Sessional_Paper_1899 — Page 462

459

Enclosure IV.

Report of the Inspecting Medical Officer of the Tung Wah Hospital.

TUNG WAH HOSPITAL, HONGKONG, 9th February, 1899.

SIR,I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the Annual Report of the Tung Wah Hospital for the year 1898.

The number of patients in the wards at the beginning of the year was 121; 2,898 were admitted during 1898, making a total of 3,019 under treatment; 2,029 were discharged; 842 died; leaving 148 in the Hospital on the evening of 31st December.

The Admissions during the past ten years have been :---

1889.....

1890

1891

1892...

1893

1894

1895.

1896

2,050

2,260

2,514

2,455

2,255

2,354

2.732

2,041

2,776

2,898

1897

1898.

From these figures it will be seen that the number of Admissions last year was greater than in any year during the decade, as was the case also for 1897 as compared with the ten years preceding that; so that the resolution of the Government two years ago to insist upon necessary reforins in the Tung Wah Hospital has been accorded the approval of at least the classes for whose benefit the insti- tution exists.

Of the 2,898 Admissions, 1,873 were treated by the Chinese native doctors; 569 by Dr. CHUNG according to European methods; and 456 are classed as transferred to other Hospitals. In this 456, however, 39 cases of Plague and Small-pox, brought to Tung Wali Hospital in a dying condition, and allowed to die before removal to Kennedy Town, are included for convenience of classification, so that the actual number removed elsewhere for treatment was 417. These were distributed as follows: 36 to the Civil Hospital, 3 to the Lunatic Asylum, 153 (16 Small-pox and 137 Plague) to Kennedy Town Infective Diseases Hospital, 222 to the Tung Wah Branch Plague Hospital at Kennedy Town, and 3 to the Italian Convent.

If

Thus only 65 per cent. of the total number of patients admitted came under native treatment, 35 per cent. being treated by Dr. CHUNG or transferred to other institutions for foreign treatment. those transferred be excluded, and the 2,442 cases actually treated at the Tung Wah Hospital be alone considered, 23 per cent. were treated by Western methods, and 77 per cent. by Chinese methods. When it is mentioned that there are six native doctors, it will be apparent that even in this second year of the new régime Dr. CHUNG and his European practice have secured more than a proportional share of the work being done in the wards. The selection of treatment is entirely at the option of the patients or their friends, no pressure being brought to bear, except in certain well-defined circumstances which are recognised and submitted to by the native doctors, viz. :-all cases of infective disease at once pass under the care of Dr. CHUNG; all cases brought in by the Police are treated by him; and in cases of emergency, where life or limb would manifestly be sacrificed by non-interference, under special instructions from myself, or occasionally on his own initiative, Dr. CHUNG steps in and takes control.

90,880 consultations in the Out-Patient Department, which is a separate building on the opposite side of Po Yan Street, are reported by the native doctors. In 1897 the number was 117,542.

1,588 vaccinations were performed, as compared with 2,142 in the previous year, in Hongkong and the out-lying villages, as shown in the appended Table, by a Public Vaccinator connected with the Tung Wah Hospital.

853 male Destitutes were supplied with food and shelter for varying periods during the year, and given such further assistance as was considered desirable by the Directors of the Hospital. They

came from sources as follows

Shipwrecked sailors and fishermen, Sent from Registrar-General's Office, Brought by Police,.

Lodged for Po Leung Kuk Committee, Arrived from Saigon,

"

Macao,

Recommended by various hongs, etc.,

82

153

3

96

478

12

29

853