will no doubt continue to do so until widespread immunization of the most vulnerable age groups has been attained. A polio virus laboratory unit has now been established and an investigation into the types and prevalence of enteric viruses is under way.
(g) Measles
The incidence rate of this disease, as measured by the number of notifications, has remained comparatively steady over the decade, but the mortality rate has shown a consistent rise, so that at present measles ranks second only to tuberculosis as a cause of death from infectious disease: this rise, at least in part, is due to improvements in death certification and must be considered in conjunction with the con- siderable fall in mortality from bronchopneumonia which has occurred since 1950.
PORT HEALTH
101, The Port Health Administration is responsible for all measures designed to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases into the Colony by land, sea, or air; for the sanitary control of the port areas and of the airport; for the carrying out of the provisions of the Interna- tional Sanitary Regulations as embodied in the Quarantine and Preven- tion of Diseases Ordinance: for the compilation of epidemiological statistics and reports and for the organization of prophylactic vaccina. tion campaigns. There are also statutory responsibilities under the Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Ordinance and the Asiatic Emigration. Ordin-
ance.
102. A weekly exchange of epidemiological information is maintain- ed with the W.H.O. Epidemiological Station, Singapore, and copies of reports are forwarded for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
103. All persons entering the Colony are subject to a quarantine inspection, arrivals by sea at the two quarantine anchorages in Kowloon Bay and off Stonecutters Island. arrivals by air at Kai Tak Airport and persons crossing the land frontier, at the Lo Wu Quarantine Post. All immigrants without valid certificates are vaccinated against smallpox.
104. Other routine work carried out includes the deratting and disinsecting (including fumigation) of ships; sanitary duties in the port area and airport, including supervision of water supplies and control of mosquito breeding on small craft in the harbour; control measures to keep the port and airport free from Aedes aegypti inspection of all vessels carrying over twenty unberthed emigrants; and issue of Bills of
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Health which, although no longer required for international voyages. continued to be applied for by the masters of many vessels.
105. An importam service rendered to shipping is to give medical advice by wireless to ships at sea; during 1959, twenty ships cabled "Porthealth" Hong Kong for advice on the treatment of sick persons on board.
106. Four launches and one fumigation barge were allocated by the Marine Department for Port Health work. The four launches, equipped with stretchers, first aid equipment and radio telephones, provide an ambulance service in addition to the routine work in the port area. They were also used frequently by the Department for miscellaneous duties, mostly in the outlying islands.
107. The increase of shipping entering the port had called, in March 1958, for an extension of the quarantine inspection hours to the official time of sunset, instead of 6 p.m. In May 1959, there was a further extension until midnight. Figure 1 shows the variation in this aspect of Port Health work over the past decade.
FIGURE 1
Number of Ships Inspected (excluding River Boats & Junks)
6,000-
4,000
2,000
Number of Persons Inspected on Ships fexcluding River Boats & Junks)
Passangara
600,000-
Crew
400,000–
MER
1950
1955
1959
*
200,000-
1950
1955
19:59
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