Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 304

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The total number of cases treated during the year was 8,892, as against 7,956 in 1894; of these 6,609 were out-patients. Minor surgical injuries such as scalf wounds, dog bites, teeth extraction, &c. which were treated in the Receiving Ward are not included.

The number of in-patients was 2,283, as against 1,963 in 1894; of these 2,283, 74 remained at the end of 1894 and 2,209 were admitted during 1895.

The total number of deaths was 114, a percentage of 4.99 as compared with 5.14 for 1894; of these 40 were in a moribund condition when admitted, 31 dying within 24 hours, and 9 within 48

■hours of their admission.

The average daily number of sick was 96.3, as against 88.06 in 1894.

Of the total number of in-patients 326 were females as against 254 in the previous year. The following diseases caused the greatest number of admissions :-

Fevers :--

Simple continued (Febricula),

Enteric,

Intermittent,

Remittent,

Venereal diseases,

Organs of Locomotion,

Digestive System,

Respiratory System,

Alcoholism,

Dysentery,

Injuries of various kinds,

Diseases.

Cases.

28

14

..317

51

..298

.231

.143

.177

.. 66 ·

63

...160

Deaths. Of the total number of deaths 17 were from Lung Disease, 13 from Injuries, 6 from Beri-beri, 5 from Heart Disease, 5 from Bright's Disease and 2 from Typhoid.

Police. The total number under treatment was 39 less than in the previous year. With regard to the different nationalities, there was a decrease of 31 amongst the European member of the Force, an increase of 10 amongst the Chinese.

Gaol Officers.-There were 68 under treatment during the year as follows:-

Head Turnkeys,

Hospital Warder, Turnkeys...... Guards,..

2

1

...53

..12

The diseases which caused the greatest number of admissions were :-- -Venereal 12, and Malarial Fever 9.

In the one fatal case the cause of death was multiple abscesses of liver

Influenza.--There were twenty-one cases under treatinent during the year with one death.

Typhoid Fever.--Fourteen cases were under treatment during the year with two deaths: of these all but four originated in the Colony, two were members of the Police Force and occurred at Yaumati, viz., a European Inspector and a Police Constable.

Cholera.--With the exception of the two marines admitted from H.M.S. Rainbow and treated in the Temporary Small-pox Hospital there were no cases admitted suffering from this disease.

Dysentery.--There were 63 cases under treatinent with one death.

Malarial Fever.--There was a marked increase in the number of cases under treatment suffering from this class of disease, the numbers being 368 as compared with 244 in 1894; of these 317 were cases of Intermittent Fever, 51 cases of Remittent Fever.

The disease was more prevalent during the months of August, September and October, hut was generally of a mild type. The Western District of the City appeared to be the one most affected and this was to a great extent caused by the increased building operations, preparation of sites, &c. in that locality.

At the Diocesan School, which is situated in this District, from August 17th to September 20th fifty-eight cases of malarial fever occurred, the average number of boys during that time being 60, so that practically every boy was attacked.

From the 22nd September two grains of quinine were given daily to every boy in the school with the result that during the following month only twenty-eight cases were reported and in several of these the attack was very mild only lasting for one day. This is another example of the value of Quinine as a prophylactic against malaria. In November with the onset of the cool weather the fever practically

ceased.

Frequent miscroscopical examinations of the blood of malarial fever patients were made, in by far the greater majority of the cases the spherical form of the malarial parasite was only found, the crescents were met with in the remittent type of the disease, and the only case in which flagelle were found was one of pernicious remittent which rapidly proved fatal.

Beri-beri.-There were twenty-two cases under treatment with six deaths, most of thes› being admitted from the Tung Wa Hospital.