667609-1886-Colonial-Surgeon-s-Annual-Report-1885- — Page 22

614 SUPPLEMENT TO THE HONGKONG GOV2 GAZETTE OF 26TH JUNE 1886. SUPPLE)

39. Mr. ROGERS the Steward and storekeeper has proved himself a valuable assistant, and vigilant unremitting industry I cannot speak too highly. I regret that his health has what of late.

ffered

dutie

40. Mr. WATSON the European wardmaster has taken considerable pains to learn he is now exceedingly useful. His position is a trying one and his work very harassin

41. The appointment of a second European on the nursing staff has been sanctione empor and I trust it will be made permanent.

42. There will then be two Europeans to supervise the Chinese nurses, each taking welve duty out every twenty four.

43. Hitherto the patients have been a good deal left to the sole care of Chinese atter WATSON could not always be on duty.

44. The principal Chinese dresser combines with his duty at the Civil Hospital t dissecting dead bodies at the Public Mortuary, for Dr. MARQUES, who is in charge of duties. This is a very objectionable combination, and one fraught with great danger to the men in Hospital. It is also inconvenient, as the man's presence is sometimes urgently req Mortuary, when he cannot be spared in the Hospital, and the Coroner has to wait.

45. Some trouble having been experienced latterly with the clerical work, the clerk last has been placed under the direction of the Steward, who will supervise his doings.

46. The changes in the Chinese nurses and coolies have not been more numerous than 47. I anticipate that when they are properly housed, with facilities for keeping them their clothing clean, changes will be less frequent.

48. The maximum number of beds in the Hospital is 98, including 9 for women. 49. The Hospital register contains 1,569 cases, of which 59 were not admitted. The latter comprising surgical injuries of different kinds and various degrees of severit treated in the surgery and dismissed. A number of others were attended to of whom no re kept.

50. The remaining 1,510 treated in Hospital included 50 who remained at the end this number 495 were Police, and the remaining 1,015 consisted of officers and seamen ships of all nations, and from foreign ships of war, private residents, destitutes, prisoners, of the Chinese Customs and Revenue services.

51. The Police admissions were nine m

16 fewer Indians, and 12 fewer Chinese.

1884: 37 more Europeans

52. Table III shows the numbers from each station.

Seven labour fo 167. Some of onsid

alarial

53. Whitfield Station is still conspicuous for the number and severity of its case The foul swampy ground and the number of squacters in this neighbourhood render it very un

some.

54. The Police suffered principally from malarial diseases, fevers and bowel complaints, bro affections and surgical injuries.

55. The total number of days spent in Hospital in 1885 by members of the Force was 4,5% 1884 it was 5,157: about half as many more days were spent off duty on sick leave.

Lowe'

thei

Tu

knc

irteer

An

11884

rty- rty-1 ente

enty

The 1

feve

I

reco afte

usu

poi

ept 1

bites

nds

nds

nty-

re re

rece

of

184

the

56. Hence it appears that the average health of the Police was better in 1885 than i; preceding. years.

3

57. Still further improvement may be looked for when the Public Works' Department ar F take some of the old stations in hand.

,

vasl

mu

th

58. Several Invalids from the French naval and military forces were sent to the Civil Hosp the beginning of the year, and the question was raised whether relieving a belligerent force of the sor of its sick was a breach of neutrality. The Secretary of State decided that it was not.

59. Table V shows the varieties of disease among the patients generally, with the mortality each.

60. Malarial diseases, fevers and bowel complaints, are prominent in the list, and thoug many were fatal, in a large number of cases there ensued severe anæmia and serious deteriorat health..

61. A number of cases were complicated with paralysis of the extremities, from which re was slow, and not always complete when the patients were discharged.

62. Some of these cases appear to have been registered as Beri-beri: the majority ofA from the water Police.

3. Nine cases of cholera were recorded, of which six were fatal.

4. It is reasonable to expect that the Colony will every year become more liable to of chcera, while so little control is exercised over the construction of Chinese houses.

6. A more plentiful supply of water may do something to retard the evil day, but of a gheral conflagration in China town is likely to avert it.

Sis suffi

ng give e 1,51

of the

onl

nothin