HKG-CAR1904-1919 — Page 259

Administrative Reports 行政報告書 All AI Reviewed

252

Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941

COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL

gratings, and the prohibition of ceilings, wainscotings and hollow walls. There is, unfortunately, however, a very large number of old houses in the Colony which possess these hollow walls, constructed of soft bricks, which form ideal nesting places for the Mus rattus and enable him to enter the dwellings at night to forage for food, and it is in those districts in which such buildings are most numerous that plague has displayed its greatest incidence since the infection was first imported into the Colony in 1894. There is no remedy for such faulty construction, short of actual demolition of the premises, which is too heroic a measure to be practicable on any extended scale.

The general birth-rate for the year was 9.0 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 16.2 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 6.3 and 19.2 during 1911.

The general death-rate for the year was 26.33 per 1,000 among the Chinese community, and 14.51 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 21.13 and 13.38 during 1911.

The higher death-rate among the Chinese as compared with the previous year is due in part to the severe outbreak of plague and in part to the influx of Chinese from the mainland, while the latter cause contributed also to the higher birth-rate.

The number of deaths from malaria (432) shows an increase on the previous year (338), which can be accounted for by the exceptional influx of infected persons from the mainland. The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 214 out of a population of 225,500; but more than 34 per cent. of these deaths occurred in Health Districts Nos. 2 and 9, where most of the coolies reside who have been engaged on the extensive building operations that have been in progress during the year.

The deaths from plague numbered 1,768, as compared with 253 in 1911 and 23 in 1910. The probable causes of this epidemic have already been discussed herein.

Small-pox deaths numbered 565 - all Chinese, with the exception of two British children and one Indian child, all of which were returned as showing no signs of vaccination; only two of the fatal Chinese cases were returned as having been previously vaccinated.

There were 2,317 deaths from respiratory diseases among the Chinese, as compared with 2,487 in 1911. Phthisis claimed 757 Chinese victims, while other forms of tuberculosis represent an additional 379 deaths, making a total of 1,136 or 12.1 per cent. of the total deaths among that community.

Beriberi was responsible for 231 deaths, as compared with 320 during 1911, and 566 in 1910. During the past few years, circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour, calling their attention to the fact that beriberi is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded, and it is possible that the dissemination of this information may have had some influence in reducing the mortality from this disease.

A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.*

* See page 32.

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252 28 Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941 COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL gratings, and the prohibition of ceilings, wainscotings and hollow walls. There is, unfortunately, however, a very large number of old houses in the Colony which possess these hollow walls, constructed of soft bricks, which form ideal nesting places for the Mus rattus and enable him to enter the dwellings at night to forage for food, and it is in those districts in which such buildings are most numerous that plague has displayed its greatest incidence since the infection was first imported into the Colony in 1894. There is no remedy for such faulty construction, short of actual demolition of the premises, which is too heroic a measure to be practicable on any extended scale. The general birth-rate for the year was 9.0 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 16.2 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 6.3 and 19.2 during 1911. The general death-rate for the year was 26.33 per 1,000 among the Chinese community, and 14.51 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 21.13 and 13.38 during 1911. The higher death-rate among the Chinese as compared with the previous year is due in part to the severe outbreak of plague and in part to the influx of Chinese from the mainland, while the latter cause contributed also to the higher birth-rate. The number of deaths from malaria (432) shows an increase on the previous year (338), which can be accounted for by the exceptional influx of infected persons from the mainland. The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 214 out of a population of 225,500; but more than 34 per cent. of these deaths occurred in Health Districts Nos. 2 and 9, where most of the coolies reside who have been engaged on the extensive building operations that have been in progress during the year. The deaths from plague numbered 1,768, as compared with 253 in 1911 and 23 in 1910. The probable causes of this epidemic have already been discussed herein. Small-pox deaths numbered 565 - all Chinese, with the exception of two British children and one Indian child, all of which were returned as showing no signs of vaccination; only two of the fatal Chinese cases were returned as having been previously vaccinated. There were 2,317 deaths from respiratory diseases among the Chinese, as compared with 2,487 in 1911. Phthisis claimed 757 Chinese victims, while other forms of tuberculosis represent an additional 379 deaths, making a total of 1,136 or 12.1 per cent. of the total deaths among that community. Beriberi was responsible for 231 deaths, as compared with 320 during 1911, and 566 in 1910. During the past few years, circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour, calling their attention to the fact that beriberi is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded, and it is possible that the dissemination of this information may have had some influence in reducing the mortality from this disease. A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.* * See page 32.

