M 43
237. Provision is made at the Queen Mary Hospital for the treatment of male cases of venereal disease, twenty beds being allotted to Asiatics and four to Europeans. Full use was made of these beds during the year under review.
238. 14,913 injections of organic arsenic and 411 injections of bismuth preparations were given to out-patients.
239. The health officer, Social Hygiene, and his assistants examined 4,941 smears for gonococci and took 12,062 specimens of blood for the Wassermann reaction. No special provision has yet been possible for the in-patient treatment of females suffering from venereal disease. There is urgent need of beds for this purpose and it is hoped that it will be possible to provide accommodation for some of these patients during the current year.
240.
6. Dispensaries and Health Activities in the New Territories.
Some general information about the New Territories will be found in last year's Report.
241. An important step forward was taken during 1938 in regard to the health conditions of the New Territories. Hitherto, no legislative provision had existed affording powers to the health authorities to take action for the prevention and abatement of nuisances, the inspection of premises, the detection and isolation of cases of dangerous infectious disease, and a multitude of other public health activities. In point of fact, the only powers that did obtain related to coolie lines and anti-malarial obligations on the part of employers of labour.
242. Certain sections of the Public Health (Sanitation), Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases, and Buildings Ordinances were extended to the New Territories and approval was given by Government for the appointment of a skeleton cadre of three Chinese sanitary inspectors, three sanitary foremen and of a small body of labourers to initiate health schemes in the towns and villages in these areas.
243. Emphasis will, of course, be laid upon public health propaganda and legislative sanctions will only be employed when educational methods have failed.
244. Special problems arose during the year as the result of the advent of many tens of thousands of refugees from across the frontier. Steps had to be taken to persuade such persons to return to their homes once safety was assured or to enter camps built by Government where they could receive food, shelter, medical and welfare services.
245. Chaotic and grossly insanitary conditions came into being in and around villages and on open ground from the uncontrolled erection of rice straw hovels by the refugees. These had to be gradually eliminated. The task of cleaning up was hindered by a number of would-be charitable organisations who distributed food indiscriminately to such an extent that some persons received four meals a day whilst others received none.
246. A meeting was held early in December (after the last border incident during 1938), presided over by the Colonial Secretary, at which representatives of all the more important charitable bodies had the Government policy explained to them, and at which it was suggested that each organisation or group should be responsible for a defined sphere—preferably just over the Chinese border—in order to attract refugees back to their farms and villages. Thereafter, the task of the health authorities in cleaning up the very unhealthy conditions that had supervened, was considerably lightened, and the result was reflected in a diminution in the sickness ratio.
247.
A description of the medical services provided in the New Territories will be found in last year's Report.
M 43
237. Provision is made at the Queen Mary Hospital for the treatment of male cases of venereal disease, twenty beds being allotted to Asiatics and four to Europeans. Full use was made of these beds during the year under review.
238. 14,913 injections of organic arsenic and 411 injections of bismuth preparations were given to out-patients.
239. The health officer, Social Hygiene, and his assistants examined 4,941 smears for gonococci and took 12,062 specimens of blood for the Wassermann reaction. No special provision has yet been possible for the in-patient treatment of females suffering from venereal disease. There is urgent need of beds for this purpose and it is hoped that it will be possible to provide accommodation for some of these patients during the current year.
240.
6. Dispensaries and Health Activities in the New Territories.
Some general information alout the New Territories will be found in last year's Report.
241. An important step forward was taken during 1938 in regard to the health conditions of the New Territories. Hitherto, no legislative provision had existed affording powers to the health authorities to take action for the prevention and abatement of nuisances, the inspection of premises, the detection and isolation of cases of dangerous infectious disease, and a multitude of other public health activities. In point of fact, the only powers that did obtain related to coolie lines and anti-malarial obligations on the part of employers of labour.
242. Certain sections of the Public Health (Sanitation), Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases, and Buildings Ordinances were extended to the New Territories and approval was given by Government for the appointment of a skeleton cadre of three Chinese sanitary inspectors, three sanitary foremen and of a small body of labourers to initiate health schemes in the towns and villages in these areas.
243. Emphasis will, of course, be laid upon public health propaganda and legislative sanctions will only be employed when educational methods have failed.
244. Special problems arose during the year as the result of the advent of many tens of thousands of refugees from across the frontier. Steps had to be taken to persuade such persons to return to their homes once safety was assured or to enter camps built by Government where they could receive food, shelter, medical and welfare services.
245. Chaotic and grossly insanitary conditions came into being in and around villages and on open ground from the uncontrolled erection of rice straw hovels by the refugees. These had to be gradually eliminated. The task of cleaning up was hindered by a number of would-be charitable organisations who distributed food indiscriminately to such an extent that some persons received four meals a day whilst others received none.
246. A meeting was held early in December (after the last border incident during 1938), presided over by the colonial secretary, at which representatives of all the more important charitable bodies had the Government policy explained to them, and at which it was suggested that each organisation or group should be responsible for a defined sphere-preferably just over the Chinese border-in order to attract refugees back to their farms and villages. Thereafter, the task of the health authorities in cleaning up the very unhealthy conditions that had supervened, was considerably lightened, and the result was reflected in a diminution in the sickness ratio.
247.
A description of the medical services provided in the New Territories will be found in last year's Report.
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