June 10, 1896.]
to wait until we see the result of the wet weather. If we compare matters with 1894 we find that there was an increase in the wet wea- ther in that year owing to the fact that people lived indoors. I suggest that the action pro- posed be postponed.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-It seemed to me that there was nothing for them to do at the present moment.
The ACTING COLONIAL SURGEON-Why not?
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-Most of the districts have been gone through twice, and the houses are as clean as we can make Chinese houses. We are retaining the whole of the European staff. The cleansing was done by coolies, and only the Rifle Brigade men are being dispensed with, and we can get them again if they are required. At present there is no work for the thirty-two Riflemen.
The ACTING COLONIAL SURGEON-They might be employed usefully in the cleansing out of boats at Hongham and Mongkoktsui; they have not been cleansed at all.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-Do they come within our jurisdiction ?
SO.
The ACTING Colonial SurGEON—I think
The PRESIDENT-I must say I agree with the Medical Officer of Health. I think a very great improvement has been made in the general condition of the colony as regards cleanliness. I believe the work has been thoroughly done, and it would certainly be of no use to keep men who have nothing at all to do. It would be a different matter if they were going away from the colony altogether, I hope the military an- thorities will again grant us the services of the men if they are unfortunately required. We can always find something to do in the houses. They do not reach an ideal stage, but at the same time I think it would be a very great mistake indeed, unless the houses were in such a state as to necessitate the strict measures that have been taken, to turn the men out simply for the pur. pose of finding them something to do. Under these circumstances I am inclined to support the Medical Officer of Health in recommending that their services should now be dispensed with. In regard to the statement that the number of last week's cases was larger than in any week during the present epidemic, that is so, no doubt; but the number of cases occurring in the city has considerably diminished. Last week I think there were only thirty-five cases. A good many have occurred in Kowloon, which is now being cleansed, and in Yaumati, Hong ham, and there have been a great many in the harbour. The clearing out of the boats at Mongkoktsui and Taikoktsni would be a very difficult job and would require careful supervision, and I do not think it would be wise to get the services of the military for this purpose, but we can do the work by degrees when we get our own men, who know the people, to supervise it. Under these circum- stances I support the proposal of the Medical Officer of Health.
The resolution was carried.
CLEANSING WORK.
During the past fortnight the cleansing gang have cleansed 1,751 houses comprising 1,911 floors. 2,229 notices to cleanse and lime wash 4,422 houses have been issued up to the present.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Board adjourned until Thursday week.
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
SANITARY SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT.
Mr. H. McCallum, Secretary to the Samtary Board and Sanitary Superintendent, in his report for 1895 submitted at the meeting of the Board on the 4th June, says :-
DRAINAGE WORKS.
In addition to the work carried out by owners of property of their own initiative a great number of houses, which were found on in- spection to be in an insanitary condition, have been redrained at the request of the Board. I append a tabular statement.
It will be observed that according to this table a very large number of houses (2,035) have been carefully inspected and found to be de- fectively drained and consequently the owners have been called on to redrain them. In ad- dition to these, 1,673 houses were found to be either in good order, so far as their drainage arrangements were concerned, or which only required to have down-pipes,. traps, etc., etc., repaired to put them in good order.
The complaints concerning the choking of the new pipe-drains have been far less frequent than in past years. I feel sure that a great many Chinese householders have arrived at the conclusion that, after all, these water-tight glazed pipe-drains are superior to the old porous drains, and hence the malicious choking of these drains has practically ceased. It would be a good thing if they impressed on their servants that the breaking of the gratings over the inlets to the down-pipes and drains is the cause of a very considerable amount of damage to property and for which, to my mind, the tenants are responsible. Not infrequently the trap below the fresh air inlet to the drains gets choked. In most cases this trap can be readily cleared, but very often an ignorant house-coolie is told to clear it and he, not knowing how to go to work, frequently smashes the trap in his wild endeavour to ram the choking material further into the drain.
MARKETS AND SLAUGHTER HOUSES.
The much-needed depôts for housing sheep and swine imported into the colony for slaughter were opened early in the year, when the old and exceedingly insanitary sheds which were situated in the midst of human habitations were abol- ished. The quiet and successful manner in which this change was effected is a matter for congratulation. The brutal Chinese method of weighing live swine continued during the year, but weighing machines having arrived this year (1896) it will soon be possible to put a complete stop to this cruel practice.
