X1000307-1958-59_Part01 — Page 44

Radio-diagnostic Section

366. The Radio-diagnostic Section provides a service in each of the following institutions :

In Hong Kong :

(i) Queen Mary Hospital (including radio-diagnostic work for the Mental and Sai Ying Pun Hospitals and the Government clinics and dispensaries on the Island).

(i) Tsan Yuk Hospital,

(iii) Wan Chai Chest Clinic,

(iv) Medical Examining Board:

In Kowloon –

(1) Kowloon Hospital (providing also the radio-diagnostic service for

institutions and clinics without these facilities),

(i)

Kowloon Chest Clinje,

(u) Shek Kip Mei Chest Clinic.

(iv) Lai Chi Kok Hospital.

367. There is also a Mass Miniature Radiography Unit which operates as required throughout the Colony. In addition, consultant services are supplied to the Tung Wah and Tung Wah Eastern Hospitals. 368. An X-ray section for the Kowloon Hospital Casualty Department was established during the year by the conversion of accommodation formerly used as a medical store. This fulfilled a long-felt need and has greatly eased the strain on the X-ray Department of the Hospital.

369. The quantity of work undertaken continues to increase and altogether 289,325 investigations were carried out as compared with 265,814 during the previous year, Three image intensifiers were installed, These are expected to reduce considerably the amount of radiation received by patients during screening.

Radio-therapeutic Section

370. Facilities are provided for deep radio-therapy, superficial and contact radiotherapy, radium and radioisotope treatment, including tracer studies. The deep radiotherapy equipment consists of one 400 KV Maximar deep therapy machine, one 250 KV Maxitron deep therapy machine and one telecobalt unit of 60 curies.

371. The addition to the treatment potential made during 1957 has been reflected in the considerable increase in the number of patients receiving therapy and a total of 1,034 patients were so treated during 1958 as against 342 in 1957. There were 798 new patients of whom 24% were suffering from carcinoma of the naso-pharynx, and 133 from carcinoma of the uterine cervix. 26,617 treatments were given-un in- crease of 12.820 over the total for the previous year.

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172. Out-patient clinics continue to be held five days each week and 7,500 attendances were recorded; of this total 402 were seen at the combined Radio-therapy-Gynaecology Follow-up Clinic run jointly with the University of Hong Kong Department of Obstetrics and Gynae- cology. In addition to the normal routine of these clinics. 896 biopsies were performed,

Physics and Work Shop Section

373. As in previous years the physicists have played an essential part in the training of radiologists and radiographers, about which further comment is made later in this report. The physical aspects of treatment planning, the maintenance of the radio-protection service and advice and assistance to the Radiation Board and the Industrial Health Officer are also routine activities of this section.

374, In addition, the workshop undertakes the maintenance and repair of all Government radiological and physiotherapeutic equipment and numerous gadgets and pieces of apparatus for improving radio- logical techniques were made at very low cost. These functions effect very considerable savings to Government funds and in fact more than pay for the cost of the maintenance of this work shop.

OPHTHALMOLOGY

375. The two major eye clinics are situated at the Aran Streel Eye Clinic in Kowloon and at the Violet Peel Polyclinic on Hong Kong Island; the optical workshop is at the Violet Peel Polyclinic. The Ophthalmic Specialist works at the Arran Street Clinic and during the year was assisted by seven Medical Officers and a total of thirteen nurses. three dressers, two almoners, one health visitor, four optical technicians, two dispensers and four clerks. Ophthalmic teams consisting of a doctor, two nurses and a clerk go out from the two main eye clinics five days each week to hold clinics at strategic points throughout the Colony. Four new clinics were opened during the year at the Central District Health Centre (Kau U Fong). Li Kee Memorial Dispensary (Kowloon City), Shau Kei Wan and Peng Chau (South). A fortnightly visit is paid to Peng Chau by the team which visits the neighbouring Cheung Chau. Twice-weekly sessions have been maintained in the other three new centres. There are now 13 centres including School Health Clinics. visited by the Ophthalmic teams, and 152 sessions are held at these centres each month.

376. There are ten hospital beds available for eye patients and 280 underwent major eye surgery in hospital. The greatest part of the

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