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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[June 20, 1895.
possibly not return to Hongkong, which it is his power in that direction too freely, especially "sanitary defect in public as well as in pri- to be hoped may prove to be unfounded. in matters of purely local concern. Where"vate sanitation. As regards public sanita- Mr. WHITEHEAD's remedy for the political he received express directions from the Se-" tion, without medical assistance there is no ills of the colony is an increase in the num-cretary of State to pass a certain vote, say reliable means of ascertaining the amount ber of unofficial members of the Legislative for instance the vote for the military contri- " of disease or nature of the sickness prevail. Council. Caudour compels us to admit that bution, it would be his official duty to ing among the people and the real causes the present unofficial members have not of give his casting vote in favour, should" of death are practically unknown." He late rendered any appreciable service to the the united opposition of the unofficial mem-then went on to discuss the means by which colony, but on the contrary, in giving their bers render it necessary. In purely domestic the need might be supplied, namely, by assent to the principle that public opinion matters, on the other band, if a proposal maintaining a staff of fully qualified English should be wholly unrepresented in the sanita- made by the Government were unanimously medical officers, a staff of qualified Indian tion of the colony or in such a matter as the opposed by the unofficials, the Governor medical officers, or க staff of Chinese reconstruction of the Taipingshan district, might reasonably be expected to direct its medical practitioners more or less trained they have done a great deal of harm. There-withdrawal rather than force it through by in European medicine. The expense alone fore if an increase in the number of unofficial | his casting vote. At present, with the he considered prohibitive of the employ- members meant a reinforcement of the pre-support it receives from the existing ment of European medical men. Indians, sent policy it could not be received with un- unofficial members, the Government will he thought, might meet the requirements, mixed thankfulness. We have, however, practically be able to do what it likes, but they would not for some years be able sufficient confidence in the fundamental notwithstanding the possible opposition of to communicate direct with the Chinese good sense of the present
unofficial Mr. WHITEHEAD and the two new unofficial people, besides which it was doubtful if they members to believe that the glamour members, but the present entente cordiael would ever be able to win the respect and thrown over them in the secret conferences will not last for long, and when it breaks up confidence of the Chinese, without which of last year will not be of long continuance the colony will profit. Not that an entente their sphere of usefulness would be greatly and that they will in course of time once cordiale between the official and unofficial circumscribed. But the employment of a more assert themselves for the good of the members is in itself to be deprecated; on the staff of respectable Chinese medical prac colony. An addition to their numbers would contrary, if it be arrived at on the basis of titioners who have received more or less of render it more difficult for the Government the good of the colony, it is a thing to a training in English medicine was, Mr. Mc- at any future time to repeat the operation be desired, provided it does not drown reason- CALLUM thought, feasible. He admitted that of netting them and would afford a prospect able and legitimate criticism, which is a if such men were employed there was very of securing much needed municipal reforms. tonio of which the best of Governments stand considerable risk that they would abuse their One of the first tasks to which the recon- in need at times. During the administra- office and squeeze the people, but, he said, stituted Council-supposing there is to be tion of Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY, for instance, "the risk is one that must always be faced reconstitution should apply itself is the re- officials and unofficials worked harmoniously "ard with close supervision squeezing could establishment of the Sanitary Board on a to promote the general welfare, and the re- not take place to any considerable ex- broader basis and with wider powers, or, sentment with which the officials of the present
" 'tent." The only alternative, according what would be still better, the formation of day regard any expression of public opinion to Mr. MCCALLUM's view, was to grope a Municipal Council, with which the Sani- was almost unknown. But the understanding along as at present without any real know- tary Board might be amalgamated. The now existing between the officials and un-ledge of the state of the health of the people Secretary of State's sanction to the establish officials, arrived at in secret meetings of the we govern and without learning what effect ment of a Municipal Council might probably Legislative Council, is of a different character, our costly sanitary improvements have on have been obtained at once had it been and, we trust, does not possess the elements of heir health. Had we had had light, instead asked for, and we think it is a matter durability. It is likely to be rudely disturbed of being obliged to grope in the dark, it is for regret that Mr. WHITEHEAD's efforts by the presence of an independent member conceivable that the plague of last year were not directed to that end rather than like Mr. WHITEHEAD, whom we hope shortly might never have assumed the dimensions to the securing of an increase in the number to see amongst us again, notwithstanding the of an epidemic, and at all events, with an of unofficial members of the Legislative rumours to the contrary; and if that gentle-efficient system of registration of the causes of Council, for in addition to being more readily man is supported by two new members death, measures to combat the spread of the attainable it would have been of more prac directly representing the public a long continu- disease could have been taken some time tical utility to the colony. The unofficialance of the agreement would be impossible. earlier than was actually the case.
