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Drug Addiction Centre

424. An extensive programme of both occupational and recreational therapy is provided for the patients in the Drug Addiction Centre of the Castle Peak Hospital. The patients are divided for convenience into 4 working groups; namely, tailors, wood-workers, gardeners, and ward and kitchen workers. An arrangement was made with a local industry whereby wood provided by the firm is converted into bottle-crates by patients on a repayment basis, the money being credited to Government. The incentive payment scheme for the Drug Addiction Centre has been under review and a differential scale of payment was started in February 1962. For this purpose the work of all patients in the centre is assessed twice daily and graded according to their output in relation to their mental and physical condition and general behaviour.

425. With the transfer of the tuberculosis thoracic unit from Queen Mary Hospital to the Grantham Hospital there has been a decline in the number of ward patients on occupational therapy. There has, how- ever, been a more than equivalent increase in the number of neuro- surgical and orthopaedic cases attending the occupational therapy department daily for specialized treatment.

426. At the Lai Chi Kok Hospital close co-operation is maintained with the Physiotherapists in the training of patients in the activities of daily living and in the programme of recreational therapy, particularly for the wheel-chair patients. One of the occupational therapists who is specially trained and has had considerable experience in the treatment of upper limb amputees has been working part-time with the Ortho- paedic Appliance Technician and assisting in the training of patients in the use of their newly fitted prostheses.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION BOARD

427. This Board performs the medical examination of all new on- trants to the Government and the Auxiliary Defence Services. Members of the Civil Service prior to transfer outside Hong Kong are also medi- cally examined by the Board. In addition, work is carried out on repay- meat for countries which require prospective emigrants to submit a certificate of physical fitness. Each examination involves a comprehen- sive physical examination, certain routine laboratory investigations, an X-ray of the chest and any other special investigations which may be considered necessary. Specialist advice is available from the Government clinical units. The work of the year is summarized at Table 37.

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TABLE 37

WORK OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION BOARD 1960-61

1960

Government Appointments 1960 1967

„JË wereld Jerry Defence Units 1961

2,187 2.116 3,902 3,547

76

Miscellaneous

1960 1961 1940

99 115 9,570 8,007 32 9.411 7,150

Toim

1961

175

17,981 15,157

New examinations, - 6.334 5,776 Re-examinations

5,433 3,571

11,717 9.347

Annual total

Aw

147

6,085 5,663

428. Of the persons referred for a specialist opinion the great majority are suffering from abnormalities of the respiratory system, Pulmonary tuberculosis accounted for the rejection of 88.7% of all persous rejected as unfit for service as against 88.5% in 1960. The analysis of the causes of rejection is given in Table 38.

TABLE 38

1.84

UNFITNESS BY CAUSES 1960-61

(per 1,000 total examination)

Pulmonary Tuberculosis

1960 41.27

1967

50.60

Discases of the Respiratory System (excluding

tuberculosis)

2.84

Diseases of the Circulatory System Diseases of the Alimentary System Diseases of the Skeletal System Diseases of the Genito-urinary System Discases of the Nervous System Diseases of the Endocrine System Diseases of the Eye Systemn Diseases of the Skin System Miscellaneous Diseases

1.06

0.11

0.06

0.33

0.44

0.39

0.22

0.06

0.93

Total

46.61

57.47

J

3883988883

429. The Board also undertakes the immunization of candidates appointed to posts which carry special risks. Immunization procedures consist of tuberculin testing and Schick testing followed by B.C.G. or diphtheria toxoid vaccination as required and T.A.B. inoculations.

BLOOD BANKS

430. The Blood Donations Centre, maintained by the Hong Kong Branch of the British Red Cross Society on the Hong Kong waterfront continued to collect and distribute blood to the Blood Banks at the

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