CO129-566-2 Medical Department 30-6-1938 - 1-3-1939 — Page 5

5

both literally

and metaphorically

memorandum stated that "more than a year's trial

The

of the scheme has proved that it cannot possibly be

carried out fully without the appointment of a senior

Health Officer or Deputy Director for Health.

D.M.S. has to spend so much time at the desk dealing

with Urban Council and Sanitary Department Minute

papers that there is little time left for inspection

or for superintending the enforcing of observations

of the various Ordinances relating to Public Health.

The D.M.S. having his whole time occupied with the

clerical side could not assist in the health work.

Since that memorandum was written funds

have been provided for a new infectious disease

hospital and for increased hospital accommodation.

The despatches now received ask for approval of a

much needed extension of the Medical Staff and I

think that a convincing case is made out for this

Hong Kong has many health problems

owing to the normal overcrowding of its urban area

and the "floating"*nature of its population, and

these problems have been rendered much graver by the

very large influx of refugees from Canton and South

China, as any of Japanese bombing, with the

result that the population of Hong Kong has increased

by about 250,000. Throughout the summer there has

been a high weekly total of deaths from cholera,

smallpox and other infectious diseases.

necessity.

Nevertheless

I think the case for the increase of staff now

proposed is justified by the normal circumstances of

Hong Kong apart from the additional justifications

of the present abnormal situation.

The despatch at 5 proposes the creation of

a