1877 — Page 267

The following Annual Report from the Colonial Surgeon is published for general information. By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 3rd July, 1878.

J. M. PRICE, Acting Colonial Secretary,

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL,

HONGKONG, May 10th, 1878.

SIR, I have the honour to forward my annual Report for the year 1877 together with the Tables showing the work done in the different Establishments of the Colonial Medical Department. I also enclose the Report of the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital on the working of that Establishment.

POLICE.

The health of the Force has been good. There has been a very great decrease in sickness among the Europeans, and but a slight increase in the Indian and Chinese components of the Force. The deaths have decreased from 6 to 4, and of the four, two died away from Hospital-one Indian while in India on leave and one Chinaman while in China on leave. There must always be a considerable variation in sickness among the Indian and Chinese of the Force, who are more liable to fevers and bowel complaints than Europeans, both of them living on very sparing diet, especially among the Indians, who, denying themselves the necessaries of life from motives of economy, are prone to become anæmic and more liable to the above complaints. Many of the Police Stations are far from what they ought to be in the matter of accommodation, and even those that are not limited as to space are badly constructed and designed. The Hulk is too small, besides being old and rotten, and the ventilation very defective, especially in bad weather. The prisoners' cells on board are always damp, and a most unpleasantly free use of carbolic acid has to be made to keep the lower hold wholesome. Aberdeen, though still supplying a large number of fever cases, is decidedly improved, and I hope will still further improve now that the swamp has been filled in and trees planted over it. Altogether, considering that the heat registered last year was greater than in the past eight years, and that there was less rain than usual, I think that the returns of the health of the Force are satisfactory. Table I. shows the admissions to Hospital every month during the year and the mortality. Table II. the sickness and mortality as compared with the strength of the Police Force. Table III., given for the first time, shows the districts from which the sick were brought during the different months of the year, the principal cause of admission being fevers, bowel complaints and injuries.

TROOPS.

Table IV. shows the strength, sickness and mortality of the Troops in Garrison.

Average of Strength of Garrison.

1874,............1,040

1875,............1,020

1876,............1,540

1877,1,130

Admitted to Hospital,

1,067

716

563

973

Deaths.

10

9

9

The above statistics of the sickness and mortality during the last four years shew the enormous increase that took place in the sickness last year. It is true that the temperature was much greater than usual, also the rain-fall less, and that there was a considerable increase in the general sickness and mortality in the Colony, but why the Troops should have suffered so much more from sickness, I am at loss to understand, as they are specially looked after and cared for and in very few places have they better accommodation. In previous years the sickness among the Police has shown badly as compared with the Troops, which was not to be wondered at, as they have harder work and not nearly as good