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the required standards; a higher incidence of unsatisfactory samples was found in Kowloon than in Hong Kong.

53. A new product, known as "soft ice cream' presented several health hazards in the manner of its preparation, distribution and sale; conditions of permits to sell this type of ice cream were devised for its hygienic control. On the advice of the Department's Health Officers the Law Revision Select Committee of the Urban Council agreed to include in draft Regulations proposed to be made under a new Public Health Ordinance Heat Treatment Regulations for lee Cream and Ïces.

54. Four moderately severe outbreaks of food poisoning were reported during the year, involving in all a total of twenty three persons. one of whom died. In one instance the cause was found in cooked fish and pork infected with pyocyaneus organisms and sold by a cooked food stall hawker. Staphylococci and Bacillus Proteus were isolated from both food and vomitus in another incident involving nine persons. 55. Considerable health propaganda has been continued to encourage hygienic methods of food handling by employees of restaurants and other food premises. A locally made colour film demonstrating such methods was shown to 8,230 food handlers employed in Hong Kong and Kowloon.

56. Special studies carried out during the year included;

(i) a survey of lighting in the kitchens and food preparation rooms of licensed food premises with a view to formulating future minimum illumination requirements for these premises. (ii) a survey to find out the prevalence and degree of cooking carried

out in ‘cafés' in the urban areas of Hong Kong Island.

57. The investigation and control of cases of notifiable infectious diseases, except tuberculosis and malaria, continued to be one of the main tasks of the Health Staff.

58. A considerable number of nuisances due to mosquitoes and flies continued to occur in certain parts of the urban areas. In April 1957 very extensive culicino mosquito breeding was found in swampy land around Chai Wan Bay; vigorous control methods were only partly successful until the full reclamation of the area was completed in September 1957. Many breeding places were also found associated with the numerous new building sites throughout the urban area.

59. Health education work was increased during the year both in scope and volume. A long term programme covering all important

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aspects of community and household hygiene has been devised by a special select committee of the Urban Council, of which the Senior Health Officer is an active member.

Rural Areas

60. The Health staff was increased by one additional Health Officer and three Public Vaccinators.

61. Two new Clinics with maternity wards were opened during the year; the one at Tai Po is an excellent building provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club with twenty seven maternity beds and à large out- patient department which includes facilities for visiting specialists and for dentistry; the other is a smaller clinic on Lamma Island (North). which is a Rural Committee project of six maternity beds and treatment rooms for general outpatients.

62. Plans are in hand for:

(i) a new and much enlarged dispensary to be built at Tai O by

the Hong Kong Jockey Club;

(ii) a clinic with a 6-bed maternity home on Peng Chau Island (South) with funds raised jointly by the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Peng Chau Rural Committee;

(iii) extensions to the Pok Oi Hospital. Yuen Long, which will include an operating theatre, an X-ray Department and accom- modation for sixty four additional beds, mainly in wards for women and children.

63. New premises have been secured for Health Offices in both Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan.

64.

Improvement and modernization of sanitation in the New Territories is, under present conditions. slow. There is, at times. considerable resistance to the introduction of the simpler types of water borne sewage disposal schemes, such as aqua privies and septic tanks. These interfere with the supply of night soil of which large quantities are used as a traditional and cheap fertilizer. Also, wet cultivation, particularly of water spinach, ensures ideal breeding areas for mosquitoes and the danger of damage to these crops precludes the use of insecticides in effective strengths.

65. Progress in the elimination of dry pail latrines has been made. however, in licensed food shops, factories and permanent housing. New buildings are now required to include water closet fittings.

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