A great element in the Legislative Council may be We take it for granted the two new members step in advance has been made in baving increased to any extent, but from the nature will be elected by the ratepayers on a the Tung Wah Hospital visited daily by a of the case that body can never similar franchise to that on which the un-European doctor, whose duty it is to se exercise direct control over the exe-official members of the Sanitary Board were that a correct record is kept of the causes of cutive officers of the Government, which elected. The unofficial members of the deaths. As the Chinese have an objection is what is chiefly required. The func-Executive Council will of course be to the sick dying in their own houses tion of the Legislative Council is to make appointed directly by the Crown, but and large numbers are taken to the Tung laws and vote funds; the Government ad- the new members of the Legislative Wah to die, it is likely that any contagious ministers the laws and spends the funds. Council, if any real and permanent disease introduced into the colony would So far as purely local affairs are concerned value is to be attached to the reform, should show itself there at once, and with a we would alter all that and have a Municipal be elected by those whose interests they are European doctor in attendance the chance Council which should raise its own revenue, supp sed to represent. And when the elec-of such a disease long escaping detection supervise its expenditure in detail, and exer- tion takes place the community will be is materially reduced. The system can- cise a direct control over the municipal afforded the opportunity of emphatically re-not be considered complete, however, until officers.
cording its disapproval of the Government's a correct record is kept of every death in the policy in removing the unofficial element colony, whether occurring in the hospitals from the Sanitary Board.
II.
DEATH REGISTRATION.
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or elsewhere. Attention was markedly drawn to this subject in 1890 by a discussion which took place at the Sanitary Board with reference to two deaths which had been
entered as typhus. Both cases had been
If the Times is correctly informed, the Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD'S campaign in favour of the granting of greater political privileges to Hongkong bids fair to be at- tended with some measure of success. It is stated that the Secretary of State has The Sanitary Superintendent, in his report |attended by Chinese practitioners and the agreed to place one or two unofficial mem-for 1894, again calls attention to the defec- name they gave to the disease was chuk fan, bers on the Executive Council and is further tive system of death registration in the or "spotted fever," which according to an favourably considering the question of adding colony. The remarks he made on this sub.old form was translated as typhus. No two unofficial members to the Legislative ject in his report for the year 1890, Mr. Council. If decided on this will make the MCCALLUM says, are applicable to the pre- number of official members (including the sent time, for nothing has been done he Governor) and of unofficial members equal, refers to appointment of native medical and a vote could only be carried against the practitioners trained to some extent in unofficials by the Governor giving his casting Western medicine-beyond medical mspec. vote in addition to his ordinary vote. This tion of the patients in the Tung Wah would materially strengthen the unofficial Hospital to ensure that the recorded cause position, for although it would still be of death is the real cause from which death possible for the Government to force through occurred. On turning to the report for Council any measure it wished, it could only 1890, we find the remarks on medical aid are be done by the Governor's casting vote, and quoted from a still earlier report, that of under ordinary circumstances a Governor 1886. "The entire want of medical aid," would naturally be somewhat reluctant to use Mr. MCCALLUM wrote that time, "is a great
mention was made of buboes in connection with these cases, but it seems not improbable that they may have been isolated cases of plague. It was stated by the medical autho- rities at the time that there was no true typhus in the colony, but the actual nature of the disease never was discovered. Dr. Lowson, in his report on the plague of last year, says that at the beginning of the epi- demic almost all the Chinese who contracted the disease showed small red spots about the size of a pea. The name "spotted fever." might therefore be taken to cover case of plague, and seeing that the disease
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