there has been no sickness, nor deaths during the voyage.
During the year there were 4,198 arrivals, of these 2,041 were British vessels, and 2,157 Foreign vessels. These figures do not in- clude the River Steamers from Canton and Macao; these are not boarded except when cases of an epidemic nature are reported to us. H.M. Ships and Foreign Ships of War are also not boarded by us.
(b.)-The Inspection of Emigrants.
This is an important part of the Health Officer's duties, and consists in the Medical Examination of all Emigrants leaving the Port of Hongkong. They muster on board a few hours prior to the sailing of the ship, provided with their tickets, and in the case of assisted emigrants, women, and children, with photographs as well.
In this work the Harbour Office and the Registrar General's Department send representatives who check the tickets and examine the photographs so as to prevent any substituting or kidnapping of children.
The emigrants pass in single file, and those who appear to be suffering from any communicable disease, and those physically unfit for labour are stopped and sent ashore. This examination at best can only be a superficial one, but yet sufficient to detect febrile con- ditions, skin diseases, eye diseases, physical debility, and the more pronounced symptoms which make themselves evident in Beri-beri, Syphilis, and Tuberculosis.
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