Sessional_Paper_1904 — Page 214

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The next block consisted of Nos. 3 to 17, Cross Street, Nos. 14, 16 and 17, Albany Street and Nos. 27 to 33, Nullah Lane.

These houses were closed on April 21st and released on August 11th.

Before closure a case occurred in Cross Street No. 11 on April 16th and a dead body was found in the street on April 17th.

In Albany Street a case occurred at No. 15 on April 13th.

In the Nullah Lane houses no cases had up to that date been reported.

After the release of the houses on Angust 11th no further cases were discovered.

But that the neighbourhood was strongly infected may be gathered from the fact that cases occurred in Albany Street as follows at No. 11 on 20th April, at No. 21 on May 15th, No. 19 May 26th, No. 21 again on June 29th, and at No. 7 on July 11th.

The next block to be closed consisted of Nos. 1 to 10 and 6A (consecutive numbers), Holy Infant Lane. These houses were closed on April 22nd, and with the exception of No. 10 which was released on June 22nd they were re-opened on August 11th. No cases occurred after re-occupation.

The sequence of cases in the block before closing is interesting as it tends to show how Plague travels from one house to another. The following shews this

in tabular form :-

No of Houses.

Date of Case.

3

on

April, 14th

5

16th

4

18th

:)

7

21st

11

8

,,

23rd

>}

24th

*

11

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF THE PRINCIPAL CIVIL MEDICAL OFFICER, THE ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, DR. THOMSON AND DR. HUNTER TO ENQUIRE INTO OUTBREAKS OF PLAGUE AT THE GAOL AND AMONGST THE MEMBERS OF THE SANITARY DISINFECTING STAFF IN 1903.

1.-Gaol.

It will be seen from Table A that the outbreak at the Gaol practically lasted from the 16th May to the 4th June. There was one case before that date, viz., that of CHEUNG KUN IN (No. 1). As he was practically not admitted to the Gaol this evidently had nothing to do with the outbreak. There have been two cases since, viz., those of BAGOT SINGH (No. 19) on the 7th July and a Chinese Prisoner SU KAM (No. 20) on the 16th instant; it is evident that they also both became infected outside the Gaol.

It will be seen that out of sixteen cases, seven were contracted outside the Gaol, viz., Nos. 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 12 and 17, and of the remainder probably three more were similarly infected outside the Gaol.

To deal with these in detail :-

Nos. 5 and 6. The infection probably occurred outside the Gaol as it is improbable that they contracted the disease from cases 3 and 4 both of whom were suffering from the septic form of the disease. No. 9 inay also have contracted the disease outside the Gaol as the limit of the ordinary incubation period is 7 days. It is extremely unlikely that he was infected from LEUNG CHAU, who was also suffering from the septic form of the disease.