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23. The clerical department has been increased by the appointment of Mr. LEUNG FU-CHU which was necessitated by the additional work caused by the increase in the number of the patients. I take this opportunity of thanking the Government for the additional assistance granted me.

VI. NURSING STAFF.

24. During the year this has been considerably improved by the appointment of two Army Medi- cal Staff Corps men as European Wardmasters a recommendation made by me last year and based on my previous experience of such officers at the Kensington Infirmary.

25. Wardmaster CHAPMAN arrived in the Colony on 17th January and forthwith commenced his duties; he has had seven years' experience in the Army Medical Staff Corps and is in every way a typical man for the post he now fills. I cannot speak too highly of the way in which he has always carried out his duties.

26. It is with much regret that I have to report the resignation of Wardmaster CARNEIRO in charge of the Small-pox Hospital owing to failing health. This officer had, I am given to understand, faithfully served the Government for upwards of thirteen years and had on several occasions es- pecially during the small-pox epidemic of 1887-88 performed arduous duties to my entire satisfaction, and I know his attention to patients generally has been very paiseworthy. He was laid up for the last two months of the year with bronchitis and cardiac disease he improved very much towards the end of December and much against my wish left the Hospital on the 31st of that month, he unfor- tunately had a relapse two weeks later and medical assistance was sent for but too late to be of any service.

VII-CHINESE NURSING STAFF.

27. CHAN A-LOK, the Chinese Wardmaster, resigned on the 13th July after twenty-five years' service. This officer has always shewn great interest in his work and I am sorry to lose his services.

28. I have again to report a considerable amount of sickness amongst the Nursing Staff, out of 63 officers 23 were warded during the year 11 of these were cases of malarial fever, mostly of a mild type. No officer died during the year. When the Chinese barracks are finished I hope to find a considerable diminution in this respect.

VIII.-WORK DONE DURING THE YEAR.

29. Attached to this report are the following Tables :-

I.-Shewing the admissions into and deaths in the Government Civil Hospital during each month of the year, of the Police.

II.--Shewing the rate of sickness and mortality in the Police Force during the year.

III.---Police return of admissions to Hospital from each district during the year.

V.-General Return of the Sick treated in the Hospital.

Va.-Surgical operations performed during the year.

Vb.--Zymotic Diseases, sub-group 1.

Vc.—

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Vd.-Diagram shewing number of cases of Malarial Fever admitted in each month of the year. Ve.-Zymotic Diseases, sub-group 3.

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4.

5.

Vg VI.-Shewing the rate of mortality in the Government Civil Hospital during the last 10 years. VII. Shewing the admissions into and deaths in the Government Civil Hospital during each month of last year.

VIIa.-Table of admissions into and deaths in the Small-pox Hospital.

VIIb. The aggregate monthly number of patients visited in the Hospital daily for the last three This last table is a better criterion of the work done as it shews the number of in-patients visited per day for the whole year.

years.

30. From the foregoing it will be seen :-

(1.) That the number of patients under treatment in the Hospital during the year was 1,793 an increase of 21 as compared with the previous year, the total number of deaths was 79, thus giving a percentage of deaths 4·29, as against 451 of 1888 and 5:37 of 1887. Of these 79 deaths, 36 occurred within forty-eight hours after admission.