288
28
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
(b.)-Public Health and Sanitation.
The activity in building operations which was so noticeable a feature of 1912 has continued and the demand for housing accommodation by the Chinese has been greatly in excess of the supply; this indicates that many of those who fled with their families to Hong Kong during 1911 and 1912 have elected to remain in the Colony.
A further influx of Chinese from the neighbouring provinces, estimated at from 50,000 to 60,000, occurred during 1913 as a result of renewed political disturbances, which fortunately, however, were speedily brought to a peaceful termination.
There can be very little doubt that the Chinese quarters generally are still in an overcrowded condition and, although the incidence of plague has been light during the past year, there is reason to fear that the Colony may not be so fortunate during 1914. The relationship between overcrowding and plague was discussed at length in the Report for 1912, and the Sanitary Department are continuing their efforts to keep down the number of rats and to exclude them as far as possible from dwellings, while the scavenging service is also being strengthened with a view to reducing still further the available food supply of the rat population.
The general birth-rate for the year was 11.7 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 15.8 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 9.0 and 16.2 during 1912.
The general death-rate for the year was 21.75 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 10.9 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 26.33 and 14.5 during 1912.
The number of deaths from malaria (290) shows a considerable decrease on the previous year (432). The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 110 out of a population of 239,260, or a rate of 0.5 per 1,000 per annum.
The deaths from plague numbered 386, as compared with 1,768 in 1912 and 253 in 1911.
Small-pox deaths numbered 84, all Chinese, with the exception of a British ship's engineer and a West Indian passenger, both of whom are stated to have been vaccinated in infancy. Of the Chinese cases 18 had been vaccinated and of these 11 died; six of the non-vaccinated Chinese cases recovered and 68 died; no information as to vaccination was available in the other 3 deaths.
Page 295
Page 296
288
28
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
(b.)-Public Health and Sanitation.
The activity in building operations which was so noticeable a feature of 1912 has continued and the demand for housing accom- modation by the Chinese has been greatly in excess of the supply; this indicates that many of those who fled with their families to Hong Kong during 1911 and 1912 have elected to remain in the Colony.
A further influx of Chinese from the neighbouring provinces, estimated at from 50,000 to 60,000, occurred during 1913 as a result of renewed political disturbances, which fortunately, however, were speedily brought to a peaceful termination.
There can be very little doubt that the Chinese quarters generally are still in an overcrowded condition and, although the incidence of plague has been light during the past year, there is reason to fear that the Colony may not be so fortunate during 1914. The relation- ship between overcrowding and plague was discussed at length in the Report for 1912, and the Sanitary Department are continuing their efforts to keep down the number of rats and to exclude them as far as possible from dwellings, while the scavenging service is also being strengthened with a view to reducing still further the available food supply of the rat population.
The general birth-rate for the year was 117 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 15-8 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese com- munity, as compared with 9.0 and 16-2 during 1912.
The general death-rate for the year was 21-75 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 109 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 26-33 and 14·5 during 1912.
The number of deaths from malaria (290) shows a considerable decrease on the previous year (432). The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 110 out of a population of 239,260, or a rate of 0.5 per 1,000 per annum.
The deaths from plague numbered 386, as compared with 1,768 in 1912 and 253 in 1911.
Small-pox deaths numbered 84, all Chinese, with the exception of a British ship's engineer and a West Indian passenger, both of whom are stated to have been vaccinated in infancy. Of the Chinese cases 18 had been vaccinated and of these 11 died; six of the non- vaccinated Chinese cases recovered and 68 died; no information as to vaccination was available in the other 3 deaths.
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