Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 553

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MEDICAL COMMITTEE.

REPORT.

We, the undersigned, were appointed by His Excellency the Governor to be Mem- bers of a Committee of Inquiry into the Medical Department of the Colony and other relative matters embodied in a list of subjects which accompanied our letters of appoint-

ment.

2. We have accordingly proceeded on the lines laid done by the Government and have conducted our inquiry with special reference to the subjects upon which we were asked to report. In the course of that inquiry with a view to making ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the working of the Medical Department generally, we have had occasion to pay a personal visit of inspection to the Government Civil Hospital, and have examined several servants of the Government, to whom we are indebted for much valuable information and many useful suggestions, which we have adopted and embodied in our recommendations.

The following is a list of the Officers who have appeared before us in the course of our enquiry:-

The Colonial Surgeon.

The Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital.

The Superintendent of the Gaol.

The Assistant Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital.

The Secretary of the Sanitary Board.

The Health Officer.

The Medical Officer of the Gaol,

The Government Analyst.

Dr. CHUNG of the Alice Memorial Hospital.

Honourable Dr. Ho KAI, and the Matron of the Government Civil Hospital.

A copy of the evidence given by them forms an appendix to the report which we beg to submit below for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor.

For facility of reference we have drawn up our report in the form of answers to the various questions submitted to us, and corresponding numerically thereto.

REPORT.

Question 1.—The present distribution of work and the hours of duty of each mem- ber of the medical staff. What re-arrangement of duties, if any, is desirable with a view to securing the more efficient working of the Department?

Answer.-We are of opinion—

(a) That the work required of the medical staff-as at present distributed-

falls to a certain extent on the Colonial Surgeon, and chiefly on the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, and that the time of those Officers is sufficiently occupied, more especially since the additional duty of daily inspecting the Tung Wa Hospital has been imposed on them.

(b) That the Medical Officer of the Gaol has not sufficient work, but that the present occupant of the post is not competent to assist at the Govern- ment Civil Hospital.

(c) That the duties of the Health Officer of the Port fully occupy the time

of one Officer,