Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 577

179

Annexe L.

REPORT ON THE PUBLIC MORTUARY, KOWLOON.

The new permanent buildings consisting of Mortuary with 14 tables, Coolie Quarters and Laboratory were completed by the Public Works Department on the 19th September, 1907, and have proved to be most satisfactory. The placing of the mosquito gauze inside instead of outside of the windows has apparently had the desired effect of preserving it and so rendering the place flyproof.

The total number of Post Mortem examinations made during the year amounted to 838 as compared with 1,156 for 1906. The decrease is largely accounted for by the absence of any large typhoon during the year and the smallness of the epidemic of Plague.

269 bodies were removed from houses and 569 were found abandone l.

per cent.

The percentage of" Abandoned Bodies" from all sources is therefore approximately 68 Out of a total of 53 cases of Plague, 12 were dumped giving a percentage for Plague cases of 22:6 dumped. The percentage of Plague cases dumped to cases of all kinds dumped is only about one-fifth.

Table I.

Return of Causes of Death.

1. Total General Diseases..

374

2. Local Diseases :-

(a.) of the Nervous

System,.

3

(b.)

Circulatory

24

(c.)

"

Respiratory

179

(d.)

(e.)

Digestive

Urinary

(A)

Generative

1

21

(g.)

Hæmopactic

2

3. Total Injuries,

39

1.

Decomposed Bodies.

205

All Causes,.........................

838