402
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
There were then under treatment, thirteen cases on the Hygeia, and fourteen at Kennedy town, making a total of 27, as against 41 on the previous day.
dying there after an illness of 24 hours. The symptoms were almost identical with those of the plague, and there is only too much reason to believe that this is the commencement of the disease in the hitherto uninfected eastern district. The agent of the Messageries Maritimes Company issued the following express on Wednesday: To order to avoid sanitary difficulties in further ports the steamer Oceanien, leaving at 2 p.m., will take neither passengers nor cargo.
18th May: The continuation of the rain on Thursday was hailed with great satisfaction, and both plague and water famine, from which we have been suffering, will doubtless in a few days entirely disappear. There is some indication that the plague is already abating and that the conditions favourable to its development having been removed by the rain, the port will soon be declared free from the disease. The total number of deaths reported from noon on Wednesday to noon yesterday was 20, of which 2 occurred on the Hygeia, 9 in Kennedy town Hospital, and 9 in outside districts. There were only 10 new cases yesterday, 3 being admitted to the Hygeia, and 7 to the Kennedy town Hospital. 44 cases are at present under treatment,
The following circular has been issued by the Sanitary Board for the guidance of all concerned, and has been circulated among the police and sanitary officers:
Observations to be made by officers conducting house to house visitation:
1. See if the patient is feverish. 2. Look for swellings (buboes) under the arms, on the groin, on the neck, above the elbow. 3. Observe if the patient has an anxious expression and if he is walking with a tottering gait.
The rainfall registered to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, for the preceding twenty-four hours, was 0.26 inch, and for the twenty-four hours ending 10 a.m. on Thursday 2.23 inches. There were heavy showers later in the day.
Our Saigon correspondent telegraphs that Hongkong has been declared an infected port and vessels arriving at Saigon are subjected to six days' quarantine.
PRECAUTIONS AT MACAO.
The following order is published in the Macao Boletim Oficial:
Bubonic plague having appeared in epidemic form in the neighbouring ports of Canton and Hongkong and causing a considerable number of deaths amongst the Chinese population of those two cities;
At the Police Court on Tuesday there were several cases of failure to report the occurrence of the disease, and doubtless a few convictions and fines will make landlords more alive to the vital necessity of bringing the cases to the attention of the authorities without the slightest delay. Ning Kin and Lan Chuk, widows, the occupants respectively of Nos. 72 and 74, Market Street, were charged by Inspector Quincey before Mr. H. E. Wodehouse with neglecting to report the outbreak of plague in their houses. The Inspector stated that he visited the places and found men suffering from the disease, whom he had removed to the Hygeia. The symptoms were very pronounced at the time and there would be no difficulty in identifying the disease. His Worship fined the first defendant $2 or fourteen days' and discharged the second. Lai You Chang, a teacher, for a similar neglect in respect to a case at 10, Wai Tak Lane, was fined $5 or in default 14 days' imprisonment.
The fire engines on Tuesday were engaged in flushing the sewers and drains of the Taiping-shan district from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The water was pumped from the harbour by the floating engine up to the Hollywood Road level and from thence to the China Road. A good quantity of water was used. This operation will be continued to-day.
Departmental orders have also been issued calling upon the Chinese to keep their houses clean.
19th May. It is regrettable to have to report that the plague has again increased and that both the numbers of deaths, admissions, and cases are larger than those of the previous day. It will be remembered that the returns on Thursday on the face of them showed a gratifying diminution of the disease, and the copious downfall of rain continuing it was confidently and naturally anticipated that this diminution would be even more pronounced yesterday. The official returns, however, up to noon on Friday show that in the twenty-four hours 25 deaths occurred, 7 were from noon on Thursday on board the Hygeia, 9 at Kennedy town Hospital, and 9 outside, as against a mortality of 21 on Thursday. The new cases were 29, viz, 12 on the Hygeia and 17 at Kennedy town, being an increase of 19. The total number of cases under treatment is 56 against 44 at the last report. This increase is not regarded by the authorities in a serious light, and no apprehensions are entertained that the disease is baffling the exertions made to stamp it out. In fact, the medical officers take a hopeful view and feel sure that the worst is now past. The increase is ascribed to the complete organisation which is operating for the detection of cases. On Friday twelve men from the Royal Engineers and twelve from the Shropshire Light Infantry were enrolled as special sanitary officers, which makes the staff numerically strong and adequate to the necessities of the work to be done. The house to house visitation is divided into sections, and it is almost impossible now that cases of plague can pass undiscovered.
The Manila authorities have prescribed 15 days' observation on all vessels arriving from this port.
