Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 485

361

The practice of "dumping" of bodies in the street, harbour, hillsides, etc., has always been a question of considerable importance in the Colony.

The efforts made, in order to restrict this pernicious custom, would not appear to be crowned with such signal success as desired. In the Annual Sanitary Report for 1904, the Medical Officer in charge of the Mortuary in Kowloon, gave us a valuable Table, indicating the prevalence of this practice in Kowloon. In my present Report, therefore, I propose to include a similar Table showing the extent of the custom in Hongkong. Such a Table ought to be of considerable interest, as the figures contained are drawn from a much wider

area:

Table I.-SOURCE OF BODIES.

1905.

No. of Bodies.

Found in House, Matshed or

Found in Street.

Found on Hill- side, vacant

Total

Found in Harbour,

Boat.

ground, &c.

% Dumped.

January,

101

56

35

9

1

+10.0

February,

70.

BB

32

1

520.0

March,

96

40

3+

13

3

52°

April,

118

48

60

7

3

59°

May,

162

94

60

8

120

June,

202

118

72

9

C

1200

July,

158

84

62

12

August,

127

76

15

6

September,

90

13

37

10

⠀

:

:

47°

520

C

October,

77

40

32

1

November,

98

13

44

6

December,......

87

50

**

625.

C

Ou comparing this Table with that already drawn up by the Medical Officer of the Kowloon Mortuary, it is seen that the results are practically identical. The practice of "dumping" is as prevalent in Hongkong as in Kowloon. From such Tables, however, it would not appear that this practice is more prevalent during plague seasons. Further, it is of interest to note the incidence of "dumping" in regard to plague cases. During the past year, 136 cases of plague were examined at the Public Mortuary, and these cases, if arranged according to the foregoing, Table, give the following interesting result :--

Table II-SOURCE OF PLAGUE BODIES.

No. OF CASES.

FOUND IN FOUND HOUSE, &c. DUMPED,

IN

O

HOUSE.

DUMP-

ED.

Bubonic Type,

94

78

16

72

28

Septic Type,

37

30

7

81°

19

Pneumonic Type,

Ι

-1

20%

80 °

Q

From this Table, even although the numbers are small, it is seen that by far the largest number of plague cases has been found in houses, natshels or boats. In regard to the pneumonic type of the disease, no conclusions can be drawn, owing to the small number of cases examined.