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(4) VENEREAL DISEASE
Several factors contributed to produce an increasingly serious situation in relation to venereal disease in Hong Kong. The Japanese invasion an subsequent blockade created a very unfavourable economic position, the closing down, dismantling and removal to Japan of factory machinery and the cessation of public works, including even mere maintenance services, threw tens of thousands out of work. The rapid rise in prices of essential foodstuffs aggravated the distress and resulted in a general lowering of resistance to infection.
"
The Japanese troops were not content with using common prostitutes but forced others to their will. The invading forces lacked anti-venereal drugs and closed civilian social hygiene centres, so that a large proportion of the community became heavily infected. Efforts to combat this state of affairs were limited to the provision of two
"red light areas on Hong Kong Island, one for Chinese at West Point and the other for Japanese in Wanchai, and one similar area between Shamshuipo, Gaumati and Tsim Sha Tsui. Two clinics were opened in Wanchai and Tsim Sha Tsui, but treatment was limited practically entirely to Japanese, Formosans and Koreans, and even then there appeared to be an obvious shortage of reliable remedies. Already by the Spring of 1943, numerous cases came under notice of advanced granuloma venereum, and affecting Japanese military and civilians as well as prostitutes. Immediate steps had to be taken at the time of the Japanese collapse to reorganise social hygiene centres in Wanchai and Tsim Sha Tsui.
F. General Measures of Sanitation
(a) NIGHTSOIL DISPOSAL
The regular collection and disposal of nightsoil by Sanitary Department labour which had been inaugurated on the 1st May, 1941, became seriously disrupted during the hostilities in Hong Kong. It was not possible for the disposal junks and lighters to operate after the 10th December. From that date, nightsoil had to be dumped into the harbour. The situation was rendered still more unsatisfactory by the failure of the water supply for flushing purposes owing to the loss of electric power to pumps and owing to damage to sewers from bombing and shell fire.
Against the advice of the writer, the head of the Japanese Medical Depart- ment made a bargain with the Nightsoil Guild in January, 1942, to remove buckets and to charge whatever fees the Guild thought fit. Thus, the old (and extremely unsatisfactory) setup which had operated up till May, 1941 was brought into being once again to the disadvantage of individual bucket owners and to that of the community as a whole. This arrangement was terminated in August, 1945, immediately the work of the department had been resumed by the British authorities. The only saving grace in connection with the Japanese arrangements for nightsoil disposal (and in justice to the vanquished this point must be conceded) relates to a system of maturing tanks in the New Territories. These tanks had been advocated by Health Authorities before the war but the Government had not found it possible to have them constructed owing to pressing demands connected with the defences of the Colony. It was left to the Japanese to institute this very necessary scheme. A group of five batteries of cement tanks were constructed at Castle Tson Peak and smaller tanks at Ta Wan and Taipo. Here, nightsoil collected from Kowloon and Hong Kong was deposited and sold to farmers who reinoved it to various parts of the New Territories. It is not possible to discover whether the three weeks' maturation was insisted upon, but there is no doubt that this
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measure (aimed at reducing the risk of cholera, typhoid and dysentery organisms remaining viable and, hence, liable to infect wells, vegetables, etc.) could be
ffectively enforced.
In view of the importance from the point of view of disease prevention and at the same time of assisting farmers in the New Territories to fertilise their crops to increase the yield, it is to be hoped that there will be the shortest possible delay in the reinstituting of the maturation tank system.
(b) REFUSE DISPOSAL
The war brought a disruption of the normal methods of collecting and removing refuse from Hong Kong and Kowloon to the controlled tipping area at Kun Tong. During actual hostilities areas became inaccessible owing to shellfire or Japanese occupation and refuse was deposited in the harbour or dumped at Kennedy Town, Blake Gardens, Queens College, Southorn Recrea- tion Ground (Wanchai) and at Shaukiwan on the Island and at Kowloon City and Tai Kok Tsui on the Peninsula.
Owing to the blockade and consequent shortage of petrol supplies, the Japanese authorities insisted upon the replacement of motor tipping lorries by handcarts. This had the effect of retarding disposal and, although distinct improvement took place as compared with the situation at the time of the surrender, the standard of communal hygiene was very much lower than with British rule.
Figures for refuse disposal on Hong Kong Island for 1942 indicate that a daily average of about 86 tons were.dealt with. When the remaining European Health Staff were interned in May, 1943, town cleansing was taken over by some 24 district bureaux equally divided between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. The number of coolies employed in town cleansing was progressively reduced by the Japanese owing, presumably, to economic pressure, until, in 1943, the municipal cleansing service virtually ceased and householders were encouraged to band themselves together and to subscribe towards the cost of refuse removal and street cleansing in their particular locality. A marked deterioration in hygiene conditions resulted, and main streets in addition to back lanes and open spaces became littered with decomposing debris. At the end of August, 1943, when the Hong Kong Medical Department once more assumed control, steps were taken immediately to reorganise a motor lorry service on Hong Kong Island and on the Kowloon Peninsula with the assistance of the British Naval, Military and Air Force services; and to reinstitute the service of refuse junks and lighters at (or near where the stations had been destroyed by shell fire or bombing) the eighteen dust boat stations. In addition, controlled dumping recommenced at Kun Tong Disposal Area.
(c) DRAINAGE
Drains and sewers suffered considerable war damage and the Japanese did little or nothing to repair them.
Until imprisoned by the Gendarmerie for alleged espionage, the Chinese Superintendent of Drainage co-operated well with the Health Department and cleared a large number of serious blocks. With the virtual abolition of controlled sanitary labour, however, nullahs and drainage channels became full of sand and debris from damaged buildings. In consequence, serious flooding took place in low-lying areas after every heavy rain and mosquito- breeding became particularly prolific.
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