Sessional_Paper_1899 — Page 376

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Enteric Fever-There were 52 cases reported as against 65 in the previous year; twelve of these occurred in April, most of them were imported.

Scarlet Fever.--These cases both occurred on board H.M.S. Powerful and were imported from the Mediterranean.

Cholera.--These were evidently cases of Acute Choleraic Diarrhoea due to indiscretion in diet; they occurred in April.

Malarial Fever.-As usual malarial fevers prevailed during the summer months; there were no cases of the pernicious type in the Government Civil Hospital.

Diseases of Respiratory Organs.-These were as u account for many deaths amongst the Chinese.

chiefly prevalent in the winter months and

RELATIVE MORTALITY IN THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.

From the following return it will be seen that the two months April and May were the most fatal both for Chinese and Non-Chinese; this is accounted for by the prevalence of plague during these

months.

Excluding the deaths from small-pox and plague, it is seen that the months in which the least number of deaths occurred were April, May, and June.

The winter months, though the healthiest, give the greatest mortality; this is due to the greater number of deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs amongst the Chinese at this season of the year.

1898.

POPULATION:-NON-CHINESE 15,190. CHINESE 239,210.

DEATHS.

Month.

Non- Chinese.

Rate per 1,000. Chinese. Rate per 1,000.

Total Deaths.

Total Deaths excluding Plague and Small-pox.

January

23

401

424

386

February

27

17.90

440

23.55

467

378

March

18

499

517

394

April........

39

708

747

323

May

45

-30.02

710

} 30.77

755

323

June

30

422

452

288

July

14

333

347

337

August..

September

October.......

November....

December

23

22

2 2 2

15.54

372

- 17.87

394

392

364

387

386

391

403

402

17

- 13.10

361

18.96

378

378

21

392

403

403

Total.........

291

5,383

5,674

4,390

GENERAL SANITARY CONDITION OF THE COLONY.

Though much has been done of late years to improve the sanitary condition of the Colony by :-

(a.) The removal of illegal cocklofts, mezzanine floors and backyard obstructions; (b.) The concreting of the Chinese houses not only in Victoria but at Hung Hom, Yaumati,

and Taikoktsui in British Kowloon;