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BRITISH CIVILIAN INTERNLENT CAMP STANLEY
HONGKONG
SANITATION REPORT
The general, sanitation of the Stanley Camp was under the direct super- vision of Dr. N. Macleod, Medical Officer of Health, and Deputy Director of Health Services, Hongkong Government. The actual work was undertaken by his
ff, consisting of 26 qualified Health Inspectors, while one veterinary surgeon and ono food inspector inspected all fresh foodstuffs coming into the Comp.
The inspectors handled the cleansing of drains, sewers, pavements, weekly inspections of the insides of buildings, daily cleansing of communal water closets, disposal of refuse, chlorination of drinking water, eradication of smoko, fly breeding and other nuisances, daily inspection of all communal kitchens, and a strict anti-malarial campaign.
The drainage of the Camp consisted of a three-way system, all sowago handled by septic tanks, seven in number of which three only were accessible, the remainder being outside the barbed wire fencing. Due to the serious overcharging of these. tanks, it was found necessary to by-pass them directly to the sea. All sullage water drains were eventually joined to the stor water drains and flowed through one main drain into the open sea.
Despite the fact that washing and bathing facilities were very meagre, there being approximately one tap per 15 persons, there were only three cases reported requiring delousing. On the other hand due to the type of buildings, the lack of disinfecting materials and adequate supplics of soap, during the summer months there were few buildings that were free from bugs, and the only methods applicable were the cxposing of infected bedding ctc. to sunlight.
The buildings making up the camp were enclosed in an area of approximately 50 acres, and were originally built to house European, Chinese, and Indian Jail Warders, as well as students and masters of the St. Stephen's College. The water closet accommodation for the entire Carp averaged 1 w.c. per 12 persons. persons.
The population of the whole Carp was in August 1943, 2,572 In the Indian Quarters, housing 750 persons, there was 1 native type w.c. for every 6 persons: the European married Quarters, housing 750, one european type w.c. for 22 persons, while in the Science Block 1 european type w.c. did for 56 adults. The only urinals were those in the St. Stephen's College buildings, originally a boys' school. These buildings were finally kept segregated, with a few exceptions, for men. Emergency dry carth pits were constructed, but due to the sandy nature of the soil and the lack of wood for cribbing, were constantly caving in, and found, unsatisfactory.
Housing accommodation was inadequate and very poor. Due to the fact that this area had been under heavy shell-fire, many buildings were badly damaged, and with the refusal of the Japanese Authorities to supply building materials, such as cement, wood etc. for repairing purposes, many persons were housed in untenable quarters, cxposed to the elements. To give some indication of the overcrowding, the average floor space per person was
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