Sessional_Paper_1904 — Page 210

128

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542, Queen's Road West,

March 7th

HEALTH DISTRICT X.

No case here but one next door (540) on April 27th.

520,

Do.,

Breezy Point,

10th

29

No case here, but one at 530 on Feb- ruary 9th.

16, Bonham Strand,

27th

""

May 9th

Nil, Nil.

6, I Yik Street,

June 8th

Nil.

RAT PLAGUE AND HUMAN PLAGUE IN BRITISH KOWLOON,

I give the following figures for rat and human Plague on the Kowloon side separately from the account of the City of Victoria because the conditions of the places separated by a comparatively wide stretch of water may be totally different as regards the extent of the epidemic both amongst rats and human beings. It has, however, been suspected that many rats were brought across to the Kowloon side from Victoria. It is probable that the rat-catching coolies at Kowloon would claim their share of rats imported into the Colony for the sake of the bonus of 5 cents per rat offered by the Government. The majority, if not all, of such rats imported would probably be noted as found in the streets as well in Kowloon as in Victoria. In spite of this, however, it is seen that the percentage of infected rats found in houses is very much higher in Kowloon than in Victoria.

The total number of Plague rats found in Kowloon is 633 and of there 48 were reported as found in houses.

This gives a percentage of 7.58, the figure for

Victoria being only 1.66.

Of these 48 rats, 21 were found in houses in the Tsim-tsa-tsui, 18 in Yau- ina-ti, 7 in Hung Hom, 2 in Mong-kok-tsui and none in Tai-kokatsui.

Of these districts only Yau-ma-ti shews evidence of human Plague occurring in the same houses in which these rats were found. In two cases the finding of the infected rats was followed by human Plague, and in three cases the finding of infected rats in the houses followed immediately on the report of a human case.

The following Table shews the relation in this respect of the rat and human

cases :-

1.-Rat Plague before Human Plague.

Address.

Date Rat Plague.

Date Human Plague.

}

28th April.

5th May,

17th May.

(1.) Gas Company's Quarters, ...15th April,

...16th (2.) Police Station,

2.-Human Plague before Rat Plague.

Address.

Date Human Plague,

(1.) 200, Reclamation Street, ...26th April, (2.) 95, Station Street South,... 22nd June,

(3.) S/B Coolie Cook-house, ......27th June,

Date Rat Plague.

28th April. 24th June.

10th July.

In cases (1.) and (2.) of the second Table the rats were found during the cleats- ing of the houses after a case of Plague had occurred in them shewing that the rat Plague and human Plague were synchronous.

PLAGUE IN ANIMALS OTHER THAN RATS.

During the height of the epidemic it was discovered that poultry were being found dead in the markets more frequently than usual. On sending the birds found dead to the Public Mortuary for examination they were found to have died from Plague. Steps were taken to cleanse and disinfect the poultry stalls, and many shops in the Western Market were closed temporarily to allow of their being rendered as rat-proof as possible, old and dirty poultry crates were burned, com- pensation being paid. Enquiries made as to the sources of supply of poultry to Hongkong elicited only the information that the dealers in Hongkong acted as commission agents for others in Canton and that the fowls were not bred in any special locality but were gathered in small lots from the surrounding country.

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