153
prevent
prevent some class of diseases arising from prostitution, but the laws were made to disease, as far as possible, by attention to health and cleanliness, and especially to stamp out here syphilis, in this I contend it has been most successful in this Colony.
Undoubtedly the registered women are liable to contract disease from men coming from countries, but that severe forms of disease even to the severest are not well known among the Ch is untrue. It is a daily occurrence to see Chinese in the streets of Hongkong horribly scarral syphilitic disease, with nose and eyes completely gone. Prisoners come into the Gaol who, wh stripped, reveal most horrible scars and deformities, the result of syphilis in its worst form. Sad have been received in Hospital here with disease contracted in the nearest coast ports of the me revolting type. Two women have been received into Hospital this year, diseased by their countrymen, and in a most deplorable state. Any one can see miserable little wretches of Ch children about the streets of Victoria suffering from hereditary syphilis. One Chinese Doctor tels Commission that he has been in practice 23 years in Hongkong, that he treats over 1,000 cases syphilis a year, more among men than women; and he makes a very clear distinction between disc in his evidence, though his theory and practice are not to be recommended. All this goes to the disease is here and in the Canton province in its worst forin.
F
The Commission nowhere in commenting on the "Modification of Type of Disease" take i consideration that a similar law to our Contagious Disenses Ordinance is in force in Singapore Japan, that similar laws prevail in Europe and India, that rapid communication is more commons sea, and seamen found to be diseased are sent ashore for treatment at the nearest port, that me vessels carry their own Surgeons and that by these means disease not belonging to China has led a considerable extent prevented from entering this Port. So that similar laws in other comm must have helped to free this Port from disease, or perhaps the Commission give all the credit those other countries for exporting these diseases into this Colony and China, and therefore as now have laws for the prevention of the spread of disease there is no reason for us to trouble our
further about the matter.
That brothels licensed for Chinese should not have the Medical clauses of the Ordinance app to them. I agree. But that the Government supervision of these houses has had no appreci beneficial results, I deny. When I first arrived in this Colony, Typhoid Fever of a very vine type was rife in these houses, and I had orders to enquire into the matter, the result was a Rep sent in, January 19th, 1874, which the Commissioners do not appear to have seen. Mr. Toxso then Acting Registrar General, went round with me on the first series of inspections, and a disgusting, filthy, overcrowded state of things than these houses presented it is impossible to come Now no brothel is allowed to have more jumates than it can decently accommodate, and every brat is thoroughly cleaned and whitewashed once a year at least, oftener if required. Latrines and dr are kept in decent order and the houses have been rendered as wholesome as the style of buil permits.
The Chinese community appreciate the cleanliness that has taken the place of the filthy star things disclosed by any report, for I have often been spoken to on the subject by some of the lead Chinese merchants.
That being under Government supervision they ought never to have been in such a state undeniable. But being left in the hands of Inspectors, who had no orders to guide them and were perfectly ignorant of what was required, it could hardly be otherwise.
With regard to the examinations of the women at the Hospital, I have always carefully watched the newcomers, and I have never seen the slightest approach of anything like diffidence on the score of modesty, but there is always a look of auxiety and doubt on the face which, in nine cases out of ten, changes to a smile of relief when they find it does not, as they appear to dread, cause them any pain; thenceforward they do not seem to care about it. That any woman should like it is not to be expect with regard to the remarks made about the detention of the women in Hospital and the doubt expected, it is a nuisance no doubt to have to come to the Hospital and interferes with their occupa- about diagnosis of discase, it is a matter of experience. I always detain a woman if she has a discharge and there are any inflammatory symptoms with it, or if there are sores, as much for the women's Women with purulent discharge from the urethra or orifices of the glands benefit as any one else. of bartholin are always detained. If all the women with innocent discharges were locked Hospital would be always full.
