342
The special points about the outbreak seem to be the unusually early age of the patients (all between four and seven years), the absence of overcrowding, the abundant lighting and ventilation of the premises and the liberal dietary.
The 27 healthy children left in the House continued in good health after the removal of the sick children to Macao.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The total number of cases of infectious disease reported by registered inedical practitioners during the year was 1,637 and comprised the following:
Bubonic Fever,.......
Small-pox,
.......
Enteric Fever,
1
2
25 101 421 514 263
86
57 4
1 11 1,48
5
14
11 17 10 5
1
5
...
69
2
6
7
4
5
1
4
5
7
6
59
.....
3
2
1
9
3
3
1
•
12
1
...
•
2
Diphtheria,
Puerperal Fever,
Scarlet Fever,
Total Cases,....
1,637
Of the 151 cases, other than Bubonic Fever, no less than 55 are known to have been imported while, in not a few cases, it was impossible to discover whence they had come, as the disease was not discovered until the patients had died and the bodies been deserted by the other occupants of the house. Twenty-six of the imported cases were Small-pox, twenty-eight were Enteric Fever, and one was Diphtheria.
There is still no systematic medical inspection of vessels immediately on arrival in the Port and persons suffering from infectious disease may land in the Colony with impunity, provided that they are unaware (or refuse to admit that they are aware) of the infectious nature of the disease from which they are suffering.
BUBONIC FEVER.
The total number of cases of Bubonic Fever reported during the year was 1,486 and the total number of deaths was 1,428; this is equal to a case mortality of 96.1 per cent, as compared with a mortality of 88.2 per cent in 1898, and 89.5 per cent in 1896. I am inclined to think, however, that this increased mortality is more apparent than real, and that it was occasioned by the fact that a larger number of cases were able to escape from the Colony than in former years, owing to the temporary depletion of the Police service to meet the needs of the New Territory. The result of this was that only the moribund cases and the dead bodies were detected, while most of those who had any
chance of recovery managed to make good their escape to Chinese territory. This view is borne out by the fact that while during 1898 thirty-six per cent. of the cases reported were bodies found in the streets, etc., during 1899 forty per cent. were bodies so found.
The nationalities of the patients were as follows:-
Chinese,.
European (not including Portuguese),..
Other Non-Chinesc,
.1,455
7
24
Of the deaths from this disease, two were British, one German, one Austrian, eight Indian, seven Portuguese, two Japanese and the remainder, 1,407, Chinese. The mortality therefore amongst the non-Chinese alone was 67.7 per cent. as compared with 65.3 per cent, in 1898.
The same measures were adopted in dealing with the outbreak as had been used in former years, namely:-(1) the removal of the sick to Hospital and of the dead to the Public Mortuary, (2) the detention of persons who had been in contact with the sick, pending the disinfection of the bedding and clothing, (3) the cleansing and disinfection of the infected premises, including a special house to
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