At the Magistracy on Friday a hawker was charged with failing to report a case of plague which occurred in his house on the 17th inst. Defendant pleaded that he could not leave the premises, but Commander W. H. Hastings, before whom the case was heard, imposed a fine of $50 with an alternative of two months' hard labour.
21st May,
Having received the advice of the Provincial Sanitary Board:
I hereby order:
1. That the supply of water to the public by boats stationed along the Praia Grande and in the inner harbour be continued with the greatest regularity.
2. That the drains be flushed daily, especially in the districts occupied by the Chinese population, and more particularly the districts of Volong, San-kin, Sa-tong, Patane, Mong-ha, and the village of Barra.
3. That the pavement of the slaughter house and its appendages be daily washed with salt water.
4. That on the arrival of any vessel from Canton or Hongkong, including the steamers and launches of the regular lines, an officer of the Sanitary Board shall inspect the passengers, and especially the Chinese passengers, to ascertain if any of them are suffering from the bubonic plague or exhibit suspicious symptoms.
5. That the commandant of the water police shall give the necessary directions in order that lorcha or other boats from Hongkong or Canton may not land any individual suspected to be suffering from the disease; and any case presenting its symptoms shall be detained on board until examined by an officer of the Sanitary Board, who shall be immediately informed.
6. If any passenger be found to be suffering from bubonic plague, whether on board steamers or launches, such passenger shall not be landed; and if any case of the disease be found on a sailing vessel or boat propelled by oars the vessel shall be immediately to be immediately towed out of the harbour, and removed by a copious rainfall we may confidently anticipate the speedy disappearance of the evil result.
Government Palace, Macao,
15th May, 1894.
The Governor of the Province,
Jose M. da Horta e Costa.
work of soaching and disinfecting the localities
for development it was hoped that in a few days such an appreciable conquest of the disease would be achieved that no further danger need be anticipated. A certain section of the Chinese have now, however, attempted to frustrate all these efforts, and are determined to assert aggressively the ignorance and stupidity which peculiarly belong to the multitude of the natives. It will be remembered that one of the first acts of the permanent committee was to order the removal of all patients from the Tung Wah Hospital to the Hygeia, and the next wise edict was that no patients were to be sent there, but removed direct to the bulk. There was at the time much grumbling and opposition to this course, the patients themselves, with the instinct of their race, objecting, sometimes violently to their removal to the Hygeia and their treatment by Western skill and science. It appears that this feeling of resentment has been simmering and increasing during the past few days, and on Saturday it broke bounds and completely disorganised the work of cleansing, disinfecting, and investigating, which was in progress. Mr. Lau Wai Chuen, a member of the Sanitary Board and also Chairman of the Tung Wah Hospital Committee, has, with an intelligence which unfortunately does not belong to all his countrymen, lost the Government his hearty co-operation in the measures they have taken. Some of his colleagues on the Hospital Committee, however, imbued with anti-foreign feeling, have resisted this policy, and by their influence have created a strong opposition among the native population to the work which the authorities are prosecuting with such vigour.
May 24, 1894.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
198
4.3
Another case occurred yesterday among the Portuguese community, the patient being taken to the Hygeia.
Singapore has imposed nine days' quarantine, including the time occupied by the passage, rioting, the Government having met the Tung Wah Hospital Committee in their demand that there be no further danger of a renewal of the.
MEETING AT THE TUNG WAH HOSPITAL
A largely attended meeting of Chinese was held on Sunday at the Tung Wah Hospital, there being present about seventy members of the leading firms and some four hundred others. The Captain Superintendent of Police and the Colonial Surgeon attended the meeting.
Mr. Lau Wai Chuen occupied the chair. He said that many people had preferred a request that persons suffering from the plague should be allowed to be conveyed to Canton, if their relatives so desired, by special launches.
The Captain Superintendent of Police replied that he was instructed to state that information had that morning been received from Canton that the officials there would not allow persons suffering from the disease to be landed there. Mr. Lau Wai Chuen interpreted Mr. May's reply to the meeting, who received it with strong marks of dissatisfaction. Mr. Lau Wai Chuen, endeavoured to maintain order and said he would personally apply to the Government here and the officials at Canton in relation to the matter. He suggested that they should send a petition to Canton signed by all the leading firms of the colony.
Yesterday morning the sanitary officers reported a house supposed to be empty and made the horrible discovery that there were five corpses on the premises and four very serious cases, all exhibiting pronounced symptoms of the plague.
Yesterday morning one of the turnkeys in the Victoria Gaol reported himself sick and Dr. Marques, suspecting from the symptoms that the man was suffering from plague, sent him immediately to hospital. A prisoner in the gaol, who had been convicted for not reporting a case of plague, was also removed to the new Chinese Hospital for treatment.
