CO129-545-8 Annual medical report 1932 2-11-1933 - 16-5-1934 — Page 50

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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301. The total number of infants under supervision during the period of eight months was 767, and the total attendance 4.821.

302. It was found that the attendance varied greatly from day to day due principally to variations in the weather conditions. but a total of 49 infants was recorded on one day.

303. Of the 767 infants seen, 726 lived in the immediate neighbourhood of Wanchai. The remaining were brought from the following districts:-

Central district Victoria

West Point

Shaukiwan

Boat population

Yaumati district Kowloon

Mongkok district Kowloon

Hung Het district Kowloon

Kowloon City district Kowloon

Macao

9

9

7

5

1

1

3

1

Ng Chau (Kwangsi Province China)......... 1

Total

41

304. The following were the most prevalent ailments:-

Conjunctivitis (mainly gonococcal).

Bronchitis.

Gastro-enteritis.

Multiple boils.

Impetigo and other skin diseases

Thrush.

Congenital syphilis.

Rickets.

Broncho-pneumonia,

305. All cases which would ordinarily be treated in an Out- A limited patient Department were treated at the Centre. number of infants are kept at the Centre, five cots being allotted for this purpose.

Cases which required inpatient hospital treat- ment were recommended for admission to the hospital.

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306. To those who do not understand the local situation it is necessary to explain that advice without treatment offers little attraction to the Chinese mothers and an infant welfare centre in Hong Kong without facilities for treatment would be little patronised.

307. The majority of infants seen at the Centre for the first time were suffering from incorrect feeding in addition to the disease for which they were brought for treatment.

The feeding of infants who are not taking their mothers' milk present difficulties. In some cases the parents can only afford to buy an inferior quality of condensed milk and in others they cannot afford milk of any kind. Cases of poverty are referred to the Society for the Protection of Children who assist so far as their funds allow. The cooperation of this Society has been most valuable.

308. The Centre has been an unqualified success in its own district and there can be no doubt that similar institutions con- ducted on parallel lines would be popular in the other districts.

THE TUNG WAH INFANT WELFARE CENTRE.

309. The Hung Wah Infant Welfare Centre is held every Wednesday morning under the supervision of the Western trained medical officers. The babies are weighed and the mothers ad- vised concerning feeding and care of infants. The total number of attendances was 1,103, that for 1931 was 1,486.

THE TSAN YUK INFANT WELFARE CENTRE & ANTE-NATAL CLINICS. 310. The Infant Welfare Clinic which is held every Friday norning and which is conducted by one or more of the Govern- ment Lady Medical Officers is restricted to babies who have been born in the hospital. The number of new cases was 503 and the number of old cases 1,344. The average attendance per clinic was 35.5.

311. The antenatal clinics are not well attended. The Chinese look upon pregnancy as a normal occurrence and they come to the clinic only to find out the probable date of delivery.

THE ALICE MEMORIAL INFANT WELFARE CENTRE. 312. The Alice Memorial Infant Welfare Centre like that at the Tsan Yuk deals with babies who have been born in the hospi- tal. With regard to ante-natal there were 167 first visits by expectant mothers and 60 return visits. With regard to Infant Welfare activi ies there were 272 first visits and 478 return visits.

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