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252 28 Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941 COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL. gratings, and the prohibition of ceilings, wainscotings and hollow walls. There is unfortunately, however, a very large number of old houses in the Colony which possess these hollow walls, con- structed of soft bricks, which form ideal nesting places for the Mus rattus and enable him to enter the dwellings at night to forage for food, and it is in those districts in which such buildings are most numerous that plague has displayed its greatest incidence since the infection was first imported into the Colony in 1894. There is no remedy for such faulty construction, short of actual demolition of the premises, which is too heroic a measure to be practicable on any extended scale. The general birth-rate for the year was 9'0 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 16.2 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 6·3 and 19.2 during 1911. The general death-rate for the year was 26-33 per 1,000 among the Chinese community, and 14:51 among the non-Chinese com- munity, as compared with 21·13 and 13:38 during 1911. The higher death-rate among the Chinese as compared with the previous year is due in part to the severe outbreak of plague and in part to the influx of Chinese from the mainland, while the latter cause contributed also to the higher birth-rate. The number of deaths from malaria (432) shows an increase on the previous year (338), which can be accounted for by the excep- tional influx of infected persons from the mainland. The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 214 out of a population of 225,500; but more than 34 per cent. of these deaths occurred in Health Districts Nos. 2 and 9, where most of the coolies reside who have been engaged on the extensive building operations that have been in progress during the year. The deaths from plague numbered 1,768, as compared with 253 in 1911 and 23 in 1910. The probable causes of this epidemic have already been discussed herein. Small-pox deaths numbered 565-all Chinese, with the exception of two British children and one Indian child, all of which were returned as showing no signs of vaccination; only two of the fatal Chinese cases were returned as having been previously vaccinated. There were 2,317 deaths from respiratory diseases among the Chinese, as compared with 2,487 in 1911. Phthisis claimed 757 Chinese victims, while other forms of tuberculosis represent an additional 379 deaths, making a total of 1,136 or 12.1 per cent. of the total deaths among that community. Beriberi was responsible for 231 deaths, as compared with 320 during 1911, and 566 in 1910. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour, cailing their attention to the fact that beriberi is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded, and it is possible that the dissemination of this informa- tion may have had some influence in reducing the mortality from this disease. A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.* • See page 32.

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252

Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941

COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.

gratings, and the prohibition of ceilings, wainscotings and hollow walls. There is unfortunately, however, a very large number of old houses in the Colony which possess these hollow walls, con- structed of soft bricks, which form ideal nesting places for the Mus rattus and enable him to enter the dwellings at night to forage for food, and it is in those districts in which such buildings are most numerous that plague has displayed its greatest incidence since the infection was first imported into the Colony in 1894. There is no remedy for such faulty construction, short of actual demolition of the premises, which is too heroic a measure to be practicable on any extended scale.

The general birth-rate for the year was 9'0 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 16.2 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 6·3 and 19.2 during 1911.

The general death-rate for the year was 26-33 per 1,000 among the Chinese community, and 14:51 among the non-Chinese com- munity, as compared with 21·13 and 13:38 during 1911.

The number of deaths from malaria (432) shows an increase on the previous year (338), which can be accounted for by the excep- tional influx of infected persons from the mainland. The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 214 out of a population of 225,500; but more than 34 per cent. of these deaths occurred in Health Districts Nos. 2 and 9, where most of the coolies reside who have been engaged on the extensive building operations that have been in progress during the year.

The deaths from plague numbered 1,768, as compared with 253 in 1911 and 23 in 1910. The probable causes of this epidemic have already been discussed herein.

Small-pox deaths numbered 565-all Chinese, with the exception of two British children and one Indian child, all of which were returned as showing no signs of vaccination; only two of the fatal Chinese cases were returned as having been previously vaccinated.

Beriberi was responsible for 231 deaths, as compared with 320 during 1911, and 566 in 1910. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour, cailing their attention to the fact that beriberi is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded, and it is possible that the dissemination of this informa- tion may have had some influence in reducing the mortality from this disease.

HKG-CAR1904-1919 — Page 259

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