The arrangements for the burial of victims of the plague do not appear to be quite satisfactory. A good deal of delay takes place before the bodies are interred, separate graves having to be dug in a rather rocky and refractory soil. The squatters on the land contiguous to this cemetery have petitioned the Government on the matter. Evidently a more suitable site ought to be selected.
On Saturday many of the houses visited were blockaded and the sanitary officers stoned, and in the afternoon all attempts to continue the house to house inspection had to be discontinued, the work being rendered exceedingly unsafe and difficult. A mob also collected at the Po Leung Kuk office and broke the windows, but was dispersed by the police before doing further damage. On Sunday, while a meeting at the Tung Wah Hospital was in progress, Mr. Lau was hurriedly sent for, news arriving that his hong was being wrecked. When Mr. Lau left the building he was surrounded by a howling mob of Chinese and had to be escorted by police to his residence. Mr. P. R. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, grasped the situation at once and sent a mounted contingent of armed Sikhs to the district, the presence of which fortunately prevented further disturbances.
The Government have so far met the Chinese opposition as to assent to the establishment of a temporary hospital under the management of the Tung Wah at the Glassworks, Kennedy town, to which all patients will be removed and where they will be treated by native practitioners, and the use of the Hygeia for the reception of plague patients will be discontinued.
On Sunday the house to house inspection was recommenced, the officers being protected by a strong police guard.
Some cases have been reported on the mainland and proclamations have been issued prohibiting the immigration of Chinamen from Hongkong. At Haiphong several persons have fallen victims to the disease.
This suggestion was unanimously agreed to. The Captain Superintendent of Police said that rumours were current that people not suffering from the disease had been taken to the Hygeia and the Kennedy town Hospital, people who were not sick at all, but this could be at once disproved if any of those present would go with him to examine the patients, when it would be seen they were all sick people suffering from the plague. If those attacked were not segregated it would be impossible to prevent the spread of the disease, and he referred to the visitation of the plague in England two hundred years ago and the great mortality it caused. He suggested to the Chairman that he should advise the people that they should avoid overcrowding in their dwellings, and then the number of persons attacked by the disease would decrease.
CONFERENCE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
An important conference was held yesterday at Government House for the purpose of discussing the new turn events have taken and considering the course of action to be adopted in the immediate future. His Excellency Sir William Robinson presided, and there were also present H.E. Major-General Barker, Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart (Acting Colonial Secretary), Hon. N. G. Mitchell-Innes (Colonial Treasurer), Hon. Ho Kai, Dr. P. B. C. Ayres (Colonial Surgeon), Mr. F. H. May (Captain Superintendent of Police), Mr. J. J. R. Crook, Dr. James, Francis Q.C., Mr. J. A. M. S., Dr. Lan Wai Chuen. The meeting lasted for some time. The first business was the consideration of representations by the permanent committee of the Sanitary Board as to the inadequacy of the number of sanitary officers.
Application was made for the enrolling of 400 assistants for the work of cleansing and disinfecting.
At this stage of the proceedings a petition was presented from the residents in East Street complaining of the treatment they had received at the hands of the sanitary officers, entering their houses unexpectedly and frightening the children. The petitioners asked that attention should be given to this matter.
At this time news arrived that a mob was attacking Mr. Lau Wai Chuen's establishment in Bonham Strand, the Tung San Wo, and
On Sunday night everything was quiet and it was hoped there would be no renewal of the disturbances.
The decrease in the number of cases reported for the twenty-four hours up to noon on Sunday is, it is to be feared, due to interruption of the inspection rather than to any actual diminution of the disease.
A notice was subsequently issued by the Committee of the Tung Wah Hospital stating that the Government has consented to allow all patients suffering from plague to be treated by the doctors of the Tung Wah Hospital. The notice also informs the people that they need not be alarmed by the visits of the sanitary officers, as any one found to be suffering from plague will now be removed to the Tung Wah's branch hospital instead of being taken to the Hygeia.
At the Police Court on Saturday there were some more cases of failure to report outbreaks of plague. Wong Chan, a married woman, was so charged. P.S. Moffat said that he visited the house of the defendant No. 64, First Street, at 11 a.m. on the 18th. In the first room visited he found a man lying dead, and another man (the husband of the defendant) was very ill in the same apartment. In another room in the Cookhouse he discovered a woman very ill lying under a bed, and in the cockloft a girl was seriously ill. All, both the dead and the living, had the symptoms of bubonic plague. Defendant pleaded that she was a very poor woman, and was fined $5, which she paid. Chan Chol, a shopkeeper at No. 6, Hung Lane, off Queen's Road West, was also charged with concealing a case. P.S. Smith said that he went into the premises and found a man suffering from plague. There were a number of persons present, who ran away on his arrival. A like fine was imposed.
