686569-1879-Colonial-Surgeons-Annual-Report- — Page 7

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 9TM¤ JULY, 1879.

With regard to the examinations of the women at the Hospital, I have always carefully watched the newcomers, and I have never seen the slightest approach of anything like diffidence on the score of modesty, but there is always a look of anxiety and doubt on the face which, in nine cases out of ten, changes to a smile of relief when they find it does not, as they appear to dread, cause them any pain; thenceforward they do not seem to care about it. That any woman should like it is not to be expected, it is a nuisance no doubt to have to come to the Hospital and interferes with their occupa- tions. With regard to the remarks made about the detention of the women in Hospital and the doubt about diagnosis of disease, it is a matter of experience. I always detain a woman if she has a discharge and there are any inflammatory symptoms with it, or if there are sores, as much for the women's benefit as any one else. Women with purulent discharge from the urethra or orifices of the glands of bartholim are always detained. If all the women with innocent discharges were locked up the Hospital would be always full.

The health of the men in the different forces in the Colony during the past five years and the small number of women in Hospital is, I think, sufficient guarantee of the discretion used. For instance, this

year of 12,086 examinations, in only 105 cases was detention required. In promiscuous intercourse there must be a certain amount of risk to both paties, Urithritis, or as it is called Uncomplicated Gonorrhoea, and sores from abrasions are among the most common, and some men and most young prostitutes are very subject to them, this is of course disease, but it is of a trivial character and easily cured, if not allowed to run on. These complaints furnish the greatest number of cases reported here, both among men and women. As Surgeon-Major GRANT observes “ so far as Syphilis is concerned, the number of instances in which secondary affection has supervened is remarkably few and of a mild form," and it is to this end that my attention is directed. I am not desirous to fill the Hospital unnecessarily, and I have never had any complaint from the women, not even any grumbling, nor any need to prosecute them for such disturbances as they made formerly. Which, if the evidence before the Commission is to be believed, they must have been to great extent justified in.

HEALTH OF THE COLONY.

Table XVI shows the population, mortality and percentage of deaths of the European community in Hongkong in the last ten years. Of these years three only show a lower percentage, and the same number a less number of death than 1878, so that the health of the Colony, as far as Europeans are concerned, may be considered to have been exceptionally good, as the same allowance must be made every year for those who leave the Colony almost hopelessly ill.

Table XVIII shows the Annual Atmospheric Report, by which it will be seen that though the heat was as great as in any preceding year reported, yet the rainfall was considerably above the average, which bears out what has been voted in previous reports that the greater the rainfall is in tropical countries the better the health of the inhabitants.

Table XVII shows the work done by the Inspectors of Nuisances. There is a considerable increase in the number of persons summoned, and the amount collected is more than double that of last year, being $2,111.83 as compared with $857.96. I regret that no improvement has taken place in the construction of houses occupied by Chinese, many of which render the possibility of the in- habitants keeping them clean out of the question, not only are the plans wanting in all sanitary principles, but the construction is in many cases so faulty as to render them absolutely dangerous not only to their inhabitants but also to passengers through the streets. I could point out houses which have had to be rebuilt to my knowledge three times, the previous buildings, though quite new, having fallen down of themselves, from no atmospheric cause or convulsion of nature, but from faults of construction only, and this in a town where earthquakes are not unknown and which Typhoons have visited frequently and severely. I reported on the want of all sanitary arrangements in this class of houses especially in 1874, and the necessity for this being remedied in a town in which they are becoming yearly more numerous, and requisite owing to the rapidity with which the Chinese population increases.

I have the honour to be.

Sir.

Your obedient Servant,

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon.

The Honourable

W. H. MARSH.

Colonial Secretary,

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