74
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH MARCH, 1863.
II. THE GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.
Tables III. and VI. give the classification and result of treatment of the various patients admitted into this Hospital, with the per centage of mortality during the last four years.
Table IV., kindly furnished to me by the Resident Surgeon, Mr. Enscoe, gives similar information in regard to the Seaman's Hospital. The high relative rate of mortality in this Institution cannot but attract attention; it is simple justice to the Surgeon to note that there are many causes bearing greatly against his successful treatment. The principal of these consist in the very inferior character of the building and its appliances as a Hospital, in the reluctance of some Captains to send their men out of the ship until disease has made too great progress, and in some degree to the severity of the accidents occurring on board ship. In the Civil Hospital the result of treatment, as shewn in the tables, has been eminently successful, this success appearing to follow in proportion as the establishment has year by year been made better adapted to the purpose for which it is main- tained. I have great pleasure in recording that the infectious ward and the room for insane patients are rapidly reaching com- pletion, and that water has been brought within the inclosure, and will, I understand, in a very few weeks he introduced into the building itself. There are no points of special interest to be noted in the character of the cases treated; the number is slightly in excess of that of 1861, although the reception of Merchant Seamen belonging to vessels in Harbor has ceased.
III. THE GAOL.
Table V. shews the rate of Sickness and Mortality in this establishment. It will be noted that the death rate was as high as 4.65 per cent. to the average number of prisoners, the highest rate since 1858. But if we remember that of the 26 deaths recorded 13 or exactly one-half resulted from Malignant Cholera, the ordinary death rate is at once reduced to 2.32 per cent., a rate much below the average. The appearance of Cholera in the Gaol was inexplicable: that it did not attack the prisoners more generally and that it proved so amenable to treatment in the crowded state of the buildings (which allowed less than 250 cubic feet of air to each prisoner,) is very satisfactory.
IV. THE LOCK HOSPITAL.
The results of the Working of Ordinance No. 12 of 1857, by which this Institution was established, are of the most satisfactory character, and already much good has been effected, as I shall endeavour to point out in the following remarks :-
Table VII. is of the most instructive description.
I must be permitted to hazard the statement, (the data for arriving at which I have given in former Reports) that of the total sick, in all Hospitals in the East, fully 25 per cent. are afflicted with Venereal desease. It must therefore be a matter of great importance to those who have the care of large bodies of disciplined men, to reduce that per centage to its lowest limit, and to make that class of patients as amenable to treatment as possible-which the Ordinance and periodical examination has enabled us to effect to a great extent in reference to the Police. The severity of the disease will caeteris paribus be as the source from which it has been contracted. The Table conveys the following important information: that during the five years the Ordinance has been in force 1,574 infected women have been segregated from the localities in which they could convey infection and that during a total of 42,270 days, or, to repeat the argument I have several times previously adduced, supposing that every infected woman would only convey the disease to one man during each day she was diseased, we have at least 42,270 cases of disease prevented,- -or at all events 42,270 opportunities of conveying disease have been prevented. What can be more satisfactory as a measure of Sanitary Police? The table shews further that the average number of days in which these diseased women have been under treatment has steadily decreased, until in 1862 it was 22.0 only a fraction above the half of 43.8 in 1858, almost the minimum we can expect-which proves that the disease is milder in type and is ar- rested in its earlier stages.
So completely satisfied am I of the incalculable benefit that has resulted to the Colony from the Ordinance under discus- sion that I shall be glad te see its provisions extended to both the so called purely Chinese houses, and to that still more fertile source of infection, the boat population.
Both Military and Naval Medical Officers concur with me in estimating very highly the advantages of the Ordinance as affecting the health of their men-of which I have received numerous proofs. I shall limit myself in this instance to recording the evidence of only three of those gentlemen.
Dr Home, the present Deputy Inspector and principal Military Medical Officer, who had experience of the Colony prior to the introduction of the Ordinance, writes:
“On behalf of the Army Medical Officers stationed here I have pleasure in expressing to you the great advantage we "have derived from the excellent Sanitary arrangements in force in regard to Prostitution.
"Venereal disease from being but a few years ago one of the most common causes of unfitness for duty here has now "become of comparatively rare occurrence."
Dr. Sexton, Assistant Surgeon of H. M.'s 5th Bombay Light Infantry made the following statement last May: "Among 427 men, the total strength of the detachment at present quartered at Hongkong, only cases of Venereal "disease have occurred during the months of March and April, 1862; that is to say at the rate of two cases or 0.5 per cent "per month.
"No less remarkable is the mild form under which the disease presents itself: that it has become extremely amenable "to treatment is best evidensed by the fact that the average number of days under treatment of each case only amounted " to 8.5: a result almost unprecedented in the statistical history of this disease."
Dr. Dixson who was Surgeon of H. M.'s S. Chesapeake when carrying the Flag of Admiral Sir James Hope, and who had many opportunities of judging of the Working of the Ordinance, more than confirmed the above Statements, as far as his own men were concerned.
Table VIII. gives fuller details as to the character of the diseases and their average duration during every month of the year 1862.
Table IX. is an approximative estimate of the Mortality among Foreign Residents in Hongkong during the last five years. The number of Residents is furnished to me by the Registrar General and the deaths are estimated by the number of burials in the two Cemeteries, excluding in both cases Military, and Naval and Merchant Seamen, as well as burials from the Hospitals. If the data are correct Hongkong may boast of a better climate than it has credit for-but it must not be forgotten that the majority of Foreigners do not remain in Hongkong to die, but leave as soon as any serious disease attacks them, if their condition will at all permit of them doing so.
Table X. gives the usual information as to the work performed by the Inspector of Nuisances attached to this Department. Table XI. shews the Annual Mean state of the Atmosphere during the year 1862 as recorded at the Government Civil Hospital.
J. I. MURRAY, M.D., Colonial Surgeon.
*Note. The Military and Seaman's Hospital are necessarily excluded-the Civil Hospital has also been excluded in the calculation as very its patients come under the designation of Residents.
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