We have heard of a somewhat curious case in connection with the plague. A few days ago a coolie was charged with cutting and wounding a companion and the hearing of the charge was remanded for a week by the sitting Magistrate, bail of $250 being allowed and procured. The following day the unlucky coolie was seized with the disease and died on board the Hygeia.
The Spanish Consul received the following official telegram despatch from Manila at 9:53 a.m. on Saturday: "Hongkong has been declared an infected port, and vessels from thence are subject to fifteen days' quarantine."
Information has also been received that a proclamation will be issued to-day addressed to the Chinese explaining the objects of the preventative measures now being prosecuted and calling upon them to co-operate therein and assist the Government.
Mr. May stated at the meeting yesterday that he and his assistants had been welcomed and not obstructed in the different houses visited.
The following are the returns for the twenty-four hours to noon yesterday:
Hygeia, Kennedy town Hospital, City, Total, Decrease.
Admissions: 2, 3, 0, 5, Deaths: 3, 2, 0, 5, Under treatment: 26, 20, 17, 63, 28
The Government, we understand, is fully prepared to support the permanent committee of the Sanitary Board to the utmost. There is a suspicion that jealousy between different sections of the Chinese is at the bottom of the recent disturbances and ill-feeling.
THE DISTURBANCES-POLICE COURT PROCEEDINGS.
Mr. H. E. Wodehouse was yesterday morning engaged at the Police Court in hearing several cases arising out of the disturbances in Chinatown reported in yesterday's issue.
Yesterday Yea Kay, a hawker, was charged with behaving in a disorderly manner in Po Yan Street.
Page 403
...
402
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
There were then under treatment, thirteen cases on the Hygeia, and fourteen at Kennedy town, making a total of 27, as against 41 on the previous day.
dying there after an illness of 24 hours. The symptoms were almost identical with those of the plague, and there is only too much reason to believe that this is the commencement of the dis- ease in the hitherto uninfected eastern district. The ageut of the Messageries MaritimeS An express was issued on Tuesday afternoon Company issued the following express on Wednes by the ag nt of the Compagnie des Messageries day-To order to avoid sanitary difficulties in Marities to the effect that in order to avoid further ports the steamer Oceanien, leaving at sanitary difficulties in further ports, the Com-14 p.m., will take neither passengers nor cargo. pany's steamer Yerre, would not carry silber
18th May: passengers or cargo. The vessel did not come The continuation of the rain on Thursday was into the harbour, and is lying in Kowloon Bay bailed with great satisfaction, and both plague iu complete isolation.
And water famine, from which we bave been sut The arrangements for the burial of victims offering, will doubtless in a few days entirely die the plague do not appear to be quite satisfactory, appear. There is some indication that the A good deal of delay takes place before the plague is already abating and that the conditions bodies are interred, separate graves having to be favourable to its development having been re- dug in a rather rooky and refractory soil. The moved by the rain, the port will soon be declared squatters on the land contiguous to this cemetery free from the disease, The total number of have petitioned the Government on the matter.deaths reported from noon on Wednesday to Evidently a more suitable site ought to be noon yesterday was 20, of which 2 occurred on selected.
the Hygeia, & in Kennedytown Hospital, and 9 in outside districts. There were only 10 new cases yesterday, 3 being admitted to the Hygeia, and 7 to the Kennedytown Hospital. 44 cases are at present under treatment,
The following circular has been issued by the Sanitary Board for the guidance of all concerned, and has been circulated among the polios and sanitary officers -
Observations to be made by officers conduct- ing house to house visitation:~
1.See if the patient is feverish. 2.- Look forswellings (buboes) under the arms,
on the groin, on the neck, above the elbow. 3.-Observo if the patient has au anxious ex- pression and if he is walking) a tottering gait.
The rainfall registered to 10 am. on Wednes- day, for the preceding twenty-four hours, was 0.26 inch, and for the twenty-four hours ending 10 am on Thursday 2.23 inches. 'There were hosvy showers later in the day.
Our Saigon correspondent telegrapha that Hongkong has been declared an infected port and vessels arriving at Saigon are subjected to six days' quarantine.
PRECAUTIONS AT MACAO.
