897
The sanitary conditions of the island were still a menace in the Sixties, and tentative efforts to mend matters did little to improve the health of the place. In 1862 the first Port health Officer, Dr. L. Richardson, was appointed, and Green Island was made a quarantine station. A public health commission was also appointed at the time, but its reports led to practically nothing in the way of improvement.
In 1865 the unhealthy condition of the Colony was such as to attract the attention of Parliament, owing to the reports of much sickness and high mortality that summer. Parliament having taken the matter up, a Committee was appointed to enquire into the high death rate among troops stationed out here; but few reforms appear to have followed, and the water-supply was still far from adequate or sanitary, despite the commencement then of impounding reservoirs.
These conditions improved little through the Seventies, and the report in 1875 by the then Colonial Surgeon, Dr. Ayres referred in strong terms to the insanitary state of the town areas, including the keeping of pigs indiscriminately in dwelling houses (see supra). This report was apparently suppressed until 1881, when it was published as a reprint of Parliamentary papers. Thereupon Mr. Chadwick was appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to come out here and report on the sanitary state of Hongkong, his efforts and recommendations being extensive (see 28-10-33) and much of the reforms which we know to-day being due to these suggestions which were published in 1883.
The Sanitary Board as we have it to-day was constituted at that period, and I shall conclude this article with a few extracts from the contemporary press which mark the beginning of the extensive health system at present operating in the Colony.
Conditions on the mainland appear to have been a parallel of the state of affairs in parts of the island. Here is a pen picture from the Hongkong Telegraph of March 20, 1883, of Hunghom, in a letter to the Editor:
"Hunghom is in a deplorable state. An open sewer runs through the middle of the street into which the drains from the houses and pig-stys empty themselves, covering nearly the whole breadth of the street with accumulations of filth. The village is in such a condition as to be almost impassable in rainy weather."
In another issue of the paper that same month, we have a glimpse of Wanchai, when the attention of the Government is called to the insanitary conditions above Ship Street and behind the old cemetery adjacent to the Italian Convent. It appears that at that time 40 to 50 pig stys constituted a nuisance to the neighbourhood.
We come then to the creation of the Sanitary Board. In the Hongkong Telegraph of April 23, 1883.
3.
897
The sanitary conditions of the island were still a menace in the Sixties, and tentative efforts to mená matters did little to improve the health of the plece. In 1862 the first Fort health Officer, Dr. L.Richerdson, was appointed, and Green Island was made a quarantine station. A public health commission was also appointed at the time, but its reports led to practically nothing in the way of improvement a.
In 1865 the unhealthy condition of the Colony wes such as to attract the attention of Parliament, owing to the reports of much sickness and high mortality that summer. Parliament having taken the matter up, a Committee was appointed to enquire into the high death rate among troops stationed out here; but few reforms appear to have followed, end the water-supply was still far from adequate or senitary, despite the commencement then of impounding reservoirs.
These conditions improved little through the Seventies, and the report in 1875 by the then Colonial Surgeon, Dr. Ayres referred in strong terms to the insanitary state of the town areas, including the keeping of pigs indiscriminately in dwelling houses (see supre.) This report was apparently suppressed until 1881, when it was published as a reprint of Farliamentary papers. Thereupon Mr. Chadwick was appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to come out here and report on the sanitary state of Hongkong, his efforts and recommendations being extensive (see 28-10-33) end much of the reforms which we know to-day being due to these suggestions which were published in 1883.
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The Sanitary Board es we have it to-day was constituted at that period, and I shall conclude this erticle with a few extracts from the contemporery press which mark the beginning of the extensive health system at present operating in the Colony.
Conditions on the meinlend appear to have been a parallel of the state of affaira in parts of the island. here is a pen picture from the Hongkong Telegraph of March 20, 1883, of Hunghom, in a letter to the Editor:
An open
"Hunghom is in a deplorable state. sewer runs through the middle of the street into which the drains from the houses end pig-stys empty themselves, covering nearly the whole breadth of
the street with accumuletions of filth. The vill- age is in such a condition as to be almost impassable in rainy weather."
In another issue of the paper that same month, we have a glimpse of Wanchai, when the attention of the Government is called to the insanitary conditions above Ship Street end behind the old cemetery adjacent to the Italian Convent. It appears that at that time 40 to 50 pig stys constituted a nuisance to the neighbourhood.
We come then to the creation of the Sanitary Board. In the Hongkong Telegraph of April 23, 1883.
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