X1000306-1962-63_Part01 — Page 38

by the Pest Control Unit of the Urban Services Department. Of 69,161 rodents examined none were found to be infected with plague.

Blood Banks

266. The Blood Donation 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 Queen Mary and Kowloon Hospitals; the laboratory work in connexion with this was undertaken by the Government Institute of Pathology.

267. Donations of blood received during the year excceded by some 230 pints the total for 1961. Although the greater part of the blood again came from members of the Armed Services or from visiting Royal Navy and United States warships, there was a further increase in blood donations from Chinese residents, and the Donors' Club, under the guidance of the Chairman of the Hong Kong Branch of the British Red Cross Society, continued to expand its activities. In addition a consider- able amount of blood was donated direct to the Blood Banks by relatives of patients in the various hospitals. The sources and distribution of blood received by the Blood Banks are detailed in Tables 28 and 29,

TABLE 28

SOURCES OF BLOOD DONATED, 1962

British Red Cross Society Patients" relatives and Friends

Other sources

Total

TABLE 29

ANG

1,964 pints 1,327 plots

1 pint

9,292 pints

DISTRIBUTION OF BLOOD, 1962

Government Hospitals

Government-Assisted Hospitals

Private Hospitals

Military Hospitals

Manufacture of Plasma

Preparation of Coombs Reageni Unusable due to various causes

Total

62

E

!

6,303 pints

2,205 pints

231 pints

48 pints

123 pints

2 pints

262 pints

+

9,174 pinus

268. Despite this encouraging increase, there is still a serious short- age of blood to meet all demands. In fact, supply was barely adequate to meet the emergency needs of the acute hospitals and much elective surgery had to be postponed for varying periods for lack of blood. Unless the situation improves greatly in the latter part of 1963, when many more acute beds will come into use, there will be a very grave shortage of this essential aid to modem therapy. Much propaganda is being directed by the British Red Cross Society to attain a significant increase in the number of Chinese donors, as the Armed Services, other temporary residents and visitors cannot be regarded as other than an evanescent source of supply. The people of Hong Kong owe a great debt of gratitude to those donors who, though only temporarily resident in the Colony, give blood for general use.

INDUSTRIAL HEALTH

269. The health of workers in factories and in other industrial under- takings is the statutory responsibility of the Commissioner of Labour. The Industrial Health Section of the Labour Department is chiefly con- cerned with the prevention of occupational disease and the protection of workers against health hazards arising from the working environment. Advice is offered to industry on problems connected with the hygiene of work places, the use of protective clothing and equipment, and the provision of clinic or first-aid facilities.

270.

Investigations continued into the working conditions in urades known to be hazardous to health, and medical supervision is maintained of workers in certain dangerous trades such as those in which lead and radio-active substances are handled. Health Visitors carry out individ- ual case work on injured persons claiming compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance.

271. The contamination of various working environments by toxic gases, fumes or dust, was the subject of a continuing field survey: tem- perature and ventilation studies have also been made in a number of factories.

272. The cleansing of aircraft contaminated by radio-active dust, following on nuclear explosions in other parts of the world, involved

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