Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 621

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Mr. MCCONACHIE.-For all ordinary proposes you consider the present staff quite sufficient?

Dr. ATKINSON.-Certainly.

THE PRESIDENT.-If another medical officer were appointed on the staff, do you think Dr. MARQUES efficient to take up the duties?

Dr. ATKINSON.—I do not quite understand the question, but if you mean to ask if I consider Dr. MARQUES competent to take up the work I would say I do not from my personal experience of him consider him competent to take up the work.

THE PRESIDENT.-Do you think the Medical Department would work better if you had a Medical Officer of Health for the Colony?

Dr. ATKINSON.-Yes, but I think the work would require to be re-distributed.

Mr. THURBURN.-Do you think it would be a good thing for the Medical Depart- ment of the Colony generally if a new officer were appointed for the Gaol--a competent one; it seems to be generally admitted that Dr. MARQUES is not--and a separate Health Officer for the Port, all under the orders of the Colonial Surgeon, so that in case of leave of absence or sickness of any of the two officers at the Civil Hospital the Depart- ment generally could be re-arranged and managed better?

Dr. ATKINSON.-I certainly think if there is a Colonial Surgeon, a Superintendent of the Civil Hospital and three other medical officers attached to the Medical Depart- ment, all of whom devoted their whole time to their work with no private practice, with the exception I will mention later on, that would be a sufficient staff, under ordinary circumstances, for the medical work of the Colony. This would be exactly as many officers as there are now.

Mr. THURBURN.-At present, you suffer under some inconveniences. Although two medical officers are sufficient, in ordinary circumstances, for the Civil Hospital, in case of leave or sickness it is difficult to arrange matters ?

Dr. ATKINSON.-That is so; but if there were a Medical Officer of Health for the Port and another for the town, I think the duties might be so arranged that the Medical Officer for the Port might also do the work at present done by Dr. MARQUES, in addi- tion to the Port Medical Officer's duties, that is if he gave up his whole time to the Government service, at present he does not. He gives only a few hours a day. I have been thinking the matter over, and I think, under ordinary circumstances, it would be sufficient for the requirements of the Colony to have a Colonial Surgeon, a Superin- tendent of Hospitals, and three other medical officers, all of whom ought to be under the Colonial Surgeon.

Mr. THURBURN.-That is including the new Medical Officer of Health for the town?

Dr. ATKINSON.—Yes; I think he ought to be under the Medical Department. I do not think it would be feasible, for reasons I will give later on, to have one Medical Officer under the Sanitary Board and all the others under the Colonial Surgeon.

Mr. THURBURN. From the evidence given before us, the Medical Officer of the Gaol must be there from 8 or 9 to 11.30; would not that interfere with his duties as Medical Officer for the Port?

Dr. ATKINSON.—That would be for the Colonial Surgeon to arrange; it is a depart- mental matter and I think might be arranged.

Mr. THURBURN.-There is the Tung Wah to be added on to the previous duties of this department.

Dr. ATKINSON.-Yes; and I know that is a very serious question. I did not wish to refer to this subject now; but personally, I should very much prefer that the Tung Wah be abolished--and that a Chinese hospital be erected somewhere outside the town,