Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS--ANNUAL.
535,100, but this includes the New Territories; and, as the birth and death figures given below do not include those from this area (with the exception of New Kowloon), the population for the purposes of calculating these rates is estimated at 431,700, of whom 13,500 were non-Chinese.
(6)-PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
The activity in building operations, which has been so noticeable a feature since 1912, has not abated, and the demand for housing accommodation by the Chinese continued to be greatly in excess of the supply, as many of those who fled with their families to Hong Kong during 1911, 1912, and 1913 elected to remain in the Colony.
The corrected birth-rate for the year was 6.9 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 20.8 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 8.1 and 20.4 for 1916.
The death-rate for the year was 23.7 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 14.00 among the non-Chinese community as compared with 24.6 and 15.08 for 1916.
The number of deaths from Malaria (416) shows an increase on the previous year (378). The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the city of Victoria numbered 185 out of a population of 280,700 or a rate of 0.6 per 1,000 per annum.
The deaths from plague numbered 35 as compared with 39 in 1916. Small-pox deaths numbered 549, all Chinese, with the exception of three Portuguese and one each British, Filipino, and Japanese.
There were 2,248 deaths from respiratory diseases as compared with 2,112 in 1916, and 34 of these were among the non-Chinese community. Pulmonary tuberculosis claimed 859 Chinese and 18 non-Chinese victims whilst other forms of tuberculosis represent an additional 616 deaths, making a total of 1,493, or 14.3 per cent. of the total deaths among the community.
Beri-beri was responsible for 654 deaths, as compared with 517 during 1916 and 398 in 1915. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour calling their attention to the fact that beri-beri 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.
A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.
(c)-CLIMATE.
The mean shade temperature for the year at the Royal Observatory, Kowloon (108 feet above mean sea level), was 71.0°, 0.8° lower than in 1916, and 1.2° lower than the mean for the past 10 years. The maximum temperature was 90.8° on the 13th July and the minimum 38.8° on the 9th January. The hottest month was August, with a mean temperature of 82.0°, and the coldest, January, with a mean temperature of 55.8°.
The temperature at the high levels of the Peak District is from 3° to 8° less than at the Observatory. At Victoria it is practically the same. The rainfall and humidity are usually greater at the Peak than at Victoria, the Observatory, or Tai Po (New Territories).
The total rainfall for the year was 81.485 inches, as compared with an average of 81.35 inches during the ten preceding years. The
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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS- -ANNUAL.
535,100, but this includes the New Territories; and, as the birth and death figures given below do not include those from this area (with the exception of New Kowloon), the population for the purposes of calculating these rates is estimated at 431,700, of whom 13,500 were non-Chinese.
(6)-PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
The activity in building operations, which has been so noticeable a feature since 1912, has not abated, and the demand for housing accommodation by the Chinese continued to be greatly in excess of the supply, as many of those who fled with their families to Hong Kong during 1911, 1912, and 1913 elected to remain in the Colony.
The corrected birth-rate for the year was 69 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 20.8 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 81 and 20 û for 1916.
The death-rate for the year was 23.7 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 14:00 among the non-Chinese community as compared with 24-6 and 15:08 for 1916.
The number of deaths from Malaria (416) shows an increase on the previous year (378). The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the city of Victoria numbered 185 out of a population of 280,700 or a rate of 0.6 per 1,000 per annum.
The deaths from plague numbered 35 as compared with 39 in 1916. Small-pox deaths numbered 549, all Chinese, with the exception of three Portuguese and one each British, Filipino, and Japanese.
There were 2,248 deaths from respiratory diseases as compared with 2,112 in 1916, and 34 of these were among the non-Chinese community. Pulmonary tuberculosis claimed 859 Chinese and 18 non-Chinese victims whilst other forms of tuberculosis represent an additional 616 deaths, making a total of 1,493, or 14.3 per cent. of the total deaths among the community.
Beri-beri was responsible for 654 deaths, as compared with 517 during 1916 and 398 in 1915. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour calling their attention to the fact that beri-beri 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.
A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.
(c)-CLIMATE.
The mean shade temperature for the year at the Royal Observatory, Kowloon (108 feet above mean sea level), was 71′0°, 0·8° lower than in 1916, and 1-2o lower than the mean for the past 10 years. The maxi- mum temperature was 90'8° on the 13th July and the minimum 38-8° on the 9th January. The hottest month. was August, with a mean temperature of 82-0°, and the coldest, January, with a mean tempera- ture of 55.8°.
The temperature at the high levels of the Peak District is from 3o to 8° less than at the Observatory. At Victoria it is practically the same. The rainfall and humidity are usually greater at the Peak than at Victoria, the Observatory, or Tai Pó (New Territories).
The total rainfall for the year was 81-485 inches, as compared with an average of 81.35 inches during the ten preceding years. The
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