Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 441

318

Malaria.-125 admissions as against 107 in 1904 or 12.8 per cent of the Force were in hospital for this disease as against 11.55. The European Section suffered to the extent of 4.5 per cent., the Indian 25.9 per cent. and the Chinese 5.5 per cent. These figures show a slight increase over those of last year (11·55 per cent.). The percentages for the last five years are --

.

1901=44.69; 1902-19.97; 1903=18.13; 1904-11.55; 1905-12.8.

None of the Europeans were in more than once for this illness, a fact worth noting by the writers on that theoretical subject "Immunity to Disease," as the idea that native races are comparatively insusceptible to malaria is not our experi- ence here.

Of the Indians 1.9 per cent. were in twice, 0.9 per cent. three times and 0.4 per cent. four times. Of the Chinese Section 1.4 per cent. bad two attacks, and 0.9 per cent. four. There has, therefore, been a slight increase in malaria during the year as well as a slight increase in the repeat cases (1.9 per cent. as against 1.8 per cent. in 1904). The study of repeat cases is interesting but it adds considerably to one's difficulty in placing each case admitted to its right station. For instance an Indian policeman was in with quartan malaria in Jan- uary, April and May. In January he came from Stanley, was transferred from there to Central on 8th April and returned to hospital on the 24th April. This entry was credited to Stanley though 16 days is a fairly long incubation period. In May, 30 days afterwards, he was in again from Central with same form of malaria. Were these attacks all one and the same infection? No resting form has yet been described for either Quartan or Simple Tertian malaria and in this case the 3rd entry was considered a fresh infection and duly credited to Central but I am still doubtful if this is correct as Quartan malaria is a very rare form indeed and it is very improbable that he would contract both a rare form and the same form as before. There are a few other cases somewhat equally dubious. Six cases had crescents in their blood on admission but of this number only one re- turned to hospital with the sume illness.

Table IX gives the admissions compared to strength for the most important stations in the New Territory for the past five years and Table X the monthly admissions for malarial fever from each Police Station during the year.

The former Table shows an increase in Sha Tau Kok, Au Tau and and Ping- shan. The amount of malaria prevalent in the New Territory, or parts of it, is very high-higher than these figures would give the impression-Sha Tin, San Tin, Tai O, and Sheung Shui have had no admissions to hospital for malaria so that the remaining five stations are responsible for an admission rate of over 40 per cent, as compared with the strength, a very high figure. Owing to the con- ditions prevalent malarial prevention must be a question of individual prophylaxis, always a difficult matter to carry out especially with the native sections, and from these figures it would not appear to be a success. Of the number admitted from these five stations the European section suffered to the extent of 50 per cent., the Indians 40.5 per cent., and the Chinese 38.8 per cent.

The average number of days spent by each man in hospital for this disease was 5.1 against 5.7 last year.

Phthisis.

5.-6 cases were under treatment as against 4 last year. number 2 died and the others were invalided.

Of this

Dysentery.-29 cases were under treatment as against 28 last year. Of these, 2 were Europeans, 19 Indians and 8 Chinese,

Beri-beri.-16 cases all as usual amongst the Chinese section. The outstations again had a clean bill. of health, the cases coming from the Central (10 cases) and Yaumati (6 cases). I have no further light to throw on this disease and not even a theory to put forward. It seems to me that, if any further scientific investiga- tion is to be undertaken towards solving the cause of this disease it should be done in the case of the police as the numbers are few and the men are all under the same circumstances as regards housing, work, food, etc.