Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 209

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of junks and vessels arriving from Canton and Macao. Their services were really not required as, with the co-operation of Dr. MOLYNEUX, the staff associated with me was now quite sufficient for the work which had to be done. A judicious interchange of work however enabled the latest arrivals to see a good lot of the plague, and allowed some of those who had been working on shore all along to have a few days fresh air on the water. The junk inspection might have been

effective two months earlier.

Dr. MOLYNEUX left on 19th July; Surgeons BEARBLOCK and MEADEN about the end of same month.

On 10th August all the patients in the Slaughter House Hospital were removed to Kennedytown Hospital, and the former place was cleaned up and thoroughly disinfected by carbolic acid, all fittings which had been used being burned. The Alice Memorial Matshed on closing was disinfected by carbolic acid freely applied to the floors, whilst most removables in the way of beds, tables, &c. were burned, or freely treated with carbolic acid. A typhoon in September completed the dis- infection by blowing the shed out of sight. The disinfection of the Glassworks was done by carbolic acid and quicklime applied to the walls; all wooden floors being removed and burnt, and the refuse added to the flames. The Hygeia was closed on August 8th, the two European patients being transferred to the Civil Hospital. Disinfection here was done by carbolic acid and fresh air.

Kennedytown Hospital was closed on September 26th, the remaining patients being removed to the small-pox observation hut in the Civil Hospital grounds. This hospital was also disinfected by carbolic acid, whilst the convalescent matshed adjoining was conveniently removed piecemeal by successive typhoons in Septem- ber and October. This matshed had been erected early in June, it being essential to transfer patients to another ward after the acute stage of the disease was over. By this arrangement we had always two lots of patients, one lot requiring very little actual nursing, and the other lot all together in the place where the nursing had to be done.

The Hygeia proved a most valuable hospital for Europeans, every medical visitor being greatly impressed with its suitability for this purpose providing as it did plenty of fresh air, every breeze in the harbour, no mosquitoes, and the charm of sea life during convalescence. It would probably have gone very hard with some of the European patients and the Japanese doctors had they been treated on shore, every slight breeze in the harbour bringing great relief to the sufferers. When the rush of Chinese patients came, however, the ship was rather taxed for accommodation, as one private ward had to be used as a mortuary, another as an office, and the others to accommodate the extra staff, &c., which was necessary. Her use as a European hospital during last summer alone has more than justified her existence.

Kennedytown Barracks proved a fairly good hospital, but its proximity to the trees on Mount Davis made it a hunting ground for flies and mosquitoes which sometimes added greatly to our patients' sufferings. The arrangements of the rooms also left much to be desired.

The Commissariat of the Chinese Hospitals at the Glassworks and at the Slaughter House Hospital was in charge of the Chinese themselves. In the Glass- works the food was principally used by the attendants, the patients not requiring very much or when receiving it receiving what was unsuitable. As one or two cases began to recover however the arrangements began to improve, and at the Slaughter House Hospital, when affairs were running smoothly, the commissariat was efficient as far as supply was concerned. The supplies and furnishings to the Hygeia, Kennedytown Hospital and Alice Memorial Branch were under the charge of Mr. ROBERT CHAPMAN, the Steward at the Government Civil Hospital, with Sergeant SMITH, R.A., specially detailed to assist him in Alice Memorial Branch work from June 20th to July 21st.. The amount of work done by Mr. CHAPMAN was almost incredible, and I trust that the Government may be able to satisfactorily reward this officer, who was constantly at work from shortly after five A.M. till ten P.M. It must be remembered that all this time he had his Civil Hospital work to do also; and when one considers that on no single occasion was there any delay in the delivery of or want of supplies one can only come to the conclusion that it was a hard bit of work well done.

Dispensary hours were long at the commencement of the epidemic, but after getting large supplies of "stock" mixtures made we were able to arrange matters so as to allow Mr. Crow and Mr. BROWNE to devote a considerable amount of time to disinfecting work in the town.

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