Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 612

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Mr. MCCALLUM.-There are usually two; at present, there is only one. Mr. LAU WEI CHUEN resigned and his successor has not been appointed.

Mr. MCCONACHIE.--You do not think it would be a good thing to appoint a medical man in charge of the Sanitary Board and Medical Officer of Health for the Colony jointly, say, as Chairman of the Board?

Mr. MCCALLUM.-The Colonial Surgeon was Chairman of the Sanitary Board for eighteen months or two years.

Dr. CANTLIE.--I think what Mr. MCCONACHIE means is this: Is it possible to have a Health Department the same as the other Departments in the Colony, with a medical man at the head of it and this officer directly responsible to the Government and not to the Sanitary Board?

Mr. MCCALLUM.-Then you would have two authorities--the Health Officer and the Sanitary Board.

THE PRESIDENT.-The Sanitary Board superintends everything that appertains to the health of the Colony?

Mr. MCCALLUM.--That is its duty, undoubtedly.

THE PRESIDENT.--Have any steps been taken to increase the water supply?

Mr. MCCALLUM.-Steps are being taken, I believe.

Meeting held 8th March, 1895.

Present:-Dr. KNOTT, Deputy-Inspector General, R.N.H., Chairman.

Surgeon-Colonel A. F. PRESTON.

Hon. A. McCoNACHIE.

Dr. JAMES CANTLIE.

Mr. J. THURBURN.

Mr. W. E. CROW, Government Analyst, called.

THE PRESIDENT.-Have you been long in the Government service?

Mr. CROW.-I joined in the fall of 1882.

THE PRESIDENT.-During that time has there been any large increase in the duties of the Medical Department?

Mr. CROW. So far as my own section of the Department is concerned, yes. At the Government Civil Hospital there has been a slight increase in the number of in- patients and a considerable increase in the number of out-patients--a matter I know more about. There was a steady increase from the year 1883 till about 1891; since then I think the figures for out-patients have been stationary.

Dr. CANTLIE.-What is about the number per day or year, in round numbers?

Mr. CROW.-Taking the number of prescriptions sent in to my Department it would be about 3,500; I suppose each prescription would count for a new patient. That is with reference to the out-patient department.

Dr. CANTLIE.-Is that chiefly in Chinese or Europeans?