(f) Measles.
་
20
71. Table 12 shows the notifications, deaths and deaths per hundred notifications for measles for the years 1946-1949. The high death rate is disappointing in view of the availability of antibiotics and sulpha drugs. The explanation probably lies in the fact that cases are not brought to the notice of the doctor until far advanced with pneumonia or some other complication.
TABLE 12.
Notifications and Deaths from Measles.
Age Group
1946
1947
1948
1949
Not Deaths Nali- Deathy fontiana
Mentiona
2 5 8 8
Nati- Deaths $ion Lion
Not Demih Beations
6
291
1
69
135
11
0
215
0 Lo 5 yeaTS
135
20
5 to 15 years
148
16 to 25 years
25
0
15
25 to 35 years
5
12
36 to 45 years
10
1
45 to 55 years 66 to 65 years
1
I
1
KAT
1
65 to 75 years
75 and over
Unkno
Total
217
26 160
190
Deaths per 100
Notifications
$
6
3
pand
www.g
458
44
10
21
dysentery. There has been a considerable rise in the frequency of amoebic dysentry since 1946 when 76 cases were reported followed by 54 in 1947 and 118 in 1948. This spread of amoeble dysentery may well prove a very serious problem in the future owing to the custom, universal throughout China and well estab- lished in the New Territories in Hong Kong, of using raw or practically raw nightsoil for fertilisation. Survival of amoebic cysts in such circumstances is almost inevitable and emphasises the urgency of completing the present experiments in the pro- duction of compost from local refuse and nightsoil.
(1) Enteric Fever,
74. Enteric fever again showed a rise in the number of notifications but there were no foci of infection detected.
(i) Smallpox.
76. 11 cases of smallpox were reported with 7 deaths. Of these 11 cases 5 had a history suggesting that the infection was acquired outside the Colony and 6 were the bodies of unknown infants picked up dead and believed to have been dumped by squatters.
IV. HYGIENE AND SANITATION.
(a) Organisation.
(i) General Measures.
76. The urban health work is carried out under the
following Ordinances:-
(0) Diphtheria.
72. There was a minor epidemic of diphtheris during the winter of 1949-1950 when between October 1st and March 31st 285 cases occurred with 61 deaths. The deaths per hundred notifications for the year 1949 was higher than in any year since the war.
(h) Dysentery.
73. The tendency for amoebic dysentery to be notified more frequently than bacillary dysentery which showed itself first in 1948 continued in 1949 and 153 cases with 10 deaths were recorded as against 115 cases with 8 deaths from bacillary
1.
Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance.
2.
Public Health (Fond) Ordinance.
3.
Adulterated Food & Drugs Ordinance.
4.
5.
6.
Quarantine & Prevention of Disease Ordinance.
Public Health (Animals & Birds) Ordinance. Hawkers Ordinance.
77. To deal with this work Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon are divided into 5 Health Districts each with a Health Officer and a Senior Health Inspector. There are 3 districts in Hong Kong and 2 in Kowloon. Each district is then split up into sections under the care of a Health Inspec- tor. Liaison between these sections and areas and the Urban Council is made through a Chief Health Inspector and the Superintendent of Sanitary Services. There are 43 health districts in all-25 in Hong Kong and 18 in Kowloon and New Kowloon.
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