1933-10-12 — Page 7

THE HEALTH OF THE

COLONY

BAFFLING PROBLEMS OF

EPIDEMICS

Dr. Wellington On The Need For Constant Vigilance

The Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services (Dr. A. R. Wellington) for 1932 gives a full and interesting review of the measures in force for the cure and prevention of disease in the Colony. Emphasis is laid on the overcrowding, the poverty and ignorance with which medical officials have to deal, and 'no effort is made to con- ceal the fact that medical service is still baffled by the coming and going of serious epidemics, particularly plague, cholera and small-pox.

The report states:--

Though the educated Chinese appreciate the value of Western Though the educated Chinese appreciate the value of Western medicine the bulk of the population still pin their faith to the old fashioned Chinese decoctions and, when ill, seek advice from one or other of the many empiricists or herbalists who prac tise in the Colony. A number of those who enter the Govern- ment Hospitals do so only after they have made full trial of Chi- nese Medicines and when their disease is well advanced.

Year by year, however, the value of Western medicine, be- comes more and more appreciated.

Judging from the death returns the health of the Colony was not so good as in the previous year The crude death rate was 25.02 per mille as compared with 24.39 the rate for 1931

Respiratory diseases accounted for 43.05 per cent. of the total death. the percentage for 1931 being 42.25.

The principal diseases causing death were broncho-pneumonia, pulmonary tubérculosis, bronchitis, pneumonia, infantile diarrhoea and diarrhoea.

The overcrowded houses combined with the expectorating habits of the Chinese furnish sufficient explanation for the pre- valance of respiratory troubles,

Malaria.

stages of this very infectious dis- ease in one or other of the over- crowded tenement houses.

It would seem also thất here as in Malaya the danger areas" are not the large swamps, and paddy fields remote from the hills. but collec-the Government Infectious Dis-

tion of water within half a mile of the latter.

The cases admitted to Govern- ment Hospitals numbered 465 of which 13 or 2.8 per cent died. In the Chinese Hospitals there were 943 admissions, of which 187 or 19.8 per cent died.

The total number of deaths at- tributed to malarin was 455. giving a death rate of 0.56 per mile for the Colony.

are

Notifiable Diseases. The noditable diseases plague, cholera, 'small-pox, yellow fever, typhus fever. cerebro-spinal fever, enteric fever, para-typhoid fever, relapsing fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, puerperal fever and rables (human and animal).

Tuberculosis.

The number of cases treated iri

eases

Hospital where Western methods only are practised was 8 with 2 deaths.

During the last 21 years 288. cases were treated at the Govern- ment Infectious Diseases Hospital by western treatment with a death rate of 14.2 per cent. During the same period at the, Tung Wah In- fectious Diseases Hospital 1,249 cases were treated. by Chinese her- balists methods with a death rate of 46.8 per cent.

Plague.

For the last three years no case of plague, human or rodent, has been reported in the Colony. The disease has disappeared from Hong Kong and the same may be said of South China.

The value of a continuous anti- rat campaign lies in the early in- formation is affords of an epide- mic and because of this rats are being regularly caught and examin-

ed.

"

Pulmonary tuberculosis ranks second to broncho-pneumonia as the principal cause of death. The total number of deaths was 2,042, that for 1931 being "1,983. The death rate per mile was 2.52 as

In spite of the continuous' cam- compared with 2.60 for the pre-paign against them, owing to the vious year. Pulmonary tuberculosis rapidity with which they multiply in the majority of cases is a dis-

and the case with which they enter ease which unfits the individual

and leave the Colony, there still for the active exercise of his em- is and probably always will be a ployment months or even years be sufficiency of rate and rat. Deas in tore death supervenes. Because of the Colony to light up and main- the tendency of those unable to tain an epidemic if the Goda so work and earn a living to leave will it. Hong Kong for their villages in China the deaths reported form an Incomplete index of the prevalence of the disease.

The number of cases of disease is unknown but reckoning 10 for each death the total comes to over 20,000.

There is no sanatorium or home. for the case of those who have contracted infection and the vic- tims continued to struggle against their affliction under conditions which leave little hope for re- covery.

Leprosy.

Cerebro-Spinal Fever..

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1933.

