Sessional_Paper_1889 — Page 180

178

YEARS.

DEATHS AMONG CHINESE.

FEVERS.

Enteric.

Simple Continued.

VOMITING DIARRHEA, CHOLERA. AND

PURGING.

TOTAL.

Typhus.

1873,

12

96

1874,

125

46

1875,

31

291

1876,

94

343

1877,

145

370

1878,

89

481

1879,

116

733

21

1880,

309

373

1881,

438

168

1882,

679

71

1883,

262

571

1884,

132

600

1885,

105

755

1886,

772

1887,

441

1888,

299

NNEN: 0:5

16

195

319

231

402

288

612

259

696

8

311

834

33

701

1,304

608

1,478

348

1,030

38

435

1,079

465

1,215

660

1,496

301

1,035

561

176

1,604

10

326

19

1,136

25

276

13

764

361

17

236

817

The outbreak of Small-pox in the beginning of the year also contributed largely to the mortality in the foreign part of the community 29 died, amongst the Chinese there were 470 deaths from thi cause. There has not been time to test the value of the new vaccination Ordinance because previou experience has shewn that every third year there has been a slight outbreak of this disease but neve before one so large as this year. Small-pox generally appears in the winter months beginning abou November, previous experience has shewn that one winter we have had no cases or at most half dozen the next winter there has been a dozen or two and the third winter fifty or sixty this ha been the rule during my experince of the Colony. This winter there has been only one case recorded among the Chinese and six or seven mild cases of varioloid among Europeans.

These outbreaks have brought much discussion over the long pending scheme of a Hospital for Infectious diseases. Some three years ago a commission was formed of the Military and Naval Surgeons the Military Engineers, the Surveyor General and myself and after long discussion it was agreed that the best and only suitable form of Hospital for Infectious Diseases in this Colony was a Hulk and to that opinion I still adhere. There is no site in the Colony to which there are not strong objections on one or more scores and most of these objections are removed when a hulk comes in question. There must be a receiving ward ashore where cases can receive immediate attention and be diagnosed. Four years ago four cases were brought in by the Police and sent into the Cholera Ward I was notified and hurried down at once much disgusted to find oue drunken man one case of colic and two cases of high fever all of whom had been found "vomiting and purging " which of course proved that they were cases of Cholera, at that time there was a considerable scare and

any one vomiting or purging no matter from what cause got a dose of Cholera mixture served out to him by his nearest friend or neighbour, who could procure it from the nearest Police Station. This sort of thing shews the absolute necessity for a ward of observation and there is no place better than the present Small-pox Ward attached to the Government Civil Hospital when it has received some necessary improvements.

Dr. ATKINSON has furnished a very interesting report and also notes of some interesting cases. He has also given some valuable recommendations. He has had very hard and much annoying work but as assistance is coming out in the shape of another Surgeon and his Subordinate Staff is in a fair way now to be as near perfect as possible I hope it will never occur again.

Mr. CROW furnishes an Analytical report some of which will interest the Public, the report on the milk supplied by the Dairy Farm is a very handsome gratuitous advertisement to an Establishment that is certainly a very great benefit to the Colony.

I have the honour to be.

The Hon. F. STEWART, LL.D.

Colonial Secretary.

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

PH. B. C. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon,

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