Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 827

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As it appears evident that this Hospital will be required yearly for plague patients, a permanent nursing staff was requisitioned for from home consisting of two Nursing Sisters and two Wardmasters, this is a much better arrangement than being dependent on the Military, and any nurses we can obtain for extra help in epidemic times, the services of these officers are utilised in the other Hospitals of the department when not required at Kennedy Town Hospital.

Another Assistant Surgeon has been obtained from England so that there can, in future, be a resid- ent medical officer at Kennedy Town Hospital during epidemic times—a much needed requirement.

HOSPITAL HULK "HYGEIA."

This ship was improved during the year by fixing more skylights on the floor of the upper deck, by this means the lower deck is better lighted; arrangements were made for improving the ventilation. of the lower deck.

VACCINE INSTITUTE.

The Vaccine Institute has been satisfactorily maintained, Dr. CLARK taking over charge when the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon left on leave.

The lymph has given every satisfaction.

The amount paid into the Bank for the sale of lymph was $263.00.

VACCINATIONS.

The following vaccinations were performed during the year:-

Government Civil Hospital,

Victoria Gaol,..

Alice Memorial Hospital

Tung Wah:-

644

....2,880

771

Victoria,

.1,826

Aberdeen,

46

Stanley,

24

Shaukiwan,

25

Hung Hom, Yaumati,

7

24

1,952

6,247

ANTI-MALARIAL MEASURES.

During the year much has been done in combating mosquitoes.

In February a systematic filling up and draining of the pools in the nullahs at Kennedy Town near the old Tung Wah Mortuary, adjoining Nethersole Hospital and in the neighbourhood of the Upper Richmond Road, was instituted.

A supply of Professor CELLI's larvicides was obtained in May, these were extensively used in the ravines in the neighbourhood of the Richmond Estate at West Point during the summer months; the results were not altogether satisfactory as anopheles larvæ were found in pools in which they had been applied; it is just possible that these were not used in sufficiently large quantities.

It was proved that they were not so effective as kerosene in killing the larvae, the drawback to kerosene is that it destroys the potability of the water to which it is applied whereas Professor CELLI'S larvicides do not impure the water.

I fear it is a hopeless task to endeavour to keep the untrained nullahs free of pools especially in the rainy season when malarial fever is rife, the nullah beds, owing to the rains and weathering effects of the atmostphere, are continually changing, fresh pools being formed from day to day.

The only effectual remedy is to train the nullahs; this however is a very expensive operation, gn, it would cost $10 for a lineal foot for the larger nullahs and $8 per foot for the smaller ones, on this basis training the nullahs to the West of the Richmond Estate would cost $15,000.

Much, I understand, has been done in the way of training nullahs in the neighbourhood of the houses within the built area of the City, but to train all the nullahs on the outskirts of the City is a formidable task, and it is for Government to determine whether this extensive operation should be undertaken.

In a flat country it is comparatively easy to get rid of these pests but in a mountainous island like this it is quite another matter.

There are so many fissures and natural excavations along the hillsides where mosquitoes breed in large numbers that I doubt myself whether, even if the nullahs were trained, it would be practicable to exterminate these insects; however it would certainly diminish their numbers.

In October last I carried on some experiments with the help of Inspector WATSON, in order to ascertain which oils, etc., were most destructive to the larvae. We experimented with the following

mineral oils :-

Snowflake. Comet.

300° mineral Colza and Jeye's fluid.