FAMILY OF KIDNAPPERS

Outwitted by a Sinall Girl

How a seven-year old Chinese

girl after having been kidnapped and taken to Lama Island" from Shaukiwan, subsequently managed to make a report.. to the Police, which resulted in the arrest of her captors was related to Mr. W. Schoneld" and Mr. S. J. Balfour at the Central Magistracy yesterday when three Chinese, a husband and wife and their daughter were charged with kidnapping and har- bouring the girl.

After the case had been conclud- ed, their Worships sentenced the daughter to two years' bardia- bour, and the husband and wife to one year each

The girl Ng Ol San, told the Court that she and her parents lived at No. 33, Main Street, Shau- kiwan. The first defendant, - the: daughter, was a fellow lodger. On September 5 while she was on her way to buy something to eat, the first defendant accosted her and asked her to go, for a tram, ride, They rode for a long time and stopped at a place which she did. not know. The next thing Was that she was put on board a sail- ing boat which brought her to Yeung Shu War (Llama, Island). The first defendant did not ac- company her She was handed over to the second defendant, the mother, before the boat sailed.

At this stage the second defen- dant who looked illhowed signs of fainting; whereupon Mr. Scho- field asked her to sit down.

When they reached Liama Island the second defendant made her de such work as balling pig wast and washing clothes. She slept in third defendant's hut and they called her Chan Tai, which was not her own name. On one occa-· sion the third defendant beat her with a bamboo stick for taking too, much time in, washing the clothes.

On September 29, while she was out washing clothes, she managed to slip away to the Yeung Shu Police Station where she made a

report.

Cross-examined by the first de- fendant, witness admitted that she told her that she preferred to stay at the place in Llama as there was a lot of fruit to eat.

Evidence was then given by a Chinese detective who stated that on the night of October 1, Recom- panied by Inspector Logan he went to No. 256 Main Street and there arrested the first défendant. The following day. the first defen- dant took him and Detective Ser- geant Fowlle to Chung Sing Lane, West Point, where the second and third defendants were taken into custody.

The mother of the girl testified that she adopted the child last year. When she missed her daughter she mentioned it to the first defendant who pretended to cry.

The defendants were then sen- tenced as stated.

COST OF HEALTH,

SERVICES

Revenue

"The disease appeared in the neighbouring Portuguese Colony of Twelve Per Cent Of Colony's Macao early in March. During the two months the outbreak lasted there were 600 cases with a mor- talliy of 58 per cent.

On 26th March news was receiv- ed from Canton of a serious epide- mic there.

There was no epidemic property speaking. Altogether there were 61 cases and 20 deaths.

·Cholera.

The pandemic of cholera in China in 1932, of which the out- break in Hong Kong formed but a part, commenced towards the Sub- end of April in Shanghai,

Though leprosy is a notifiable disease very few cases are "ever notined and the number of casES: In the Colony is still a matter of conjecture. Assuming the rate of Incidence in the neighbouring sequently cases appeared in other country to be at least one per

ports and inland, towards until by mille population, the number of

the end of the summer there was lepers in Hong Kong and the New scarcely a province which had not Territories cannot be less than 500.

been visited by the disease. It is Lepers who are not British sub- reckoned there were over 100,000 Jecta are prohibited from entering.

cases with a general death rate of the Colony and any such who find some 50 per cent. entrance may be deported.

Notifiable Infectious Diseases. The number of cases of infec- tious disease notified during the year and those notified in 1831 were:--

Bubonic plague

Small-pox

Diphtheria

Enteric

1932 1931

0

||

0:

212

15

*205

231

202

214

25

Cerebro-spinal fever 207. Puerperal fever

7

J 19

Small-pox. Every year during the winter months this disease manifests in outbreaks which are sometimes epidemic and sometimes, sporadic to disappear with the advent of

The first cases to be reported were those of two immigrants who

of June. ‚arrived from Canton on the 20th daily notifications.

thereafter there were-

Of the 241 cases notified 23 were reported as imported. There were altogether 156 deaths, giving a case death rate of 84.73 per cent.

The Director of Medical and Sanitary Services in his report on the expenditure of his Depart- ments in 1932 states:-

Because of the overlaping which occurs when a work serves both a 'utilitarian and a sanitary service it is impossible to assess exactly the amounts which have been spent for purely medical and sani- tary purposes. Including all water works and draining works as sanl tary works the following (which in- clude the salaries of the P.W.D staff concerned) shows the 'com mitments as laid down in the Esti mates for 1832. 5)

Medical Department...$1,666,815 Sanitary Department... 1.1P3,784 Public Works

"

Department 1,250,000. Police Department..... 2,300 Subsidies to" Charities...

