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over the Pok Oi Hospital which for a number of years has been practically empty of patients serving chiefly as a residence for the local herbalist and the secretary to the Committee and as a meeting place for the last. I was hoped that it might have been possible to convert it into a district hospital under the Medical Depar.ment. However, the elders could not agree to the terms offered and the matter dropped.
540. Negotiations were commenced towards renting of three new shop houses which were in course of erection and which could with few alterations be converted into a centre containing a new and better dispensary and treatment station, a small hospital with a few beds and a medical officer's quarters. Satis- factory terms having been obtained the new centre will be opened early in 1933.
Police Stations.
541. Police Stations were visited at intervals by the M.O. i/c. N.T.
With the exception of Tsun Wan where there is still a good deal of the disease Malaria has shown a gratifying de- crease. The following are the incidence figures for the past three years:·
1930
1931
1932
258 cases
148 cases
135 cases.
Shing Mun Dam Site.
542. In November operations having commenced preparatory to building a dam at Shing Mun Gorge, investigations were made to ascertain the risks from malaria, it being understood that next year there would be a labour force of 1,000 or over resident.
543. Investigations made by the Malariologist showed that:
(a) there existed numerous anopheline breeding grounds
and potential breeding grounds,
(b) the dangerous malaria carriers A. minimus, A. Jey-
poriensis and A. Maculatus were present.
(c) the spleen rate in Woo Hop village adjacent was 33
per cent.
(d) the road making coolies were already suffering rather
severely from malaria.
(e) a number of anophelines caught in the lines were
malaria infected.
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544. The Malariologist report was submitted to the Engineer In charge and arrangements made for cooperation in the fight against malaria.
545. It was agreed that the medical and entomological side of the problem should be controlled by the Medical Department and that the permanent drainage works should be done by the engineer.
546. It was resolved to erect a hospital and medical centre and to employ a Chinese Medical Officer, a dresser, also a gang for oiling and ditching. The sanitary side of the problem was put under the Malariologist and the treatment side under the M.O. i/c, N.T.
Voluntary Effort.
547. Both the New Territories Medical Benevolent Society and the St, John Ambulance Brigade extended their activities.
548. The Association opened a small maternity hospital at Tsun Wan and dressing stations at Castle Peak and at Shatin. It provided several par. time medical practitioners and for a period a full time doctor, it also provided nurse-midwives for its hospital and dressing stations.
549. The Brigade opened a Cottage Hospital for women and children at Kam Tin with accommodation for 12 maternity cases and six children and possessing a staff of three nurse-midwives. The dispensary was continued.
550. Dispensaries, dressing stations, or first aid stations were established at Un Long, San Tin, Fanling, l'ai Long, (Sha Tau Kok) and Tai Po, each with a resident nurse-midwife. A full time Chinese Medical Officer was stationed at Taipo and another part time practitioner was employed. In the Southern District a dispensary and midwifery ward was opened at Cheung Chau Island.
551. Altogether there were functioning in the New Terri tories during the year 11 voluntary aid centres with two full time meideal officers and a number of par. time medical practitioners and fiftten nurse-midwives.
26th June, 1933.
A. R. WELLINGTON, D.M.S.S.
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