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living rooms, are kindred matters which deserve special attention at the hands of the Bourd's Inspectors. This all shows that the Insanitary Properties Ordinance will have to be supplemented, ere long, by further wholesome, if more drastic, legislation in the same direction. The urgent call for p bigger supply of public urinals becomee yearly more apparent. It is far from satis- factory to learn that only three such places exist throughout the entire city. By means of meteorological statistics culled from Dr. DOLERCA's Observatory reports, the uncertain nature of our rainfall is at once seen. During the past twenty years, it has ranged between 45.83 inches in 1895, and 120.66 inches in 1883. This irregular water supply is not sufficient for the colony's every day wants, especially since water-taps are now fixed in Chinese tenenients. No doubt a great deal of quite unnecessary waste takes place, even in European houses, for the unthinking native is not sufficiently tutored to an unlimited water supply. He would value it more, if it cost him greater trouble to get. This is abundantly evident when we notice a coal-coolie go to a street hydrant, and run off several gallons to wash his feet. Had he been compelled to carry the same amount of water from a distance or to pay some one else to do so for him, his feet would, in all likelihood, have gone unwashed; at least, he would have been less extravagant. And yet, it is a far more cul- pable waste to use potable water, as we in Hongkong do, for such purposes as flushing sewers and urinals, watering streete. and for extinguishing fires; because sea- water would do quite as well, and cost much less to obtain and to store. Dr. CLARK, accordingly, strongly recommends the stor- age of salt-water in reservoirs for all ordinary municipal uses. If that were done, we should doubtless be able to get a constant service of soft water for housebold purposes, even during the driest months of the year. The number of deaths from malarial diseases in '99 was still high, though less so than in '98. Beri-Beri, in the three last months of the year, gave cause for grave anxiety, verg- >ing almost on an epidemic. The account of a disease supposed to be Beri-Beri, in one of the Foundling Hospitals, is of particular interest, owing to the practical absence of all those insanitary conditions-overcrowd- ing, lack of light, air and nourishing food--- with which we commonly link such an outbreak. It is greatly to be deplored that we still suffer from the fact that there is yet no systematic medical inspection of vessels immediately on arrival in harbour. The colony pays very heavily for this serious deficiency. Thus, out of 187 reported casez of small- pox, enteric fever and diphtheria. no fewer than 55 were known to have been importel. It will be news to the ordinary lay reader to learn that scarlet fever does not appear to occur among the Chinese, and that it is comparatively unknown even anong Emropeans here.
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