451
TREATMENT OF PLAGUE.
In addition to the stimulant and symptomatic treatment, which was adopted in all cases, six cases were treated by injections into the buboes of a solution of Cyllin, specially prepared by Mr. AINSLIE WALKER of London ; and of these cases one recovered. Two of the fatal cases were given intravenous injections of Cyllin in addition to injections into the bubo. Intravenous injection of Cyllin does not appear to have any effect, hut injections into the buboes sometimes appears to do good, by hastening its destruction.
On the suggestion of the Principal Civil Medical Officer, I trented seven cases with Carbolic Acid in doses of ten grains every 2 hours for 12 doses and then 4 hourly, varied of course in proportion to the age of the patient. Four of the cases, so treated, recovered. Of the three fatal cases all were adults, one died within 6 hours, one within 24 hours and one within 5 days. Excluding the two cases which died within 24 hours, as being beyond human ail, we have 5 cases treated by Carbolic Acid and 4 recoveries. Of the recoveries one adult male took the drug for three days and it was then stopped as carboluria appeared. The bubo suppurated and recovery took place rapidly. Two children aged 13 and 9 years respectively took 30 grains during the first 24 hours and then 15 grains daily for 5 days, the dose was then stopped as carboluria appeared in the younger child.
The fourth case that recovered was a girl aged 7, who was a daughter of the woman who was transferred to the Hygeia with Small-pox. This girl was sent in for observation. She had fever continuously but nothing could be found in the blood and careful physical examination failed to disclose anything to account for the temperature. I felt all the
superficial glands daily and on the fifth day I found there was slight tenderness on pressure over the left Cervical glands, and the next day the bubo was well marked. Carbolic Acid was then exhibited in doses of 15 grains daily. The bubo subsequently suppurated and recovery rapidly followed.
It is difficult to say whether recovery in these cases was due at all to Carbolic Acid, because in the fung Wah Plague Branch 54 cases were given Carbolic Acid, in addition to Chinese treatment, and of these only one recovered. I am of the opinion that the best treatment is the stimulant and symptomatic combined with good nursing..
CHOLERA.
Sixty-four cases of Cholera were treated on board the Hygeia and 21 died.
All the cases were admitted from the S.S. Hong Bee which arrived in the harbour with the disease epi lemic amongst the Chinese passengers. The majority of these cases were treated by Dr Kerr, Assistant Health Officer of the Port, as the outbreak occurred in October. when the Hygeia was anchored behind Stonecutters Island.
SMALL-POX.
On reterring to Tables I and I it will be seen that eight cases of Small-pox were admitted to Kennedy Town Hospital and ninety-six to the Hygeit, but as seven of the cases admitted to Kennedy Town were subsequently transferred to the Hygeia, the actual number of cases treated was 97 and of these 33 died as against 65 with 7 deaths in 1906.
According to Nationality these were :--
Males.
Females.
European.
11
3
Chinese,.
50
20
Japanese, Indian, Eurasian,
1
0
9
0
1
2
Total, 1907,.......
72
25
1906,... ... 45
20
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