背
The fine new slaughter-house at Kennedy- town was opened on the 1st January, and it adequately meets the requirements of Victoria. The Central Market was opened on the 1st of May. It is a very fine building and worthy of the colony as the central depôt for the distribution of most of the perishable articles of food.
|
|
The market shopkeepers objected strongly to the by-law which prohibits them from using their shops as dwellings for their assistants. When they found that objecting and petition- ing was of no avail, the next step a favourite. one with Chinese was to clamorously assert that their wares were being stolen. The ap- pointment of two night watchmen and a firm. enquiry into each case of alleged theft very soon put a stop to the clamour. When I find a person asserting all manner of roguery against others, I know that such person needs careful watching, and in the great majority of such Surgeons Murakami and Yamada have for- cases he is sooner or later discovered to be a warded a report to the Japanese Central Mili-rogue himself; he has simply fallen into the tary Medical authorities about the plague that vulgar error of estimating other people by the broke out in Anping from the 18th April. A measure which he knows so well admirably fits Chinese woman was the first victim, though himself. how she caught the disease is still unknown. From the first appearance of the plague up to the 6th May twenty-five persons were seized, of whom ten succumbed. In the family where the malady made its original attack one member after another was struck down, and the final result was five deaths in one house. Another family had four patients; another three; and two sufferers each were reported in three fami- lies. A noteworthy fact was that all these families were either connected by blood or lived close together, and were therefore in the habit of exchanging visits-Japan Mail.
Thirty-four sheds capable of housing 963 head of cattle, five sheds capable of housing 144 head of goats, and 815 pens capable of housing 6,033 head of swine, were duly licensed during the year. The housing of these animals in the colony is now, in the main, in a satisfactory condition. There are now very few places where these ani- mals are housed under the same roof as the owner or the owner's servants, and such as may exist are in the smaller hamlets.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
These are fully dealt with in the Medical Officer of Health's report for the
under re- year
|
|
view. I think it desirable, however, to append to this report the usual tabular statements and diagrams, so that the continuity of these may not be broken.
CEMETERIES.
The by-laws which came into force on the 1st January, 1892, have been steadily enforced, but unfortunately it has not yet been found practi- cable to lay out the cemeteries in the manner in which it is so desirable it should be done. An extension to the Mount Caroline cemetery is needed.
The following interments have been made during the year in each of the public cemeteries for Chinese, viz. -Mount Davis, 629; Mount Caroline, 419; Kowloon, 382; Shaukiwan, 290; Aberdeen, 162; Stanley, 45; Shek-o, 5; total 1,932 interments.
The fees collected during the year amounted to $1,475.60, and the cost of the staff laying out roads, etc., to $2,324.90.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The by-laws for the compulsory reporting of infectious diseases made in 1888 were revoked. in November, and a new set of by-laws, so far as registered medical practitioners are con- cerned, are very much on the same lines as the law in England which deals with this subject.
LAUNDRIES.
Only four of the public laundries have been let during the year. I anticipate that during the current year they will be all let, mainly owing to the gradual but firm enforcement of the by-laws regulating public laundries. I made a careful personal inspection of the whole of the laundries in the city in the latter part of the year and found that about. two-thirds of them were in such a state that they could be registered. The remaining third will be dealt with as early as practicable.
BAKERIES.
The by-laws regulating this branch of food supply manufacture continue to be steadily and persistently enforced. Only six prosecutions for breaches of these by-laws. occurred during the year. A conviction was obtained in each case.
COMMON LODGING-HOUSES,
The by-laws for regulating these houses, which were made in March, 1891, came into force on the 1st January, 1895. The enforce- ment of these by-laws met with great opposition. Practically every coolie-master in the colony houses his workmen, and these workmen are nearly all indebted to him for, to them, con- siderable sums of money. These coolie-masters have therefore a very strong compelling power over their workmen and, as a rule, they exercise this power mercilessly. It was these coolie- masters who were the principal cause of the opposition, although I have very good reason for believing that they were supported by a considerable number of their countrymen who are occupying very good positions in the colony.
During the year 457 houses capable of accom- modating 7,423 men were licensed, and the by- laws are being steadily enforced. Twenty-nine prosecutions were inst tuted for various breaches of the by-laws, and in each case conviction was obtained..
CONTRACTS.
City Conservancy. The work of this contract was well carried out during the year..
City Scavenging.-The work of this contract was, on the whole, well carried out during the year. As in recent years, the final disposal of the refuse has been a source of considerable trouble. The place of disposal is on Chinese territory.
Kowloon Conservancy and Scavenging.—The work of this contract was fairly well carried out during the year. A few minor hitches occurred, but no one suffered any great in-
convenience.
Shaukiwan Conservancy and Scavenging, Aberdeen Conservancy and Scavenging, Stanley Conservancy and Scavenging-The work of these contracts was well carried out during the year. No complaints regarding them were received at this office.
The approximate quantity of house refuse, trade refuse, street sweepings, etc., removed by the scavenging contractors from Victoria, Hill, and Kowloon districts was 32,000 tons.
STAFF.
An important change was made in the dispo- sition of the staff in November, by placing the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.