The following order is published in the Macao Boletim Oficial:---
Bubonic plague having appeared in epidemic form in the neighbouring ports of Canton and Hongkong and causing a considerable number of deaths amongst the Chinese population of those two cities;
At the Pelice Court on Tuesday there were several cases of failure to report the occurrence of the disease, and doubtless a few convictions and fines will make landlords more alive to the vital oncessity of bringing the cases to the atten- tion of the authorities without the slightest delay. Ning Kin and Lan Chuk, widows, the occupants respectively of Nos. 72 and 74, Market Street, were charged by Inspector Quincey before Mr. H. E. Wodehonse with neglecting to report Considering that it is absolutely necessary to the outbreak of plague in their hous 8. The take adequate precautions, as far as possible, to Inspector stated that he visited the places and prevent the appearance of the scourge in this found men suffering from the disease, whom he city and its suburbs and dependencies; had removed to the Hygeia, The symptoms Considering that the transmissibility of the were very pronounced at the time and there bubonic plague by contagion has not yet been would be no difliculty in identifying the disease.proved, but that the epidoraic is principally His Worship fined the first defendant $2 or four-localised in particular centres whence it spreads teen days' and discharged the second. Lai You to other districts where the sanitation is unsatis- Chaug, a teacher, for a similar neglect in respect factory; to a case at 10, Wai Tak Lane, was fined $5 or in defanit 14 days' imprisonment.
The fire engines on Tuesday were engaged in Aushing the sewers and drains of the Taiping- ahau district from 6 am. to 6 p.m. The water was pumped from the harbour by the floating engine up to the Hollywood Road level and from thence to the Chine Road. A good quantity of water was used This operation will be continued to-day.
;
[May 24, 1894.
calling upon the Chinese to keep their houses Departmental orders have also been issued clean.
19th May. plagae has again increased and that both the It is regrettable to have to report that the
larger than those of the previous day. It numbers of deaths, admissions, and cases are
will be remembered that the returns on Thurs. day on the face of them showed a' gratifying diminution of the disease, and the copious downfall of rain continuing it was confidently and naturally anticipated that this diminution! would be even more pronounced yesterday. The official returus, however, up-to noon on Fri- day show that in the twenty-four hours. of which 7 were from noon on Thursday 25 deaths occurred, on board the Hygien. 9 at Kennedytown Hospital, and 9 outside, as against a mortality of 21 on Thursday. The new cases were 29, viz, 12 on the Hygesa and 17- at Kennedytown, being an increase of 19. The total number of cases under treatment is 56 against 44 at the last report. This increase is not regarded by the authorities in a serious light, and no apprehensions are entertained that the disease is baffling the exertions made to stamp it out. In fact, the medical officers take a hopeful view and feed sure that the worst is now past. The increase 18 ascribed to the complete organisation which is operating for the detection of cases. On Friday twelve men from the Royal Engineers and twelve from the Shropshire Light Infantry were enrolled as special sanitary officer, which makes the staff numerically strong and adequate to the noc ssi- ties of the work to be done. The house to house visitation is divided into sections, and it is almost impossible now that cases of plagne can pass bo- discovered:
The Manila authorities have prescribed 15 days' observation on all vessels arriving from this port.
At the Magistracy on Friday a bawker was charged with failing to report a case of plagne which occurred in his house on the 17th inst. Defendant pleaded that he could not leave the promises, but Commander W. . II. Hastings, before whear the case was heard, imposed a fue of $50 with an alternative of two months' hard labour.
21st May,
Having received the advice of the provincial twenty-four hours preceding →→→
The returns to noon on Saturday were for the Sanitary Board:
I hereby order-
Hy. Kennedy- To- In- gelo. town. City. tal. creuse. Admissions 20
11 Deaths.......
13 I Under treatment. 33 26
1. That the supply of water to the public by boats stationed along the Praia Grande and in the inner harbour be continued with the greatest regularity.
2. That the drains be flushed daily, especially in the districts occupied by the Chinese popula- tion, and more particularly the districts of Volong, San-kin, Sa-tong, Patane, Mong-ha, and the village of Barra.
3-That the pavement of the slaughter house and its apuexes be daily washed with salt water.
4.- That on the arrival of any vessel from Canton or Hongkong, including the steamers and launches of the regular liues, an officer of
7 34 59
31 2 * 3
four hours to noon on Sunday :-
The following are the returns for the twouly-
Admissions. Deaths
Hy. Kennedy-
To De-
gera.
town. City.
tal. crease.
