See Appendix
<
( 52 )
Mr. WHITEHEAD-You are aware of the list referred to ?-Oh, yes. I assisted in the preparation of that list. I do not know of any other disease that might be added to it. Phthisis might as well be treated at the Tung Wa Hospital as at the Civil Hospital.
THE PRESIDENT--With regard to the question of overcrowding, have you ever found the Hospital overcrowded when you visited it ?--Yes. I found it overcrowded in December.
Have you
found it overcrowded since ?--No; but I rather explain that by the fact that the admissions to the Tung Wa Hospital have enormously decreased. I have got the monthly reports from January, 1895, giving the numbers of admissions. In January, 1895, the number was 182; in June, 1895, 220; in December, 1895, 267; in January, 1896, 163; in February, 1896, 126; in April, 1896, 119.
Mr. WHITEHEAD-How do you account for the falling off?--I think it is only temporary, and caused by people being frightened away by the plague.
During your visits did you observe any notice posted up in the wards as to the number each ward is supposed to hold ?--I saw the names of the wards, but I did not notice the numbers. I think it would be advisable to have the numbers posted there.
THE PRESIDENT-I understand that you visited the Hospital yesterday, and that it was not overcrowded ?—No; there were vacant beds in the wards; if these beds were occupied it would be slightly overcrowded. Most of the wards are 26 feet by 40 feet and 14 feet high. They are more than 14 feet high, but we only reckon it at that when taking the cubic space for patient accommodation. I measured the wards in December. They have accommodation for twelve patients, but most of the wards have 13, 14 and 15 beds in them. If all the beds were full, the wards would be slightly overcrowded.
I observe that in an addendum to your report you apparently estimate the capacity at Xil, page 1,000 cubic feet per head. Is that the amount you allowed in making the calculation
you have just mentioned ?—No; that would allow for fourteen patients.
Do you think the allowance of 1,000 cubic feet per patient is sufficient ?-It is barely. I took it at that because the Colonial Surgeon had previously given that as the minimum. At home 1,200 cubic feet is the minimum per patient. One should certainly not go below 1,000 cubic feet per head. Practically, the wards are not over- crowded just now, but when I was there in December there were sometimes twenty- two patients in one ward. That, however, might be explained from the fact that some of the wards were being cleaned, and the patients had been turned over to the other wards. So far as I understand, the only real fault you have to find with the Hospital is the want of management ?—Yes; I think that is at the bottom of the whole thing. For instance, at the Sanitary Board three or four months ago it was decided that certain wards, Ko Fong, should not be occupied by patients or attendants. When I was round yesterday I found some of these wards were still being occupied. Eight are still occupied by patients, two each in three of them and one patient each in the other five. They are not all necessarily basements, but in addition to these wards there are basements still occupied at the Tung Wa Hospital in spite of the notices issued by the Sanitary Board. These are the wards on which Mr. MCCALLUM reported (extract read). With VI. regard to these wards you yourself state (extract read)?-I found about a dozen API patients in these wards yesterday, and yet the wards of the Hospital proper were not full, so that this could scarcely be referred to as an overflow as Mr. MCCALLUM suggests. These rooms, in my opinion, are unfit for human habitation in their present condition.
See
Appendix
Seo
Appendix
Are you in favour of the appointment to the Tung Wa Hospital of a Chinese trained in Western science?—As superintendent or as one of the doctors?
Appointed in order to be able to check the causes of death?-Certainly.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.