Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 296

PROCEDURE ADOPTED WITH A VIEW TO PREVENTING THE SPREAD

OF PLAGUE during 1895.

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After the terrible experience of 1894 a strict watch was kept with a view of detecting the first recurrence of the disease.

Temporary hospital accommodation and burial grounds were provided on the recommendation of a special committee of officials appointed by His Excellency the Governor to consider "what excep tional measures should be taken to protect the Colony against the reappearance of the disease, or in the event of its reappearing to limit its ravages as far as possible," and arrangements were made for the removal of patients, and the isolation of those who had been in immediate contact with the disease, and also for the disinfection and cleansing of infected premises.

A daily medical examination of all cases admitted to the Tung Wa Hospital was maintained.

On the 7th of June the Acting Captain Superintendent of Police and the Assistant Secretary of the Sanitary Board were appointed a Committee to control the work involved in the house to house visitation, in the removal of cocklofts and illegal cubicles, and in the stopping of the illegal occupation of basements and in the controlling the occupation of common lodging houses. In appendix B, is given their Reports dated 7th June and 21st October, 1895.

Immediately on the receipt of information that this disease had reappeared the following proce- dure was adopted:-

(a) House to House visitation.-A daily visitation of all houses in Health Districts Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 was made by five sections of Police and Military (Rifle Brigade and Royal Engineers), a special watch being kept on Lodging houses and basements occupied as dwellings.

A

The Section in No. 5, Health District received special instructions concerning the search of passengers arriving from Canton and Whampoa by the River Steamers. The night steamers from Canton were regularly watched by a detachment of Police in charge of Detective Inspector QUINCEY.

(b) Medical Examination.--Suspicious cases at the Hospitals were daily examined by my- self at the Tung Wa and Government Civil Hospitals and on being declared to be plague were removed to the Isolation Hospital at Kennedy Town, situated at the extreme West of the City.

Any suspicious cases occurring at the houses which were found by the search parties were prior to their removal to the Isolation Hospital examined by Medical Officers appointed for that purpose.

(c) Removal of Sick Persons.—After having been declared plague the sufferers were removed direct to Kennedy Town Hospital in ambulances provided for the purpose by the Sanitary Board, these ambulances being kept at the different Hospitals and Police Stations.

The ambulances were disinfected with a solution of Carbolic Acid at Kennedy Town Hospital on the removal of each patient.

(d) Segregation-Arrangements were made for the isolation of those who had been in immediate contact with the disease at the infected houses, on house boats moored in the Harbour to the North-East of Stonecutters' Island.

(e) Infected premises.-On the 30th April, 1895, the following neighbourhoods were declared

to be infected by bubonic plague, viz.:-

(1) The district of the City of Victoria which is bounded by Wantsai Road,

Queen's Road, Spring Garden Road and the Praya.

(2) The district in the City of Victoria which is bounded by Sutherland Street,

Queen's Road, Queen's Street and Praya.

(3) The district of the City of Victoria which is bounded by Jubilee Street,

Queen's Road, Cross Street and Praya.

Steps were taken to thoroughly disinfect the premises in which the cases were found, and to cleanse and remove as far as practicable all obstructions to light and air existing in these districts.

(f) The maintenance of cleanliness throughout the City.--Special attention was paid to the cleansing and disinfection of all public latrines. To secure the proper disinfection of the night soil in the Public latrines, three soldiers were detailed to assist the Inspectors in charge of the Health Districts, 10,000 lbs. of chlorinated lime were expended for this purpose alone in the month ending 7th June. There was some reluctance on the part of the keepers to comply with this order but only in one instance was it necessary to have recourse to legal proceedings.