Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 522

18:

latrines at my inspection at 8 a.m. The concrete platforms of the latrines are much broken and badly want repair. The catch-pit outside is of concrete and provided with a heavy iron lid. The concrete is badly broken and the lid does not fit tight. As I saw them the pits were full and covered with large bubbles showing that decomposition was proceeding. The catch-pit could not, in my opinion, he at any time properly emptied, and from its position is liable to be flooded during heavy rains and foul the vicinity.

The total number of seats in the latrines is, I should think, much too few. In all, only 40 seats for a village of nearly 300 houses, most of which contain several families. The necessity of increas- ing latrine accommodation is the greater as there are very few latrines in the houses. Storing the night-soil in uncovered buckets is undesirable. Could not iron filth-receptacles with tight fitting lids be provided?

There are no public urinals. Their provision is made more necessary on account of the nature of the soil. I observed that in Canton, Chinese themselves have many public latrines on the dry earth system. This system, if possible here and well carried out, is superior to that in use at present.

There is no attendant constantly present at the latrines. Their proper cleanliness without such an attendant is very improbable.

The water supply is from pipes from the general water supply for Kowloon. I did not examine it, but understand that the supply is good, but at times only available at certain hours of the day. There are also two wells in the rear of the village. These are open and the water is drawn from them by standing on a stone slab placed across the mouth of the well and lowering into them the vessel brought for the purpose. This system is bad. It renders the water liable to infection 1st, from the vessel which has been brought from a house in which infectious disease may exist; and 2nd, to contamination by matter brought on the foot of the drawers of the water, which in time must

be washed into the well itself.

There is a market under a special market inspection. Food is also sold at street stalls which is cooked in the open street. The arrangements seem good.

Warer supply.

Food supply.

There is, I am told, no qualified medical man practising in this village. This must make the Medical attendance. detection of infectious cases especially difficult. There is no hospital of any kind.

Hospitals.

The only provision, which I learned was made to dispose of rats, was that 3 cents are offered as a reward for each rat collected. When rats are brought in this way they are treated with chloride

of lime and then sent with the dust carts. It would be better to burn them.

+

When the Sanitary Inspector suspects a case to be one of plague, the case is sent in an ambulance ospital in Hongkong. There are but two such ambulances at his disposal. I was unable to as- certain how these ambulances were disinfected, and understood that infectious diseases of other nature were sent in these same ambulances. After the case has been diagnosed in hospital the clothing and bedding of all people of the honse is sent to Hongkong (via Yaumati) in a basket for disinfection. Other clothing is lent to these people in the meantime by Government. The house is fumigated and the floor and furniture washed with disinfectants (Jeyes' Fluid). The walls and ceiling are washed with lime and chloride of lime. The house is re-occupied as soon as the disinfected clothing has been returned. The principal objection to this course is 1st, that the patient is removed to hospital before his case has been diagnosed by a qualified medical man; 2nd, that the house seems to be too quickly re-occupied : 3rd, that the case is sent to Yamnati first, thence to Hongkong; and 4th, that although the house, furniture, clothing and hedding of people in an infected house are disinfected the ́people themselves do not seem to be required to bathe or use any disinfectants. Dead bodies of plague cases are similarly sent first to Yaumati and thence to Hongkong. These bodies are placed in India- rubber-lined wooden boxes supposed to be air-tight. They did not seem to me to be so, as the lid of the one I examined was warped and the rubber lining in parts worn away. They are carried by the first two coolies who can be impressed. This does not seem desirable.

In conclusion, I would state that I found the sanitary condition of the village good in all respects except 1st, that the existing latrines are not in good order, nor is there, in my opinion, sufficient latrine accommodation; 2nd, that public urinals ought to be provided; 3rd, that the two wells ought to be covered over and hand pumps fixed for drawing the water; 4th, that plague infected bedding and plague corpses be sent as direct as possible to their destination by men retained for the purpose and

Rats,

Plague arrangements.

Conclusion.