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One class of patients that contribute largely to the death rate, are the coloured destitutes, some of whom earn a precarious livelihood as watchmen; they are usually miserably clad and half starved, and are therefore more than ordinarily liable to disease, and when it does come, less able to resist it.The case of Small-pox that died was a European engineer of a steamer, who contracted the disease in Shanghai in the month of June.
The two fatal cases of Typhoid among Europeans were brought from off a schooner (that came into this Port after the Typhoon) by my orders, while I was doing duty for Dr. ADAMS, who was unwell, and the other European cases were brought from Manila, Whampoa and Shanghai.
The number of dead bodies brought to Hospital for examination during the year was 150, four of them Europeans, and three coloured persons; many of these were brought in after the Typhoon.
The amount paid into the Treasury on account of paying patients was $3,036.73, compared with $2,440.08, the amount paid in 1873.
On the night of the 22nd September, 1874, this Colony was visited by a terrible and most destructive Typhoon. The old Civil Hospital suffered severely; it was more than half unroofed; the back verandah of the upper floor, which was supported by large stone pillars, was blown down, and also the outer walls of one of the rooms. The inner walls bulged and cracked fearfully, and the whole building rocked and shook with each gust, in the most frightful manner; to add to the troubles of the inmates, the gas went out, and the alarm of the patients can better be imagined than described. Dr. W. C. S. CLAPHAM was then in charge, and it is entirely due to his courage and presence of mind, and his admirable arrangements, that no fatal accident occurred, for the panic among the patients was so great that, at one time, some of them tried to leave the building, which if they had succeeded in doing, it is more than probable that they would have been killed, or severely injured, by the falling masonry. However, under Dr. CLAPHAM's superintendence, the patients were all removed into the lower rooms, most of them into his own quarters, and he went round them the whole night quieting their fears and making them all as comfortable as circumstances permitted, though he himself was, at the time, suffering from a most painful affection of the knee joint. I visited the Hospital early next morning and arranged for the removal of the patients into the Lock Hospital, of which four of the largest wards were given up to them. Fortunately, the number of patients in the Lock at that time was small, and this was done without inconvenience; arrangements being made, so that the inmates of the Lock were completely cut off from the part of the Hospital made over to the patients brought from the Civil Hospital, and before night all was comfortably settled, though the accommodation was barely sufficient, owing to the number of cases of injury, &c. that were brought in during the day. This arrangement continued till the middle of November. Meanwhile, a block of buildings near the Central Police Station, formerly a Hotel, had been hired by Government, and was being fitted up and repaired, and, as far as possible, arranged for a temporary Civil Hospital until the new one is built. Under Dr. CLAPHAM's superintendence, on the 13th of November the patients, stores, &c. were removed from the Lock and old Civil Hospital to the new buildings, and, with much trouble, everything was, in a few days, got into working order.
I have much pleasure in testifying to the admirable way in which Dr. CLAPHAM performed all his duties while Acting Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, and the courage and ability he showed in their discharge during and after the terrible night of the Typhoon. His kindness and courtesy made him generally esteemed by all with whom he came in contact, and a more satisfactory substitute for the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital could not have been found.
Omit.
The buildings now used as the Government Civil Hospital, though the best that could be obtained, are by no means satisfactory; being situated in the centre of the town and surrounded by buildings, they will be very hot in the summer, and will hardly get a breath of air. There is no ground attached to them, [only one water-closet in the whole block,] and in many other ways they are unsuitable; besides, Government has to pay a very high rent for them, and it is therefore to be hoped that the building of the new Hospital will be proceeded with as speedily as possible.
TUNG WAH HOSPITALOmit.
There is little more to say concerning this Institution than has been said in previous Reports. As Professor WYVILLE THOMPSON, of the Challenger Expedition, observed, when visiting this establishment with me: "As a Hospital it is beyond criticism."
Formerly, I am told, there used to be what were called "dying houses," the Chinese having the greatest possible objection to any one dying in a dwelling house; to these places people were brought in the last stage of disease, to die. The attendant in charge of the house was only obliged to supply the dying people with water, and if they took hours or days to die, that was all they got. The Tung Wah Hospital has taken the place of these "dying houses," but the Chinese have a great objection to going to Hospital, except in the last stage of disease.
During this year 1,008 patients were admitted, as compared with 959 in 1873, and 505 died, as compared with 388 in 1873. So that it appears the mortality, which was about 40 per cent. in 1873, has increased to over 50 per cent. this year. This, I think, shows that the Chinese do not go into this Hospital with any confidence; the treatment amounts to nothing, except in surgical cases, and then what is done is more harm than good.
A great number of out-patients come for advice. There were 39,359 attended this year, but a Chinaman is very ready to take advice, for it is not uncommon to see a Chinese patient taking the remedies of half a dozen native Doctors, besides those of several old women, at the same time.
On my inspections round the town, I saw an old woman very busy making pills. I asked her what drugs she was using. She said she did not know, but the pills cured everything. I asked what their action was, but she could not say; she could not tell whether they purged, as she had never tried them herself, but they were good for every complaint, and she sold plenty of them. I gave Professor THOMSON a Chinese native Doctor's prescription. It consisted of vegetables entirely, which might be eaten with impunity in any quantity; the patient for whom it was written died, but the Chinese Doctor did not know what was the matter with him.
