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machine and one Telecobalt unit of 60 curies. During the year the treatment potential was doubled by the addition of the 250 KV MaxitronN and the replacement of the cobalt 60 source in the Telecobalt Unit by one of 60 curies, which increased the strength of this source fourfold. The increase in potential has made it possible virtually to eliminate the waiting list for treatment,

379. A total of 294 patients suffering from malignant disease were treated by deep therapy. Of these 172 were suffering from carcinoma of the nasopharynx. This condition is very common in Hong Kong and is the subject of continued research. A new technique of treatment has been developed but it is too early, as yet, to assess its effect on the

cure ralc.

380. The installation of a Philip's Contact Radiotherapy unit has increased very considerably the number of patients it is possible to treat by superficial and contact radiotherapy. The majority of the cases treated were referred from the dermatology clinics.

381. Radium treatment was limited by the number of beds available for this purpose and only a small number of cases was so treated.

382. A small laboratory equipped with scintillation and geiger counters and other physics equipment was established to deal with the use, on a small scale, for medical purposes, of the radio-isotopes of iodine, of gold including seeds and colloidal suspensions, of cobalt and of strontium.

383. In the radiotherapy section 13.797 individual treatments were given to 342 patients. Out-patient clinics were held on six half day sessions each week, three of them were for new patients and three for the follow-up of those under treatment. The follow-up clinic for gynaecological cases is run in conjunction with the University Depart- ment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In addition to the routine diagnosis and treatment carried out in the out-patient clinics, 635 biopsies were performed.

Physics and Work Shop Section

384. This section is responsible for the training in physics of the radiological staff, for the radio-protection service to the Radiological Division and for assisting the Radiotherapists in the physical aspects of treatment planning. It also assists in the design and making of devices for the improvement of certain radiological techniques and in the maintenance and repair of all Government radiological and

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physiotherapeutic equipment. It has also assisted the Industrial Health Officer with problems relating to radiation protection in certain indus- tries in the Colony.

OPHTHALMOLOGY

385. There are two main eye clinics, in the Arran Street Eye Clinic in Kowloon and the Violet Peel Polyclinic in Victoria. At the latter is the optical workshop run by the Deparuneat. The Ophthalmic Specialist is responsible for the work of this Division and is assisted by a staff of five ophthalmologists and by an ancillary staff of sixteen nurses, dressers, opticians, almoners, dispensers and clerks, Ophthalmic Leams go out daily from the main clinics to nine centres in the New Territories where a total of twenty eight out-patient eye clinics is beld each month. There are len beds set aside in Government hospitals for emergency and major ophthalmic work.

386. There was a total of 103,698 attendances at eye clinics; of these 50,499 were new cases. This represents an increase of 13% over the attendances of 1956. There were 2,942 major and intermediate operative procedures carried out. The ophthalmic almoners investigated and gave assistance to approximately one in twenty of all new cases attending the urban clinics, 329 newly diagnosed cases of blindness were referred for registration to the Blind Welfare Office of the Social Welfare Department. The School Health Scheme attendances were slightly less than in the previous year: the optical workshop glazed and issued 2,888 pairs of spectacles to school children.

387.

The major clinical problem of the year was again the two waves of epidemic acute purulent conjunctivitis. These episodes are facilitated by the overcrowding and the water shortage in the urban areas. The first wave occurs in the trimester of March to May and the second during September to November when shifts in average tempera- ture and mean humidity rise or fall over a range of twenty five integers. The problem is to get the cases to attend for treatment early and before the disease process progresses to keratomalacia and blindness. The Health Education service helped considerably during these peak periods of incidence by broadcasting propaganda urging early attend- ance for treatment.

388.

DENTAL SERVICE

Working under the direction of the Dental Specialist, there are two sections in the Dental Service, one of which provides a general

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