[ 12 ]
Q.-Suppose a case breaks out on that healthy hulk, what would you do? A.—I should remove the sick case at once to the infected hospital and detain them a little longer perhaps.
The Colonial Surgeon.-You would have to shift them somewhere else.
Dr. JORDAN.-I think I should release them at once after disinfecting the hulk.
The Chairman.—In the case of small-pox you say you would release the passengers at once and that it is only out of deference to other port Authorities that you would make these concessions?
A. Yes.
Q.-Might you not by keeping these people on a hulk be exposing healthy persons to the risk of taking disease from others among them who might fall ill?
A. I think there is the minimum possibility of exposure in removing them to the bulk.
The Commission then adjourned.
Fourth Meeting; January 21st, 1892.
Present. All Members except the Health Officer.
Dr. HARTIGAN examined :-
The Chairman-How long have you been in the Colony?
A.-Twelve years.
Q.-Have you formed any opinions about this question of quarantine?
A. From a medical point of view quaranteening for cholera or any other disease
is useless because it cannot be effective and never has been.
Q. What would you do in the case of a ship arriving in this port with small- pox on board?
A.--I should take out the patients actually suffering and place them in some segregated spot or hulk. The others I should have properly examined and, if there were no traces of disease I should set them free. Any doubtful cases I should send directly to the hospital.
Q.-The same as for the other ones?
A.-No, I should send them to the Government Civil Hospital.
Q. How long would you keep the suspected cases?
A.-Well, of course, you ought to keep them fourteen days which is the generally recognised incubation period, but if kept at all I should say 48 hours.
Q.-Suppose a ship left a port, infected with Cholera say Amoy, arrived here within two days having no one ill on board. What would you do? Should the ship be kept in quarantine?
A.--No.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.