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of the Force, the number of admissions increased from 12 in 1893 to 20 in 1894. The returns of admissions to Hospital from the various sections of the Force in the different districts are given in Table No. III.

TROOPS.

The average strength has been increased by 37. The total amount of sickness decreased by 22 admissions to Hospital when compared with 1893. The deaths, however, have increased from 28 to 39 compared with 1893. There has therefore, notwithstanding the plague, been an improvement in the general health of the Troops. The increase in the number of deaths cannot be attributed to the plague epidemic, as only one death occurred amongst those who were attacked by the disease who were in all 8 in number. During the three months from the middle of May to the middle of August that the Troops were engaged in assisting at the cleaning up, white-washing and disinfecting houses infected with the disease and many others that were, though not infected, in a most filthy condition, it was noticeable from the weekly returns of sickness amongst the Troops that there was a great improvement in their general health and a freedom from climatic disease during the hottest months in which they usually suffered most, but as soon as the work was finished and their assistance no longer needed they began again to suffer severely. Out of nearly 500 Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and men who were daily employed on the work of cleaning up the houses only 8 were infected with the plague-one Officer and seven men. Of these one Officer and 6 men belonged to the Shropshire Regiment and one man to the Army Medical Staff Corps. The Officer, Captain VESEY, was one of the first attacked at a time when the type of disease was most irulent. A full account of his case is given by Dr. Lowson in his Plague Report; notwithstanding every assistance that could be rendered him by the Medical Officer, both of the Army and Civil Medical Department and the nursing sisters of our staff, to the great regret of all he succumbed to the disease. The health of the Troops employed was a great source of anxiety to the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board who were in daily communication with their Officers as to their requirements as regards relief, refreshments, disinfectants, and medicines supplied to them, all of which was freely supplied by Government on their representation. Those that were attacked were taken on board the Hygeia, hospital hulk, which was after the first few days of the outbreak exclusively used for Europeans and had a Medical Officer continually in attendance. That so few were attacked was a great subject of congratulation, and too much cannot be said for the great assistance rendered by the Troops; their orderly conduct and good behaviour during the trying time, and the arduous and revolting work on which they were employed.

·

The following table gives the sickness and mortality among the Troops for the past ten years :-

1885,

1886,

1887,

1888,

1889,

1890,

1891.

1892,

1893,

1894,

.....

Admissions.

Deaths.

1,190

24

1,607

9

1,749

14

1,485

21

1,732

16

1,915

15

1,851

17

2,844

31

2,927

28

2,905

39

I regret that in the above table in my report of last year a great mistake in the figures occurred and the total strength of the Troops was given instead of the total admissions to Hospital. Therefore the deductions made in the report were all wrong. My only excuse is that the report had to be written during the excitement and overwork caused by the outbreak of the plague.

Table IV. shows that the admissions to Hospital in 1894, among the white portion of the Troops, was 2,035; in 1893 it was 2,015, the increase of sickness amongst them was only 20, and this average strength had been increased from 1,414 to 1,446. Only white Troops were employed in rendering assistance during the plague, so that it cannot be said that the epidemic caused an increase of sickness amongst them to any extent at all.

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL.

During the summer of this year the whole staff of this Hospital was doing double duty when the plague epidemic broke out. Dr. J. A. Lowson, Superintendent of the Hygeia epidemic hulk, was Acting Superintendent and also doing the duty of Assistant Superintendent on the 11th of May. On the 13th of May Surgeon PENNY, R.N., and Surgeon-Major JAMES of the Army Medical Staff came to our assistance. The former assisted on the Hygeia and the latter was detailed to the examination of sick found in the City, corpses brought to the Tung Wa Hospital, the inspection of houses and the sanitary portion of the work requiring to be done by a Medical Officer. On the 14th of May the Police Station at Kennedytown was handed over to the Medical Department to relieve the congestion of patients crowding into the Hygeia. On the 19th of May, Dr. W. F. Lowson arrived very opportunely and was appointed Acting Assistant Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital and assisting his brother with Surgeon PENNY at the Plague Hulk and Hospital. On June the 18th Dr. MOLYNEUX from Ningpo arrived to our assistance and was attached to the Plague