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Mr. THURBURN.—The question is what arrangement should be made for the removal of patients from the Colony. During the plague, I think they objected to the removal of patients suffering from the plague.
Dr. PRESTON.--But they were.
Mr. THURBURN.-Latterly; to Laichikok. The Permanent Committee objected to the removal.
ill ?
Dr. CANTLIE.-Is it your duty to prevent people going away in junks when they are
Dr. JORDAN-No.
Dr. CANTLIE.--Precisely; it is nobody's business.
Mr. THURBURN.-Don't you think in cases of plague all patients should be removed and precautions taken that they go away anywhere so long as they leave the Colony? It is an advantage, is it not?
Dr. JORDAN. With proper precautions, I think it would be better to let them go. But I think there must be sufficient security that they go out of British territory.
Dr. CANTLIE.-Would you approve of an Hospital at Laichikok?
Dr. JORDAN.-Certainly not; it is too near Hongkong.
Dr. CANTLIE.What position do you hold in regard to the Colonial Surgeon ?
Dr. JORDAN-I am directly under him. I send all my reports to him. All my reports are forwarded through him to the Government. I am responsible for my actions to him directly and through him to the Government.
Dr. PRESTON.-Can he employ you in the Civil Hospital?
Dr. JORDAN.-NO; he cannot employ me on shore. My appointment distinctly states that my duties are those of Health Officer of the Port and for the medical inspec- tion of emigrants and states nothing in regard to the shore.
Dr. PRESTON.-Do you think the present quarantine regulations are satisfactory?
Dr. JORDAN.-I think they require to be overhauled. If it is to be quarantine, let it be proper or not at all. I think forty-eight hours, as at present, is a farce. The object of the quarantine regulations is simply to enable me to land infected patients and to disinfect the ship. All the passengers in good health are allowed to go.
Dr. CANTLIE.-What do you mean by proper quarantine? To keep everybody on board the ship for a week or ten days?
Dr. JORDAN.I think it should be in the power of the Health Officer to detain a ship, or preferably to have a lazaretto where patients could be isolated for inspection or to see if the incubation period comes in or not. At Singapore they have St. John's Island. When a vessel goes to Singapore with small-pox on board the whole of the passengers are landed at St. John's Island, the ship is inspected and is allowed to go free.
Mr. THURBURN.-There was a Commission appointed on the subject of quarantine a few years ago.
Dr. JORDAN.-Yes; and I think they made rather a mess of it. Regulations were enforced in accordance with what was stated then.
Dr. PRESTON.It would be rather hard to send passengers to this quarantine station. Suppose there were Europeans on board, they would have to be treated in the same way.
Dr. JORDAN.—No; it is only where infectious cases occur amongst the Chinese. It has practically nothing to do with Europeans; it is almost impracticable for a European to take infection from the Chinese. The Europeans do not go tween decks
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