697933-1873-Health-Annual-Report- — Page 1

228

No. 85.

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH MAY, 1873.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Report of the Acting Colonial Surgeon, with Returns annexed, for the Year 1872, is published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 16th May, 1873.

CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary,

VICTORIA, HONGKONG, April 23rd, 1873.

The Annual Medical Report for 1872, contains the usual Tables compiled from observations made during the last twelve months on the health of the Colony as compared with previous years.

I-THE POLICE.

The

The number of Europeans in the Force has been increased from an average of 101 to 137 and the Chinese from 236 to 279. The proportion of Colored men has decreased by 74, in great part owing to a number of Sikhs taking their discharge at the end of five years' service. rate of sickness is lower than last year, and the rate of mortality remarkably low.

Table I. shows the admissions into Hospital and mortality for the year. The greatest number of admissions was in August and September, as is usually the case.

The health of the Force was, on the whole, very good. The European Constables who arrived in the spring of last year are a remarkably fine body of men. They are all under 30 years of age and seem to be strong and healthy. They passed the ordeal of the first hot season with comparatively little sickness. During the summer, .they were sent on duty during the day as seldom as possible.

When it is found necessary to employ Europeans on Police duty during the day in the hot weather, sentry boxes or shelter of some kind ought to be provided for them, when on exposed beats like Pedder's Wharf.

On the Pok-fo-lum and Shau-ki Wán Roads, a slight mat erection as a protection from the mid- day sun, and more especially as a shelter from the sudden drenching showers so frequent in the hot weather, would be a great boon to the Indians on these beats.

Table II. shows the rate of sickness and mortality in the Force for 1872. The admissions are less than they were in 1871, and the mortality only 0.62 per cent.

Table III. gives the rate of sickness and mortality in the Troops serving in Hongkong in 1872. The rate of Sickness is less than last year, but the mortality is twice as great, although it still compares favorably with foriner years.

II.-GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.

Table IV. shews the number of admissions and the mortality in the Civil Hospital. The number of admissions is less than last year, and the deaths slightly greater. Sixteen Europeans and 41 Chinese died in Hospital, of the Chinese 13 were moribund when brought to Hospital, and most of the others were cases of half starved destitutes picked up by the Police. Several Chinese came to have surgical operations performed. A Chinese female in the last stage of exhaustion, suffering from a large tumour of the shoulder, was brought to the Hospital. The tumour was removed and in three weeks she left, greatly improved in health and expressing her gratitude for her recovery." Another case was that of an old farmer from the mainland, who said that he had spent all his money on Doctors and could get no relief. He had been suffering for over 20 years, and came to Hospital to see if foreign Doctors could cure him. A very slight surgical operation relieved him, and in four days he was perfectly cured. Many Natives come as outdoor patients, and there is no doubt that if a part of the Hospital could be set apart for the reception of Chinese really in need of surgical operations, it would very soon be largely patronized.

IV.-TUNG WA HOSPITAL.

This Institution was opened about the middle of February, and from that time till the 31st December, 922 patients were admitted, of whom 287, or over 31 per cent, died. A number of these were no doubt in an almost moribund state when received. The building affords comfortable quarters for the destitute sick. The food and clothing supplied to the patients is good. They seem to have a large number of attendants, but I never found them at hand when they were wanted. It is a very objectionable practice, that of allowing the patients to dress their own wounds. They are perpetually meddling with the dressings, and applying ointments or lotions. Such things as lint, cotton rags, or cotton wool, seem to be quite unknown. Paper seems to answer the purpose of lint, and they have the greatest objection to simple water dressing, which is admitted to be the best of all, for wounds and sores. The treatment of surgical cases shows an amount of ignorance