Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 475

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An Eye Clinique for out-patients was commenced in December, and is now being carried on regularly. With the cordial consent of the Directors an arrangement was made with Dr. G. M. Harston to attend on Fridays at 5 p.m. to treat cases of eye disease, and Dr. HARSTON expresses himself willing to come twice a week if the number of patients should render it desirable. This is an important forward movement in the work of the Hospital, both from the point of view of the need existing among the Chinese for such a provision for the treatment of ophthalmic disease, and on account of the introduction with the hearty concurrence of the Directorate of an English ophthalmic surgeon into the Hospital. Here may suitably be acknowledged the unfailing courtesy and consideration of the Directors in all their relations with the Inspecting Medical Officers, whose suggestions have been most carefully carried into effect.

Dr. Koch acted as Inspecting Medical Officer from the beginning of the year till 15th March.

The following Tables are attached:

I. Return of Diseases and Deaths during the year 1905.

II. Proportion of cases treated by European and Chinese methods respectively. III. General Statistics relating to the Hospital during 1905.

IV. Vaccinations at, and in connection with, the Tung Wah Hospital during 1905.

be directed to the number of cases of Beri-beri and of Malaria admitted

Attention may during the year. In the former there is a steady increase, in the latter a satisfactory dimi- nution, year by year.

Reviewing the past nine years (the figures for 1896 to complete the decade are unfor- tunately not available), the figures are as follows:—

Beri-beri.

Malaria.

Admissions.

Deaths.

Admissions. Deaths.

1897, 1898,...

..173....

..102....

.571

..191

..168.

84.

.521

.122

1899.

.279.

1

..123.

.305....

58

1900.

..361

.214.

.541.

.159

1901.

..412.

.219.

·

507.........

..122

1902.

414

P

..403.

..119

1903,

..277.

221

61

1904,

1905,..

..742... ..731...

56

48

.217

170.

.329.... ...334...

..212.

..153....

There is manifestly a serious increase of the prevalence of Reri-beri in the Colony. The mortality in the Tung Wah Hospital during the past two years has been 45%: informer years it was even higher. The malignancy of the disease varies widely in different countries. SCHEUBE giving 3.7% as the rate of mortality in Japan, and DA SILVA LIMA giving 50.8% to 74.5% as the rate of mortality in Brazil. Probably the mortality noted in the Tung Wah Hospital is the rate of mortality among the severe cases, and the real mortality is much lower, as there are many mild cases that do not require to enter hospital. But at the best Beri-beri is a most deadly disease, and is now alarmingly prevalent in this Colony.

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It is satisfactory to turn from the subject of Beri-beri to consider the figures given for Malaria. The marked diminution in the number of cases is coincident with the anti-malarial measures adopted in recent years by the Government. The great majority of the cases have come from outlying districts. The high case-mortality is due to the circumstance that the Chinese regard ordinary fever with comparative indifference, and that consequently most of the cases coming into hospital are of the most severe types, many arriving in a comatose state. Under the vigorous use of quinine hypodermically not a few of the apparently most hopeless cases recover, but treatment fails in many.

While the diminished figures relating to Malaria must be regarded with much satis- faction, it is probable that the drop will not continue to the same extent that may reasona- bly be looked for in statistics relating to Europeans in the Colony, as many of the patients come directly froin the country districts for treatment, and many more come indirectly from the country through the daily large influx of Chinese to the Colony by the river steamers. Such persons will continue to develop in Hongkong Malaria contracted elsewhere, perhaps months, even years, previously.

The Hospital has been regularly inspected by Visiting Justices twice monthly, and on all occasious has been certified by them to have been found clean and in good order.

J. C. THOMSON, M.D., D.T.M., D.P.H.