Sessional_Paper_1885-1886 — Page 305

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39. Mr. ROGERS the Steward and storekeeper has proved himself a valuable assistant, and of his vigilant unremitting industry I cannot speak too highly. I regret that his health has suffered some- what of late.

40. Mr. WATSON the European wardmaster has taken considerable pains to learn his duties, and he is now exceedingly useful. His position is a trying one and his work very harassing.

41. The appointment of a second European on the nursing staff has been sanctioned temporarily, and I trust it will be made permanent.

42. There will then be two Europeans to supervise the Chinese nurses, each taking twelve hours duty out every twenty four.

43. Hitherto the patients have been a good deal left to the sole care of Chinese attendants, as Mr. WATSON could not always be on duty:

44. The principal Chinese dresser combines with his duty at the Civil Hospital the work of dissecting dead bodies at the Public Mortuary, for Dr. MARQUES, who is in charge of Medico-legal duties. This is a very objectionable combination, and one fraught with great danger to the wounded men in Hospital. It is also inconvenient, as the man's presence is sometimes urgently required at the Mortuary, when he cannot be spared in the Hospital, and the Coroner has to wait.

45. Some trouble having been experienced latterly with the clerical work, the clerk last appointed has been placed under the direction of the Steward, who will supervise his doings.

46. The changes in the Chinese nurses and coolies have not been more numerous than usual. 47. I anticipate that when they are properly housed, with facilities for keeping themselves and their clothing clean, changes will be less frequent.

48. The maximum number of beds in the Hospital is 98, including 9 for women.

49. The Hospital register contains 1,569 cases, of which 59 were not admitted.

The latter comprising surgical injuries of different kinds and various degrees of severity, were treated in the surgery and dismissed. A number of others were attended to of whom no record was kept.

50. The remaining 1,510 treated in Hospital included 50 who remained at the end of 1884; of this number 495 were Police, and the remaining 1,015 consisted of officers and seamen from merchant ships of all nations, and from foreign ships of war, private residents, destitutes, prisoners, and members of the Chinese Customs and Revenue services.

51. The Police admissions were nine more than in 1884: 37 more Europeans were admitted, but 16 fewer Indians, and 12 fewer Chinese.

52. Table III shows the numbers from each station.

53. Whitfield Station is still conspicuous for the number and severity of its cases of Malarial fever. The foul swampy ground and the number of squatters in this neighbourhood render it very unwhole-

some.

54. The Police suffered principally from malarial diseases, fevers and bowel complaints, bronchial affections and surgical injuries.

55. The total number of days spent in Hospital in 1885 by members of the Force was 4,574: in 1884 it was 5,157: about half as many more days were spent off duty on sick leave.

56. Hence it appears that the average health of the Police was better in 1885 than in the two preceding years,

57. Still further improvement may be looked for when the Public Works' Department are able to take some of the old stations in hand.

58. Several Invalids from the French naval and military forces were sent to the Civil Hospital in the beginning of the year, and the question was raised whether relieving a belligerent force of the care of its sick was a breach of neutrality. The Secretary of State decided that it was not.

59. Table V shows the varieties of disease among the patients generally, with the mortality from each.

60. Malarial diseases, fevers and bowel complaints, are prominent in the list, and though not many were fatal, in a large number of cases there ensued severe anæmia and serious deterioration of health.

61. A number of cases were complicated with paralysis of the extremities, from which recovery was slow, and not always complete when the patients were discharged.

62. Some of these cases appear to have been registered as Beri-beri: the majority of them came from the water Police.

63. Nine cases of cholera were recorded, of which six were fatal.

64. It is reasonable to expect that the Colony will every year become more liable to an epidemic of cholera, while so little control is exercised over the construction of Chinese houses.

65. A more plentiful supply of water may do something to retard the evil day, but nothing short fa general conflagration in China town is likely to avert it.