1876 — Page 245

The Tung Wal Hospital is to be looked upon as a work-house is at home; it is the last resort of the poor and destitute, at any rate there they get good food, fairly clean and good accommodation and even luxuries in a Chinese point of view, such as they can not get anywhere else. As to the treat ment, it amounts to non-interference, the prescriptions for the most part are composed of simples, which might be eaten in any quantity. The mortality is very great, as I have shewn before, because the Chinese refuse to go into Hospital till they are at the last extremnity, and under such circumstances the best European treatment could do but little good. The mortality in this Hospital this year is less than last, being only 45 per cent as compared with over 50 per cent, as is shewn in Table Xu. The total number admitted in 1876 was 1,422, the deaths 640. Many thousand outpatients attend yearly, and are advised and prescribed for gratis, and given medicines when too poor to procure them. There were 1,746 vaccinations performed this year, and this is the one great good done by this Insti- tution. It is curious that the Chinese are far sighted enough to see the benefit of this operation, which is not at all compulsory, just when many educated people in Europe are inclined to dispute it.

.

This year, 189 cases of Sinall-pox were received into this Hospital; of these 104 died and 13 re- mained in Hospital at the beginning of 1877. A great number of the deaths occurred in children under four years of age. The Small-pox epidemic has been unusually severe this season.

VICTORIA GAOL.

There has been apparently a greater amount of sickness in the Gaol this year, but this is in no way connected with the Gaol itself, or its regulations as regards work or dict.

The daily average number of prisoners is greater by 60 than last year, and this is the result of a greater number of vagabonds and destitutes brought down by the Canton Steamers, owing to cheap fares. Many of these people are sickly, diseased objects that had to be admitted into the Gaol Hospi- tal as soon as they were sent in. The principal causes of sickness have been Fever, Diarrhea, Dysen- tery, Foot Sores, Abcesses and general Debility. This year the Commission on the Guol sent in its Report, it remains to be seen how the new regulations now in force will work.

It appears to me a pity that a flogging act is not in force the same as in India. I think less harm is done to the prisoner by a good caning than by starvation for 7, 14, or 21 days, as the case may be, on rice and water, a punishment which in many cases it is impossible to carry out. I think a caning would be more effectual in preventing the return of prisoners to Gaol, anyhow it would make a con- siderable reduction in their numbers if such an act applied to petty thefts, &c.

When I came here, I found the rule was to put opium smokers under special treatment on their entrance into the Gaol, allowing them so much opium and decreasing the quantity every day, at the same time using stimulants and tonics in the shape of gin and quinine. I could see no necessity for this, and in very few cases have I allowed either opium or gin to be given.

As a matter of fact, opium smoking, as used by the majority, has very little permanent effect upon the system, it is as easily stopped as tobacco smoking and with as little harm to the subject. A very great deal of nonsense has been written on the subject of its injurious effects. An opium smoker consumes but a small quantity of opium and the power of the drug is not exhausted by one smoking, as the ashes are reprepared over and over again. Opium therefore used in this way does but little harın, but it is a far different case with the opium cater, who is as rare in China as he is common in India. The effects of opium smoking and opium eating seem to have been confounded together in the minds of the English public. The opium smoker gives himself up to sensual indulgence, is lazy and incapable of work when he carries it to excess; in moderation it is no more harmful than tobacco, and stopping it causes as little inconvenience in most cases. Far different is it with the opium eater; to stop his allowance, when the habit is a confirmed one among Indians, is certain death. I have seen Indians deprived of their opium, apparently having only a few minutes to live, revive in an hour and go about their work after a full dose has been administered. These are the conclusions I have come to after considerable experience in India and here. There has been only one death in the Gaol this year, as compared with two in 1875.

LOCK HOSPITAL.

The admissions into Hospital were a little more numerous this year, shewing an increase of 34, as compared with 1875, but the type of disease is still decreasing in severity as is shown by the decrease in the length of time the patients are detained in Hospital by reference to Table XI A.

Table B shows the number of women brought under the provisions of the Ordinance, which has slightly increased, there being 241 women in 1875 and 272 in 1876, the number of examinations nade increased by 788, there being 11,544 examinations in 1875, and 12,332 in 1876.

Tables C and E show the extent of disease among the Soldiers, Snilors, Police, and Civilians brought to Hospital. By these Tables it will be seen there is a considerable decrease in the severer forin of Venereal disease-Syphilis-and I am assured that the type of disease in those attacked is for the most part the least severe form of Syphilis.

Among the Military the number of cases of Primary Syphilis this year was 21, as compared with 26 in 1875.