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Cholera.
128. The pandemic of cholera in China in 1932, of which the outbreak in Hong Kong formed but a part, commenced towards the end of April in Shanghai. Subsequently cases appeared in other ports and inland towns until by the end of the summer there was scarcely a province which had not been visited by the disease. It is reckoned there were over 100,000 cases with a general death rate of some 50 per cent.
129. Canton reported the first sporadic case during the week ended 21st May and the number of cases steadily increased and in the week ending 18th June there were 333 cases reported with 152 deaths.
130. Because of the gravity of the situation in Canton and the imminent danger of importing infection into Hong Kong through the thousands coming daily by steamer and railway it was recommended that all passengers travelling by these routes should be inspected on arrival,
181. The Director of Medical and Sanitary Services visited Canton and conferred with the Municipal Commissioner of Health in an endeavour to ascertain the exact situation and with a view to an understanding whereby passengers from Canton to Hong Kong would be subjected to scrutiny before embarkation.
132. Quarantine against Canton being impracticable for the reasons given in paragraph 25 it was decided by Government that the river boats should not stop at the quarantine anchorage for examination of passengers but go straight to the wharf where it would be the duty of the health staff to examine the passengers and to take the necessary action to ensure the thorough cleansing of all passenger decks, kitchens and lavatories.
133. The Port Health staff was increased by the addition of one Chinese Medical Officer and one Chinese Sanitary Inspector, and a number of the Government Vaccinators were detailed for duty with it.
134. It was arranged that the Tung Wah Infectious Diseases Hospital should be placed at the disposal of the Medical Depart- ment and that all patients entering the Chinese Hospitals should be subject to examination by the Medical Superintendent, a Western trained doctor.
185. The two Infectious Diseases Hospitals which are sit- uated adjacent the one to the other were staffed and equipped, and an Intelligence Bureau was established to give the latest news of any case to any enquirer.
136. A daily medical conference of the principal medical officers concerned was organised so that there might be complete coordination and cooperation and prompt action taken to meet all requirements.
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137. An extra supply of cholera vaccine was manufactured and supplies sent to the various hospitals for free inoculations to any who wished to be done.
138. The first cases to be reported were those of two immig- rants who arrived from Canton on the 20th of June. Thereafter there were daily notifications.
The following table shows the course of the epidemic:-
Date.
Weeking ending June 26th....
Cases.
9
July 3rd..
45
10th..
"J
37
17th..
15
14th..
}"
21
31st.
43
August 7th..
27
14th..
12
J
21st.
1.
28th.
8
Septembr 4th.
7
11
11th.
4
18th..
JT
The greatest number in any one day was 16 on the 28th of June.
139. Of the 241 cases notified 22 were reported as imported. There were altogether 156 deaths, giving a case death rate of 64.73 per cent.
140. Experience proved that the examination at the wharf of ships and passengers arriving from Canton could only be done in a very cursory manner. As soon as the vessels were alongside four gangways were put into position and each in less than a minute contained a crush of humanity hurrying to the shore and by the end of ten minutes 400 out of the 500 carried had passed from ship to shore and from wharf to street.
141. With regard to the night boats the situation was much worse owing to the large number of passengers carried, the un- satisfactory lighting and the increased confusion. Because of the lateness of the hour many passengers remained on board until morning. Some slept in cabins, some in chairs, while others made themselves as comfortable as they could lying on the decks or tucked away in the cargo.
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