175,762

Total.....84.278,681

on

The ratio of expenditure Medical and Sanitary Services to total revenue, is 12.59 per cent.

If the expenditure ori Water Works be not taken into account the ratio is 10.87 per cent.

port of ambulance cases.

BUDGET DAY Legislative Council Agenda

MILLION DOLLARS FOR STANLEY GAOL

The Budget debate takes place at to-day's meeting of the Legis- lative Council, when the Unofficial members will reply to the Colonial Secretary's resolution to move the Second reading of:-

"A bill to apply a sum hot ex- ceeding Twenty-seven million. twenty-nine thousand. two hundred and thirty-ive Dol- "lars to the Public Service of

the year 1934." O'her motion on the agenda are as follow:- The Colonial Secretary to move:- That the Report of the Finance Committee (No, 9), dated 28th September, 1933, be adopted. The Attorney General to move the

First reading of:-

"

"A Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to miscellan- eons licences,""

ABERDEEN WATER WORKS The Colonial Secretary to move

That this Council approves of the expenditure of $56,000 on the Aberdeen Valley Water Scheme during the financial year 1934 which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall meanwhile be charged as an advance from the surplus balances of the Colony.

N THE SHING MUN The Colonial Secretary to move:- That this Council approves of the expenditure of $8,000 on the Shing Mun Valley Scheme 2nd Section Preliminary Works during the financial meanwhile be charged as an advance from the surplus balances of the Colony.

"

The Colonial Secretary to move:- That this Council approves of the expenditure of $1.735,000 on the Sting Mun Valley sche- me 2nd Section Gorge Dam during the financial year 1934 which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall mean- while be charged as an ad- vance from the surplus balan- ces of the Colony. The Colonial Secretary to move :-—-—--- That this Council approves of the expenditure of $1,000,000 on the New Gaol at Stanley during the financial year 1934 which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall mean- while be charged as an ad- vance from the surplus balan- ces of the Colony. The Colonial Secretary to move:-

That this Council approves of

the expenditure of $320,000 on the Tytam Tuk Catchwaters during the financial year 1934 which sum shall be met from d future loan and shall mean-

while be charged as an ad- vance from the surplus balan- ces of the Colony.

ΚΑΙ ΤΑΚ The Colonial Secretary to move:-

That this Council approves of the expenditure of $340,000: on the Air Port-Air Port and Seaplane Slipway, etc., during the Bnancial year 1934 which 'sum shall be met from a future loan and shall mean- while be charged as an ad- vances from the surplus balan- ces of the Colony. The Attorney General to move-

That the rules dated the 31st day of August 1933, made by the Chief Justice under section 48 of the Divorce Ordinance, 1932, and under section 9 of the Interpretation Ordinance, 1911, be approved, The Attorney General to move the

Second reading of:--- "A Bill to amend further the Dangerous Goods Ordinance, 1873,"

||

"A Bill to amend the Industrial and Reformatory Schools Or- dinance. 1932.”

"A Bill, to amend the law with respect to transactions with money-lenders.” "A Hill to amend the Juvenile

Offežiders Ordinance, 1932." "A Bill to amend the law relat- ing to the jurisdiction, of Ma- gistrates in Bankruptcy offen- ces." "A Bill for the establishment and administration of a Mer cantile. Marine Assistance Fund in Hong Kong.".

HEALTH AND SUPERSTITION

Influence of Tradi- tional Beliefs

The Rallway Authorities did all in their power to assist and co-

The report of the Director of operate with the Health Authori-Medical and Sanitary Services for tles to the fullest extent...

the year 1932 states:-- Taking all circumstances into Hong Kong was lucky to escape so

The traditional beliefs of the consideration one can only say uneducated. Chinese as to the

POPULATION OF HONG KONG

About 98 Per Cent

Are Chinese

Sanitary Services in his report for The Director of Medical and 1933, gives the following Vital

Statistics of the Civil Population:

The estimated, civil population for the whole of the territories under British Jurisdiction at the middle of the year was 900,812, of which 880,812 or 87.73 per cent. was Chinese and 20,000 or 2.27 per cent. non-Chinese. The distribu- tion was as follows:- Urban area of Victoria:-

Europeans and Ameri-

CADS

Other non-Chinese races Chinese

Villages of Hong Kong:-

Europeans

4,000

5,500

344,279

373,77%

and Ameri-

cans

300

Non-Chinese other than

Europeans Chinese,...