up
the
The health of the men in the different forces in the Colony during the past five years and the For instance, small number of women in Hospital is, I think, sufficient guarantee of the discretion used. this year of 12,066 examinations, in only 105 cases was detention required. In promiscuous intercourse there must be a certain amount of risk to both paties, Urithritis, or as itis called Uncomplicated Gonorrhoea, and sores from abrasions are among the most common, and some men and most young prostitutes are very subject to them, this is of course disease, but it is of a trivial character and easily cured, if not allowed to run on. These complaints furnish the greatest number of cases reported here, both among men and women. As Surgeon-Major GRANT observes "so far as Syphilis is concerned, the number of instances in which secondary affection has supervened is remarkably few and of a mild form," and it is to this end that any attention is directed. am not desirous to fill the Hospital unnecessarily, and I have never had any complaint from the women, not even any grumbling, nor any need to prosecute them for such disturbances as they made formerly. Which, if the evidence before the Commission is to be believed, they must have been to great extent justified in.
HEALTH OF THE COLONY.
Table XVI shows the population, mortality and percentage of deaths of the European community Of these years three only show a lower percentage, and the same in Hongkong in the last ten years. number a less number of death than 1878, so that the health of the Colony, as far as Europeans are concerned, may be considered to have been exceptionally good, as the saine allowance must be made every year for those who leave the Colony almost hopelessly ill.
Table XVIII shows the Annual Atmospheric Report, by which it will be seen that though the heat was as great as in any preceding year reported, yet the rainfall was considerably above the average, which bears out what has been voted in previous reports that the greater the rainfall is in tropical countries the better the health of the inhabitants.
There is a considerable
Table XVII shows the work done by the Inspectors of Nuisances. increase in the number of persons summoned, and the amount collected is more than double that of last year, being $2,111.83 as compared with $857.96. I regret that no improvement has taken place in the construction of houses occupied by Chinese, many of which render the possibility of the in- habitants keeping them clean out of the question, not only are the plans wanting in all sanitary principles, but the construction is in many cases so faulty as to render tliem absolutely dangerous not only to their inhabitants but also to passengers through the streets. I could point out houses which have had to be rebuilt to my knowledge three times, the previous buildings, though quite new, having fallen down of themselves, from no atmospheric cause or convulsion of nature, but from faults of construction only, and this in a town where earthquakes are not unknown and which Typhoons have visited frequently and severely. I reported on the want of all sanitary arrangements in this class of houses especially in 1871, and the necessity for this being remedied in a town in which they are thecoming yearly more numerous, and requisite owing to the rapidity with which the Chinese
population increases.
I went round each house and wrote down in a book for the Inspectors' guidance, how women it could accommodate and what it required to render it wholesome. I also wrote out a se general rules to guide the Inspectors, and I make yearly inspections to see for myself that these pla are in proper order. If these houses were again left to themselves as before, they would soon into the condition in which I found them.
With the prosecution of unregistered women, my Department has nothing to do, but I much might be done without any such disgraceful proceedings as have been revealed. Unlicens women might be prevented from solicitation in the streets, and licensed women might have p allowed them to be out in certain parts of the town at certain hours of the evening, it would then! Unlicensed houses kept! easy to tell at once whether a woman on the street was licensed or not. Chinese women admitting Foreigners who are known not to be residents, or known to be in a posta. to keep women might be prosecuted, for it is quite evident that Foreigners frequent these hons one purpose and not to have a chat and a cup of tea or even a drink. If the Inspectors are not tel trusted, paid informers are still less so, and I do not see that the proof of actual intercourse is necess Even private soldiers and sailors have sufficient honourable feeling to prevent them betraying women who diseased them, for it is certain in the majority of cases they are not so ignorant ass pretend to be of who the woman was. A man who would take money to, and after having n course with a woman, betray her for no other reason, must be a scoundrel, whose evidence would worthless on oath.
The Honourable
W. H. MARSH,
Colonial Secretary, $C., St.,
fr.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.