5
8
13
8
7
7
32 12
3
Under treatment 29
THREATENED RIOTS IN CHINATOWN. Very serious and dangerous features in con<! nection with the plague have appeared during. the lust two days, and although the disease itself
17th May. The S.W. mouseon clouds, so long anxiously awaited, have at last reached the colony and brought a plentiful downpour of the much needed rain. Although the fall on Wednesday was not very heavy, sufficient rain descended to flush the draws in an incomparably more effective manner than artificial appliances can do. the Sanitary Board shall inspect the passengers, has not increased to any alarming extent, eir There seems every reason to believe that the and especially the Chinese passengers, to sscer-cutastandos have arisen which are of the ainy season has at length set in definitely and tain if any of them are suffering from the most regrettable character and the gravest that bth the water famine and the plague bubonic plague or exbibit suspicions symptoms. import. On knowledge of the existence of will so be only unpleasant recollections It! 5.-bat the commandant of the water police plague being brought to the notice of the nu will necessarily take several days of good heavy shall give the noossary directions in order that thorities, it was B matter for congratula. dawupours to appreciably increases the volume lorchas or other boats from Hongkong or Caution that the Sanitary Boart immediately of wat in the reservoirs and to g‹ffective tou may not land any individual suspected to be grasped the serious possibilities involved and ly cleanse the atmosphere and the drains as suffering from the disease; and any case present took prompt steps, by the appointment of a to entirely remove the conditions of in- ing its symptoms shall be detained on board permanent Committee, to combat its spread and Bagitation, which are directly the cause of the until examined by an officer of the Sanitary stamp it out with the least possible delay. In provsieune of the disease, but, although the Board, who shall be immediately informed.
these well directed efforts they were pro- number of deaths may not materially diminish 6. if any passenger be found to be suffering videntially assisted by the arrival of the muck for some time, we may rest assured that nature's from bubonic plague, whether on board steamers needed rain, and by indefatigable exertions disn ectant is doing its work thoroughly. Theor launches, such passenger shall not be landed; and the eulistment of a large number of special medical testimony adduced since the ontbreak and if any case of the disease be found on a sail-sanitary officers thoroughly organised for the of the plague has pointed unanimously to the ing vessel or boat propaled by cars the vessel dry and unflushed drains as the immediate cause shall be immediately towed out of the harbour, in which the plague has the most fortile field of the appearance of the disease, and with the 7. The Military Commandant of Taipa shall cause removed by a copious rainfall we may confidently anticipate the speedy disappearance of the evil result.
On Wednesday the returns showed a slight but welcome decrease, both in the wumber of deaths and the now casos adwilted. The total mortality from noon on Tuesday to noon yesterday was twenty-four, of which number nine occurred on the Hygeia, twelve at the Kennedytown Hospital, and three in the native quarters of the city.
take similar precautions in the districts under bis jurisdiction, so far as they are applicable, and in case of the epidemic breaking out abat immediately inform the Secretary General of the Government, in order that measures may be taken,
Government Palace, Macao,
15th May, 1894.
The Governor of the Province,
Jose M da 3, HORTA E COSTA.
work of soaching and disinfecting the localities
for development it was hoped that in a few days such an appreciable conquest of the disease would be achieved that no further danger need be anticipated. A certain section of the Chinese have now, however, attempted' to frustrate all these efforts, and are determined to assert aggressivly the ignorance and stupidity which penliarly belong to the multitude of the natives. It will be remembered that one of the first acts of the permanent committee was to order the removal of all patients from the Tang
May 24. 1894.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
198
4.3
Another case occurred yesterday among the Portugese community, the patient being taken to the Hygeia.
W Hospital to the Hygeia, and the next wise | Singapore has imposed nine days' quarantine, Į be no further danger of a renewal of the. edict was that no patients were to be sent there, including the time occupied by the passage, rioling, the Government having met the Tungi but removed direct to the bulk. There was at
MEETING AT THE TUNG WAB HOSPITAL Wah Hospital Committee in their demand that the time much grumbling and opposition to this
A largely attended meeting of Chinese was no'more cases should be sent on board the Hugeids course, the patients themselves, with the in- held on Sunday at the Tang Wah Hospital, The new Chinese Hospital at the Glassworks stiust of their race, objecting, sometimes violent there being present about seventy members of is now occupied and in future all cases will be ly to their removal to the Hygeia and their the leading firms and some four hundred others. seat there. The Hygain, after the patients at treatment by Western skill and science. It | The Captain Superintendent of Police and the present under treatment have bara disposed bf, appears that this feeling of resentment has been
Colonial Surgeon attended the meeting.
will not be further utilised for the purpose, Simmering and increasing during the past few Mr. Lau Wai Chuen occupied the chair. He Yesterday morning the sanitary, offèers :ep.. days, and on Saturday it broke bounds and said that many people had preferred a request tared a house supposed to be emply and toade completely disorganised (the work of cleansing, that persous suff rior from the plague should the horrible di covery that there were five disinfecting, and investigating, which was in be allowed to be conveyed to. Canton, if their re- corpses on the premises and four very serious progress. Mr. Lan Wai Chuen, a member of latives so desired, by special launches.
