1877 — Page 269

I have already in previous reports noticed the unwillingness of Chinese to go into Hospital, and this does not apply only to European Hospitals, they will not go into the Tung Wah Hospital till in either the last extremity of disease or destitution, hence the enormous mortality of this Hospital, as explained in the report of 1876.

I cannot say that I have found the Medico-legal and Post-Mortem work to interfere materially with my other duties, during the time I took charge of the Government Civil Hospital, though I had to the full, the average amount of this special work, nor did I receive any complaint that the patients found themselves neglected in consequence. The working of the Civil Hospital, notwithstanding its many inconveniences and defects which nothing but the advent of the new building can rectify, has been, by the Superintendent's own showing, most satisfactory in its results, as has also the new and improved arrangement of the Hospital Staff.

SMALL POX HOSPITAL.

This building, which is under my personal charge, is situated not far from the Lock Hospital, and was formerly one of the Chinese Schools. It answers the purpose for which it is required very well, being isolated and having a good open space for the patients to exercise in. There have been twenty- five admissions and one death, some of the cases were very severe and these were chiefly among the Europeans. The one colored man, who died, was brought off a vessel that had just arrived. He was delirious at the time of admission, and died in about twenty-four hours, the pustules not being fully developed.

TUNG WAH HOSPITAL.

I have nothing to add to previous reports in respect of this Institution, it does a considerable Amount of good, it might do a good deal more. The number treated in Hospital during the year was 1,492, the deaths 623; the number of vaccinations performed 1,374; the number of out-patients treated: males 47,167, females 7,807, total 54,971.

LUNATIC ASYLUM.

This is a small building in the Hollywood Road, and, pending the erection of the proposed new asylum, has answered its purpose very well. It has only been established four months and has had two inmates, one male and one female; the latter was discharged cured, the former is still under treatment.

VICTORIA GAOL.

There has not been so much sickness as usual, though plenty of scheming and malingering. Table X. shows the number of admissions to Hospital. Table XI. shows the number of trifling cases on the books. Table XII. shows the number of admissions, rate of sickness and mortality. Table There were two suicides, who hung themselves by XIII. shows the number of deaths and their cause. their quieus, one of them was to have been handed over to the Chinese authorities. Of the other five deaths, one was a paralytic patient, who had been some time in Gaol, and had never been subjected to work. Another was the case of a man who died of general debility forty-eight hours after admission. When he was sent in on remand, I sent à certificate to the Magistrate to inform him the prisoner could not possibly live many days longer. The case of diarrhea was a weakly young European seaman. One MOK-A-KWAI on remand for trial had phthisis, for which he had been treated during a former term of imprisonment and when he returned to Gaol this time he was in a deplorable condition, and there was not the slightest hope of his recovery. The last was a partially paralysed man who was seized with apoplexy in his cell and died in a few hours. Many changes have been made in the arrangements of the Gaol this year; at the beginning of the year the Royal Commission concluded its labours, and the new rules and diet scale were put in force. The allowance of rice was diminished, the chutney taken away, as also the allowance of pork to long term prisoners. To the abolition of the chutney and pork I objected; the first is necessary to help the digestion of the mass of rice, and the second is but very small allowance of animal food indeed and absolutely necessary to sustain health. Later in the year, when the chutney and pork were restored, I recommended that the allowance of rice should be still further diminished, which was done.

I am happy to say flogging with the cat on the back or shoulders has been stopped pending enquiry.

About the beginning of 1875, some of the public journals having remarked that the public floggings as conducted here were a farce, Chief Justice Sir JonN SMALE requested to see me, I explained to the Chief Justice that these punishments and asked if this were really the case. might naturally be considered not sufficiently severe by the Public, as at the time of their infliction there was little enough to see, but that an inspection of the men's backs three days after the flogging could not but modify such opinions, and I described the effects as they appeared to me.

I have sub-