100

43.513

43,913

Total for Hong Kong

Island

417.692

cans

Urban Area of Kowloos in-

cluding New Kowloon Europeans and Ameri-

Other non-Chinese races Chinese

4,480 5,600

Tatal for Kowloon and

273,244

New Kowloon".. 283,324 Junks and Sampana. 100,000 New Territories exclusive-

of New Kowloon- Europeans and Ameri-

cans Chinese

20

99,776

.80,796

Total civil population..... 900.812

During the year 2.368,340 per sons entered and ‘2.392,340 left the Colony by river steamer and by railroad, making a surplus of emig rants over immigrants by these routes of 24.000. Fuller details are as follows:-

Arrived Departed River steamer 1,545.162 1,668,431 Railway

823,178 723,909 Ocean going

steamers 606,918 435,109

Total......2,975,258 2,827,449

INFANTILE MORTALITY "IN

:HONG KONG.

Very High Figure

The Director of Medical and Sanitary Services in his report for 1032 etates that the aumbers of deaths of infants under one year

wera:-

Chinese Non-Chinese

..6,918

38

If the figures for the Chinese births registered represented the total births, which they do not, the infantile mortality rate for this race would be 525.28 per thousand as compared with 617.42 which was the equally incorrect rate for the pre- third of the births are registered vious year. Allowing that only one this would still mean a very high infantile mortality figure.

The mortality rate non-Chinese was 87.93 as compared among the

with 81.85..in 1931.

CRICKET

Army Team v. LR.C...

The following have been selected to play for Army versus Indian Recreation Club in a friendly match on Saturday, 14th October, at Bookumpoo, at 3.00 p.m.

Lt. Walker, Lt. Stocker, Lt. War- ing, Lt. Cragg, Gunner Hopkins, Spr, Tucker, Spr. Wells, Pte. Borng- by Pte, Dewey, Cpl. Colledge, Sgt. Taylor, Scorer:--Lt. T. R. Shields, BA, Umpire:-S. M. "Jordan."

cated. The proximity of "China and the constant intercourse make It harder to overcome prejudices than is the case in countries fur- The Government staff, both pre-

ther afield. The greatest hope lies ventive, investigative and curative

in propaganda and education worked well and co-operatá to the

brought to the homes through pub- fullest extent. Their dutles" which

lic health nurses working as dis- were often arduous and at times

trict visitors or in infant welfare dangerous were carried out cheer- fully and without a hitch..

centres and school welfare cen- tres. The Tung Wah Hospitals., viz.,

Fine Work of Leading Chinese the Tarig Wah, the Kwong Wah,

does Propaganda which

not and the Tung Wah Eastern, co- operated fully. The Tung Wan

arouse the interest of the mother and her children has little prac- nurses and dressers lent for duty

cause of diseases, "the means of tical value. However, leaders of During the year 248 cases were at Kennedy Town showed them-

spread and the factors which arect opinion in China and leaders of reported of which 129 were notified" selves capable, and willing.

1ts course are so at variance with Chinese thought in Hong Kong after death had occurred. The The Police detailed for duty with The number of cases reported modern teaching that there is Ut are making vigorous efforts to pro- total number of deaths was 175 the Port Health staff were of was 202 as compared with 214 for the chance of promoting voluntary mota public health and public Allowing for a casa death rate of great assistance, especially in the previous year. All the cases co-operation between them and the welfare along lines which have 25 per cent, for all ages in this searching ships at night and in were sporadic and as is usual in authorities in the matter of the proved successful in the Occident, well vaccinated Colony the real putting some semblance of order such the source of infection could prevention and control of disease and the outlook is far more hope- number of "cases was 1754 or into the mass of humanity which not be traced. There is no evi-until they can be brought to un-ful than was the case a few years 700. The true agure then 64.5 per swarmed on to the wharves on the dence that any cases contracted derstand the true nature of the ago when Chinese thought on mat- cent. of the cases evaded discovery arrival of the boats. They were the disease through the public problems and are conscious of the ters of health was unduly swayed and went through the various also useful for the prompt trans- water supply

usefulness of the measures advo. by old traditions and theories

summer.

...

lightly.

Enteric....

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