eases, all exhibiting pronounced symptoms of the Savitary Board and also Chairman of the The Captain Superintendent of Police replied the plague. Tung Wah Hospital, has, with an intelligence that he was instructed to state that information Yesterday morning one of the turnkeys in the which unfortunately does not belong to all had that morning been received from Canton Victoria: Gaol reported himself sick and Dr. big countrymen, lost the Government bis that the officials there would not allow persons Marques, su pecting from the symptoms that hearty co-operation in the measures they have suffering from the diseases to be landed there. the man was suffering from plague, sent bim taken, Some of his colleagues on the Hospital Mr. Lau Wai Chuen interpreted Mr. May's immediately to hospital. A prisoner in the Committee, however, imbued with anti-foreign reply to the meeting, who received it with gaol, who had been convicted for not reporting forling, have resisted this policy, and by their strong marks of dissatisfaction. Mr. Lau Wsi a case of plagne, was also removed to the new influence have created a strong opposition among Chuen, endeavoured to maintain order and Chinese Hospital for treatment. the native population to the work which the said he would personally apply to the Govern. authorities are prosecuting with such vigour. ment here and the officials at Canton in relation On Saturday many of the houses visited were to the matter. He suggested that they should blockaded and the sanitary offloars stoned, and iù send a petition to Canton signed by" all the the afternoon all attempts to continue the house leading firms of the colony. to honse inspection had to be discontinued, the work being rendered exceedingly unsafe and diff- cult. A mob also collected at the Po Leung Kuk offen and broke the windows, hat was die pered by the polion before doing further d mago. On Sunday, while a meeting at the Tung Wah Hospital was in progress, Mr Lau was harried'y sent for, news arriving that his hong was being wrecked. When Mr. Lau left the bailding he was surrounded by a howling mob of Chiness and had to be escorted by police to his residence Mr. P. R. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, grasped the situation at once and sent a mounted contingent ofarmed Sikhs to thedistrict, the presence of which fortunately prevented farther disturbances.
The Government have so far met the Chinese opposition as to assent to the establishment of a | temporary hospital under the management of the Tung Wah at the Glassworks, Kennedytown, to which all patients will be removed and where they will be treated by native practitioners, and the use of the Hygeia for the reception of plague patients will be discontinued.
On Sunday the house to house inspection was recommenced, the officers being protected by a strong police guard,
Some cases have been reported on the main- land and proclamations have been, issued probi- biting the immigration of Chinamen from long- kong At Haghom several person. have fallen victims to the disease.
This suggestion was unanimonsly agreed to. The Captain Superintendent of Pulice said that rumours were current that people not suffer, ing from the disease had been taken to the A large exodna has set out from the colony. Ilegein and the Kennedytown Hospital, people We learn that ou Sanday upwards of 1,000 na- who were not sick at all, but this could be at tiven left by steamers and junks, and yesterday once disproved if any of those present would go a like number shook the dust of Hongkong off with him to examine the patients, when it would their fest. All the passage buts are thronged, be seen they were all sick people suffering, from | principally by the lower classes of the Taiping. the plague. If those attacked were not. segra- | shan district. gated it would he impossible to prevent the CONFERENCE AT G VERNMENT HOUSE. spread of the disease, and he referred to the Au important conference was held yesterday. visitalion of the plague in England two hundred at Government House for the purpose of dis- yours ago and the great mortality it caused. He eussing the new turn events have taken and suggested to the Chairman that he should advise considering the course of action to be adopted in the people that they should avoid overcrowding the immediate future. His Excellency Sir in their dwellings, and then the numb r of persons William Robinson presided, and there ware attacked by the disease would decrease.
also present. H.E. Major-General Barker. Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart (Aeting Colonial Secretary). Hon N. G. Mitchell-Innes (Colonial Treasurer), Hou Ho Kai, Dr P. B. C. Ayres (Colonial: "Surgeon), Mr. F. H. May (Cap- tain Superintendent of Police), Mr. J J. R. Crook, Dr. James, Francis QC, Mr. J A.M.S.. D Mr. Lan Wai Chnen. The inveting lasted for some time. The first busi- nose was the consideration of representations by the permanent committee of the Saitary to the inadequacy of the number
Application Was the enrolling of 400 assistants for the work of cleansing and disinfecting.
At this stage of the proceedings a p-tition was presented from the residents in East Street complaining of the treatment they had receive i, the sanitary officers entering their bonses avex- pectedly and frightening the children. The petitioners asked that attention should be given to this matter.
At this time news arrived that a m.b was attacking Mr. Lau Wai Chuen's establishment in Boubam Strand, the Tuag San Wo, com
On Sunday night everything was quiet and it was hoped there would be no renewal of the displaining that Mr. Lan Wai Chaon as a member Board na turbances.