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91
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One class of patients that contribute largely to the death rate, are the coloured destitutes, some of wher earn a precarious livelihood as watchmen; they are usually miserably clad and half starved, and are therefore more than ordinarily liable to disease, and when it does come, less able to resist it.
The case of Small-pox that died was a European engineer of a steamer, who contracted the disease in Shanghai in the month of June.
The two fatal cases of Typhoid among Europeans were brought from off a schooner (that came into this Port after the Typhoon) by my orders, while I was doing duty for Dr. ADAMS, who was un- well, and the other Europeau cases were brought from Manila, Whampoa and Shanghai.
The number of dead bodies brought to Hospital for examination during the year was 150, four of them Europeans, and three coloured persons; many of these were brought in after the Typhoon.
The amount paid into the Treasury on account of paying patients was $3,036.73, compared with $2,440.08, the amount paid in 1873.
Ou the night of the 22nd September, 1874, this Colony was visited by a terrible and most destruc- tive Typhoon. The old Civil Hospital suffered severely; it was more than half unroofed; the back verandah of the upper floor, which was supported by large stone pillars, was blown down, and also the The inner walls bulged and cracked fearfully, and the whole building
outer walls of one of the rooms. rocked and shook with each gust, in the most frightful manner; to add to the troubles of the inmates, the gas went out, and the alarin of the patients can better be imagined than described. Dr. W. C. s. CLAPHAM was then in charge, and it is entirely due to his courage and presence of mind, and his admi- rable arrangements, that no fatal accident occurred, for the panic among the patients was so great that, at one time, some of them tried to leave the building, which if they had succceded in doing, it is more than probable that they would have been killed, or severely injured, by the falling masonry. However, under Dr. CLAPHAM's superintendence, the patients were all removed into the lower rooms, most of them into his own quarters, and he went round them the whole night quieting their fears and making them all as comfortable as circumstances permitted, though he himself was, at the time, suffering from a most painful affection of the knee joint. I visited the Hospital early next morning and arranged for the removal of the patients into the Lock Hospital, of which four of the largest wards were given up to them. Fortunately, the number of patients in the Lock at that time was small, and this was done without inconvenience; arrangements being made, so that the inmates of the Lock were completely cut off from the part of the Hospital made over to the patients brought from the Civil Hospital, and before night all was comfortably settled, though the accommodation was barely sufficient, owing to the number of cases of injury, &c. that were brought in during the day. This arrangement continaed till the middle of November. Meanwhile, a block of buildings near the Central Police Station, formerly a Hotel, had been hired by Government, and was being fitted up and repaired, and, as far as possible, arranged for a temporary Civil Hospital until the new one is built. Under Dr. CLAPHAM'S superin- tendence, on the 13th of November the patients, stores, &c. were removed from the Lock and old Civil Hospital to the new buildings, and, with much trouble, everything was, in a few days, got into working order..
I have much pleasure in testifying to the admirable way in which Dr. CLAPHAM per- formed all his duties while Acting Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, and the courage and ability he showed in their discharge during and after the terrible night of the Typhoon. His kindness and courtesy made him generally esteemed by all with whom he came in contact, and a more satisfactory substitute for the Superintendent of the Govern ment Civil Hospital could not havebeen found.
Omit.
The buildings now used as the Government Civil Hospital, though the best that could be obtained, are by no means satisfactory; being situated in the centre of the town and surrounded by buildings, they will be very hot in the summer, and will hardly get a breath of air. There is no ground attached to them, [only one water-closet in the whole block,] and in many other ways they are unsuitable; besides, Government has to pay a very high rent for them, and it is therefore to be hoped that the building of the new Hospital will be procceded with as specdily as possible.
TUNG WAR HOSPITAL.
Onit
There is little more to say concerning this Institution than has been said in previous Reports. As professor WYVILLE THOMPSON, of the Challenger Expedition, observed, when Formerly, I visiting this establishment with me: "As a Hospital it is beyond criticism.”
am told, there used to be what were called “dying houses," the Chinese having the greatest possible objection to any one dying in a dwelling house; to these places people were brought in the last stage of disease, to die. The attendant in charge of the house was only obliged to supply the dying people with water, and if they took hours or days to die, that was all they got. The Tung Wah Hospital has taken the place of these "dying houses," but the Chinese have a great objection to going to Hospital, except in the last stage of
disease.
Dalt
This year 1,008 patients were admitted, as compared with 959 in 1873, aud 505 died, as compared with 388 in 1873. So that it appears the mortality, which was about 40 per cent. in 1873, has increased to over 50 per cent. this year. This, I think, shows that the Chinese do not go into this flospital with any confidence; the treatment amounts to Twenty nothing, except in surgical cases, and then what is done is more barm than good.
A great number of out-patients one Small-pox patients were admitted, and fifteen died. come for advice. There were 39,359 attended this year, but a Chinuman is very ready to take advice, for it is not uncommon to see a Chinese patient taking the remedies of half a
On my inspec-unit dozen native Doctors, besides those of several old women, at the same time. tions round the town, I saw an old woman very busy making pills. I asked her what drugs she was using. She said she did not know, but the pills cured everything. I asked what their action was, but she could not say; she could not tell whether they purged, as she had never tried them herself, but they were good for every complaint, and she sold plenty of them. I gave Professor THOMSON a Chinese native Doctor's prescription. It con sisted of vegetables entirely, which might be eaten with impunity in any quantity; the patient for whom it was written died, but the Chinese Doctor did not know what was the matter with him.
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