Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 666

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Appendix No. 4.

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

Tái Pó. 2au January, 1902.

SIR, I have the honour to submit to you my annual report upon my medical work done in the New Territory during the year ending December 31st, 1901.

The total number of patients attended by me during the year was 2,096, of which 1,482 were new and 614 old cases. They are shown in the following table:-

Cases among

New. Old.

Total.

Villagers, during Visits,

228

92

320

Police Department, during Visits,

191

96

287

Civil

Do.,

at Tái Pó,....

242

108

350

Police

Do.,

do.,

83

16

99

:

Villagers about

do.,

738

302

1,040

1,482

614

2,096

The number of cases in the Civil Departments was much greater than that of the previous year. This was due to the increase of the staffs, as, besides the magistracy already existed, the Land Court and the headquarter of the survey party are both stationed at Tái Pó during the whole period.

The number of cases of vaccination performed by me during the year was 142. This was done both at Tái Pó and other out-stations, notice had been put up in front of each station in the winter season, giving the dates of my visits and informing the villagers of free vaccination,

Epidemic of small-pox had once been prevalent in Sun Chün, village of Sha Tau Kok District, in April of the year, 13 out of the 16 children in the village had taken the disease and were treated by ine in their own village. They were all improved under treatment, having no fatal cases. In order to prevent its further spread, I vaccinated every member of the village and the epidemic was brought to an end.,

In adition to my list of visits of the previous year, the Leper Asylum was to be visited from November. This leper settlement was formerly composed of a small island situated on a swamp and was liable to be flooded in case of typhoon. The new Asylum is built by the Government on the hill side just opposite to the old one. Since their removal into the new establishment. I have regularly visited them once weekly and treated them accordingly..

The health of the Police staff was generally much improved this year. The number of cases of malarial fever had been much smaller than that of the year previously. Preventive treatments had been vigorously carried out during the season by the use of quinine and arsenic. The use of the former had been met with a good effect, and of the latter practically ineffectual as a preventive measure,

One European Constable, JAMES NEW, died of sun-stroke on June at Sheung Shui Station This was the only case of death among the Police, which took place in the New Territory during the

year.

I had examined four cases of committing suicide, 2 cases were committed through the use of a. poisonous herb named "Ho Min Tang," one by hanging, and the other by opium poisoning.

The poisonous leaves found in the stomach of the deceased by post-mortem examination, were forwarded to the Government Analyst for chemical examination and were found to contain the active principle of the alkaloid gelsemine.