The decrease in the number of cases reported for the twenty-four hours up to noon on Sunday is, it is to be feared, due to interruption of the inspection rather than to any actual diminution of the disease,
of the Sanitary Board bad not protected the in- of sanitary, officers. terests of his countrymen. Mr. Lau Wai Chusu | for
at once left the meeting, which then broke up.
MAN
is
A notice was subsequently issued by the Com- Excellency the Governor undertook that belp wittee of the Tung Wah Hospitalstating that the should be given and the details of the wagmenta- Government has consented to allow all patients tion of the special staff of sauitary officers will The reports as to the suffering from plague to be treated by the be settled to-day. doctors of the Tang, Wah Hospital that ar obstruction by the Tung Wab Committee rangements had been made with the pro- were fully discussed.
Mr
Lan Wai Chuen
fis
At the Police Court on Saturday there were some more cases of failure to report outbreaks of plague. Wong Chan, a married woman, was so charged. P.3. Moffat said that he visitedprietors of the glass works at Kennedytown for was asked to explain the committee's ob- the house of the defendant No. 64. First Street, the erection of a temporary hospital on their jection to the measures now being taken at 11 am. on the 18th. In the first room visited land, and that from henceforth all the patients by the authorities, but could not do so. be found a man lying dead, and another map will be treated there by Chinese doctors instead Excellency in strong terms insisted on the (the husband of the defendant) was very ill in of being taken to the. Hygeia or the Kennedy-importance of the continuance of the house to the same apartment. In another room in the town Hospital. The notice also juforms the house visitation and said the Taog Wah Com- Cookhouse he discovered a woman very ill people that they need not be alarmed by the mittee were bound to co-operate and must do so, lying under a bed, and in the cockloft a girl visits of the sanitary officers, as any, one that the object was to prevent the spread of dis- was seriously ill. All, both the dead and the found to be suffering from plague will now sase, and that he would not take the responsibility living, bad the symptoms of bubonic plague. be removed to the Tang, Wah's branch bos of stopping what be considered to be absolutely Defendant pleaded that she was a very pour pital instead of being taken to the Hygeia: necessary work. woman, and was fined $5, which abỏ paid." Chan and goes on to caation them against cone-aling Chol, a shopkeeper at No. 6, Hnng Laue, off any case of the disease, stating that all cases are Queen's Road West, was also charged with con- to be at once reported, and that in the event of cealing a case. P.S. Smith said that he went failure to report the responsible parties will be into the premises and found a man suffering punished. from plague. There were a number of persons present, who ran away on his arrival. A like fine was imposed.
We have heard of a somewhat, ourjous case in connection with the plague. A few days ago a acolie was charged with cutting and w noding a companion and the bearing of the charge was re- auded for a week by the sitting Magistrate, bail of $250 being allowed and procured. The follow.pg day the unlucky coolie was sized with the disease and lied on board the Hygeiu.
The Spanish Consadas received the following official telegram despate from Manila at 9.53 a.m. on aturday: Hongkong has been declared an infected port, and vessels from thence are subject to fifteen days' quarantine."
information has also been repaired that
2nd May.
A proclamation will be issued to-day addressed to the Chinese explaining the objects of the preventitive measures now being prosecuted and calling upon them to co-oporata therein and assist the Government.
Mr. May stated at the meeting yesterday that he and his assistants had been, welcomed and not The following are the returns for the twenty-obstructed in the different houses visited. four hours to noon yesterday :~~
Ken-Chinese
In-
Hy nedy Hoes City. To yata, Town. pitaky tak ursuse.
2 30
45. 33
Admissions Deaths
' 3 22 12 45. 28 Under treatment 26 20 17
19
13
From the abov ret it will be at once seen that there was serions increase.on the
The Government, we understand, is fully pre- pared to support the permanent committee of the Sanitary Board to the utmost. There is a suspicion that jealousy between different sec- tions of the Chinese is at the bottom of the re- cent disturbances and ill-feeling.
THE DISTURBANCES-POLICE COURT PROCEEDINGS.
statistics of the previous day. Consid ring. Mr. H. E. Wodehouse was yesterday morning however, that on Saturday and Sunday protical-angsged at the Polien Court in hear ng several ly no surveillance, was exercised owing to the cases arising out of the disturbances in Chius- disturbances in the native quarter, it is not a town reported in yesterdays' issue.
matter of much surprise that the same pesterday Yea Kay, a hawker, was charged with bebay- ghould be more numerous, Thare kesana to'ing in a disorderly manner in Po Yan Street.
P
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