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times within the last year, and the place was regularly visited by the Inspector of Nuisances. He did not think it possible for such a state of things to exist long without being found out. He thought the late state of things was caused by a number of persons going into the "Yee-tsze," who had no friends or clansmen in the colony. Inspector Petersen made an independent report to him an hour after he had been to the Hospital, so the malpractices could not have been long undiscovered. He understood that the friends of some of the patients attended the sick while in the place, at least, he saw one man's wife there. The numbers are two survivors out of seven living, and two were dead in the place, making a total of nine. The people belonging to the Yee tsze persistently denied that there were any books or records in the house. They said they sometimes got a slip of paper and sometimes not. They produced three slips of paper as the whole of the records of the Hospital. The people knew nothing of the patients, and the doctor had not then arrived (it was eleven o'clock), and no doctor had been there the day before. They said he came sometimes. Some of the patients he was told had their own doctor.
The Coroner said that he could corroborate what Mr. Lister said, as he accompanied him.
Mr. Lister wished it to be understood that he had been on his legs day and night to endeavour to abate the nuisance.
Dr. Cochrane said the body of deceased was brought to the Civil Hospital on Friday. It was that of an adult Chinaman, much emaciated and in an exceedingly filthy condition. The head swarmed with vermin, and the body was of a yellow colour, so he believed that jaundice, which is so prevalent, was the cause of death. Deceased might have been ill a week.
The Coroner suggested a post-mortem examination, which was agreed to.
Examination continued—Ho visited the Yee-tsze in company with Inspector Grey and found four or five Chinese and one dead body. The rooms were small and close, but there did not appear to be any bad smell from filth; there was only a small one resulting from overcrowding and want of ventilation. There was one jar in the room, with a small hole in the top. There were no drinking cups or anything of the kind about. The men were very filthy and sick, and there was no one that he could see in attendance. He saw one man was suffering from jaundice. The door was the only place for ventilation. Of the four live Chinamen he saw one dead at the "Yee-tsze," and three were admitted to his own Hospital. One of the three died in ten minutes. The other two were alive, but very ill. They were not suffering from jaundice, but too ill to give any opinion as to their ultimate recovery.
Mr. Lister said if the door of the place were closed, one might pass through a hundred times without knowing the true nature of the place.
Dr. Cochrane on being asked said the place was utterly unfit for a Hospital, and the chances of recovery for patients must be very small.
The Coroner remarked that he should require very strong proof of any one ever having recovered at the place.
Wong-chi-lam, the man in charge of the "Yee-tsze" said he knew the deceased, but was ignorant of his name. The deceased was brought by a person unknown to him, who said that deceased was from the "Kwong-kee" emigration house. The man who brought the deceased to Hospital spoke a strange dialect. No paper was given with deceased, who was carried to Hospital on the other man's back. He also understood the bearer to say that deceased came from on board ship. There are a few people who regularly carry patients from the emigration houses as they say they come from a barracoon. He had only received three tickets from the emigration houses, although he had had perhaps eleven patients from those. He had been paid for all the patients. Some of these were paid for at one time, some at another, but he could not recollect if the deceased was paid for or not. Sometimes he got a dollar or two, but for which coolie he could not say. He had received from Mr. Caldwell $10.40 altogether. When a man died in the Hospital he reported it to Mr. Caldwell, and was paid. He went to report deceased, but A-kow who did all business between himself and Mr. Caldwell was out having gone on board ship, but another man in Mr. Caldwell's house said to him that he could take $2 from what Mr. Caldwell had advanced and bury the man. He rendered no account to Mr. Caldwell, who had every confidence in him.
(2) Daily Press of 26 April 1942.
163
times within the last year, and the place was regularly visited by the Inspector of Nuisances, He did not think it p ssible for such a state of things to exist long" withont being found out, He thought the late state of things was caused by a number of persons going into the "Yee. isze," wo had no friends or clansmen in the colony. Inspector Petersen made an indepen- dant report to him an hour after he had been to the Hospital, so the malpractices could not have been ng undiscovered. He understood that the friends of some of the patients attend. ed thesick while in the place, at least, he saw one man's wife there. The numbers are two sur- vivors out of seven living, and two were dead in the place, making a total of nine. The people belonging to the Yee tsze persistently deined that there were any booke or records in the house. They said they sometimes got a slip of paper and aometimes not. They produced three slips of paper as the whole of the records of the Hospital. The people knew nothing of the patients, and the doctor had not then arrived (it was eleven o'clock), and no doctor had not been there the day before. They said be came sometimes. Some of the patients he was told had their own doctor.
The Coroner said that he could coroborate what Mr. Lister said, as he accompanied him.
Mr. Lister wished it to be understood that he had been on his legs day and night to enden. vour to abate the nuisance,
Dr. Cochrane said the body of deceased was | brought to the Civil Hospital on Friday: It
wasthat of an adult Chinaman, much emaciated! and in an exceedingly filthy condition. The] head swarmed with vermin, and the body was of a yellow colour, so he believed that jaundice, which is so prevalent, was the cause of death, Deceased might have been ill a week,
The Coroner suggested a post mortem exam- ination, which was agreed to.
Examination continued-Ho visited the Yee- taze in company with Inspector Grey and found four five Chinese and one dead body. The rooms were sinall and close, but therę did notappear to beany bad smell from filth; there was only a small one.resulting from overcrowding and want of ventilation. There was one jar in the room, with a small hole in the top. There were no drinking cups or anything of the kind about. The men were very filthy and sick, and there was no one that he could see in attendence. He Baw one man was suffering from jaundice. The door was the only place for ventilation. Of the foar live Chinainen he saw one dead at the" Yoe- tszo," and three were admitted to his own Hospital. Oue of the three died in ten mio- utes. The other two were alive, but very ill They were not suffering from jaundice, but too ill to give any opinion as to their ultimate
recovery.
Mr. Lister said if the door of the place wre closed, one might pass through a hundred times without knowing the true nature of the place.
Dr. Cochrane on being asked said the place was utterly unfit for a Hospital, and the chances of recovery for patients must be vary. small.
The Coroner remarked that he should require very strong proof of any one ever baring re- covered at the place.
Wong-chi-lam, the man in charge of the Yee-tsze" enid he knew the deceased, but was The deceased was ignorant of his name. brought by a pera su unknown to him, who sand that decased was from the "Kwong-kee " emigration house. The man who brought the deceased to Hospital spoke a strange dialect. No paper was given with deceased, who was: carried to Hospital on the other man's back. He also understood the bearer to say that deceased! Teame from on board ship. There are a few people who regularly carry patients from the That is all the emigration houses as they say
honads, elevet
-proof be had of their coming from a barracoom. He bad only received three tickets from the emigration housus, although he had had per- hapa, eleven patients from thoes He had been paid for all the patients. Some of these were paid for at one time, some at another, but he could not recol. leet if the deceased was paid for or not. Some- times he got a dollar or two, but for which coolie he couldnotsay. He had reived from Mr. Cald- well $10.40 altogether. When a man died in the Hospital he reported it Mr. Caldwell, and ws pail. He went to report deceased, but A-kow who did all business between himself and Mr. Caldwell was out having gone on board ship, but another man in Mr. Caldwell's house said to him that be could take $2 from what Mr. Caldwell had advanced and bary the man. He rendered no account to Mr. Caldwell, who had every confidence in him.
(2) Daily Thes
"Press" of 26 April 1942.
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