tests in conjunction with the Medical Research Council of the United Kingdom. In this connection the slide culture technique initiated by a member of the Medical Research Council in this laboratory for rapid testing of anti-tuberculosis drug sensitivity is progressing satisfactorily.
Virology
86. The Government Virus Unit continued diagnostic examination for virus infections and surveys in connection with poliomyelitis. Other projects included studies of respiratory virus infections and follow-up of post-vaccinal measles anti-body.
87. The incidence of paralytic poliomyelitis remained low. There were 15 cases of laboratory-confirmed poliomyelitis during the year and of these, 13 cases were type 1 and 2 cases type 3 poliovirus infection. As part of a long term surveillance of poliomyelitis disease. a faecal survey in normal children was carried out in June. The result showed the excretor rate of "wild" type of poliovirus was about 0.3%. which was in agreement with the low incidence of clinical infection.
88. The laboratory continued to function as a World Health Organization National Influenza Centre. After the major outbreak of A2/HK/68 influenza in July 1968, influenza type B was prevalent in February-September 1969, causing sporadic cases and localized out- breaks of influenza in the community. The type B virus strains were antigenically similar to those prevailing in other parts of the world. Commencing November 1969, A2 virus has returned, and continued to cause sporadic cases and minor outbreaks of respiratory infection, but the virus strains so far have shown no antigenic deviation from the A2/HK/68 variant.
89. The study of respiratory infection in children under 5 years of age continued in 1969. Parainfluenza type 1 virus was frequently isolated in cases of respiratory diseases in February-March, while respiratory syncytial virus was the major pathogen in June-September. Other virological findings of medical interest were the positive isolations of cytomegalo-virus in two cases of neonatal jaundice, and mumps virus in 3 children with neurologic disorders.
INDUSTRIAL HEALTH
(Table 42)
90. The health of workers in factories and the other industrial undertakings is the statutory responsibility of the Commissioner of
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Labour. The Industrial Health Division of the Labour Department, which is staffed by personnel seconded from the Medical and Health Department, is responsible for advising the Commissioner on all matters affecting the health and welfare of industrial workers. Its principal functions are to prevent occupational diseases and to promote health at work. The inspection of industrial undertakings by medical officers of the Division in company with the factory inspectorate, the monitoring of the working environment by the laboratory staff, and the medical surveillance of notified occupational diseases are the principal ways in which these functions are carried out.
91. Environmental surveys included the measurement of silica dust in quarries, and of the concentrations in the air of, amongst many, Icad, manganese, solvents, and sulphur dioxide, and the investigation of standards of thermal comfort, ventilation, noise and lighting.
92. The work of the Workmen's Compensation Unit which is part of the Industrial Health Division was reorganized in September with the introduction of an Industrial Injury Notification system; this increased the number of industrial injuries brought to the notice of the unit from an average of 800 per month to 1,400. An amended Workmen's Compensation Ordinance came into force on 1st January, 1970, which increased the range of workers covered and increased the amount of compensation paid in the case of incapacity or death.
93. Industrial Medical Officers participated in Medical Boards held under the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance for the medical assess- ment of injured workers. Health visitors and industrial nurses carried out case work and visited homes as well as attending at the casualty departments of major hospitals.
94. Regulation 5 of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (First Aid in Registrable Workplaces) Regulations 1968 became effective on the first day of October 1969. This required every factory employing more than 100 workers to have at least one trained in first aid. Through- out the year the Industrial Health Division played an active role in making arrangements for industrial workers to be trained by the St. John Ambulance Association. Advice was also given to many factories regarding first aid facilities and equipment.
95. The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Regulations were amended in August 1969, to protect persons employed to work under-
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