April 23, 1898.]
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-I think it hardly likely that the recommendation to carry out dead cattle to sea from Canton would be carried out.
The PRESIDENT-In my opinion beef and pork should not be imported into this colony from districts where we know that disease among cows and pigs exists.
The COLONIAL VETERINARY SURGEON- Í do not think there is any danger of rinderpest meat getting into our markets from Canton. I will take extra precautions to prevent it. The police might also be notified,
Mr. BRENAN, H.B.M. Consul at Canton, wrote to the Colonial Secretary on April 2nd:-I sent you to-day a telegram to the effect that several cases of bubonic plague were occurring in Canton daily. It is impossible to obtain ac- curate information, but amongst the Chinese themselves there is a belief that the disease is spreading in the city. I have also the honour to report that rinderpest is prevalent among cattle in Canton and vicinity. Some of the cows in the foreign dairy have died and more are attacked. The Canton butchers are buying the diseased carcases and selling the meat for food; some of this may find its way to Hong- kong.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE said he had had a steam-launch on the look-out for vessels from Canton and Macao, and with the exception of about a couple of pounds of beef-steak and a couple of pounds of kidneys from Macao-someone thinking that what they got in Hongkong was not good enough-he could not discover that any meat was being im ported into the colony.
The PRESIDENT proposed that the corres. pondence lie on the table.
Mr. EDE seconded, and the motion was car- ried.
IS IT LIKELY?
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH sub. mitted a letter from the Colonial Secretary concerning the prevention of persons suffering from plague coming to Hongkong from Kwang. tung Province.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE -This is the last place they will come to (Hear, hear).
HOUSE CLEANSING.—LETTER FROM THE
-ACTING GOVERNOR.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the trouble is over I would like to see the on us of keeping the houses clean thrown on the owners and if neglected done at their cost.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I agree with Mr. Ede. There is no doubt some pro- vision for inflicting a penalty in case the occu- pants do not clean their house property.
The following communication from His Excellency Major General Black was sub- mitted :-A deputation on behalf of the Chinese population interviewed me yesterday.
1. They protested against the proposal to burn dead bodies found in the street.
2. They stated that the reason for dead bodies of plague-stricken Chinese being put into the streets was their fear and dislike of having their premises invaded by the house- cleaning gang, the forcible removal into the street of the furniture from every room in the house, the consequent breakage of some of their poor furniture, and the bondage to which all the inmates were subjected.
3.-They beg that in case of house to house visitation the inmates should have the option of cleansing the rooms of their own flats.
4.-That in case of a death from plague, or in the presence of a plague patient, the rooms of the honse other than that in which the case occurred should be. left to the inmates within a reasonable time to cleanse, the room where the case occurred only being fumigated and disinfected by the whitewash party.
5.-They ask, further, that sick Chinamen bo permitted to leave the colony if they desire.
325
Mr. EDE-Is it against the law The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE -The Board carried a resolution by a majority, The Government say they won't carry it out; so that is finished.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said that as to allowing people to cleanse their own houses he might be allowed to explain that they were allowed to do so. After a notice varying from one, two, or three days the inspecting officers appointed by the Board-Mr. May, Mr. Browne, Mr. Bryan, and himself—went round and inspected these houses, and upon their written certificate if it was found dirty it was ordered to be cleansed, and if it was found cleansed it passed. He did not think the Chinese could ask for more than that. They did not
cleanse their houses. They all knew that this want to get the permission of the Board to
cleansing was being done. He had repeatedly explained to Chinese that they were allowed to cleanse their houses, and that if their houses were found clean they would not be interfered with.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL said that all they asked for was that they should be given notice when the inspecting officer was going round, and he understood that that was done now. They asked for three days' notice.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said he did not think it reasonable for them to ask for notice. It was the duty of every occupier to keep his house clean always, and not merely at this special time. Officers had been appointed to go round and see that all houses were clean, and if a mau neglected to cleanse his house until someone gave him official notice to do so he did not think he was worthy of much con- sideration.
I am of opinion that, subject to necessary and proper supervision, the inmates of a house should, if they desire it, have the option of cleansing it themselves. If measures contrary to the customs of the Chinese and without due regard to their prejudices be enforced, you have The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE instead of assistance from the people a dogged said he would like to point out that they could inert mass of opposition to fight against, which nader by-law 25, Ordinance 15 of 1894, which would even prove more detrimental to the ob- was passed by the Legislative Council after a ject aimed at than even a less thorough applica-protracted consideration-and he might add that tion of the means used to attain it.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said that as far as the disinfection of the whole house was concerned, he had written to the Colonial Secretary and also to His Excellency that in 1896, when they had a number of cases of plague, he pointed out in his annual report that there were 25 houses in which repeat cases oc- The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH reported curred after the lapse of a greater interval on April 16th-Please inform the President
than 10 days, and speaking roughly six of these that the house to house visitation gangs are
25 houses were houses in which the repeat cases now all engaged in house to house cleansing occurred on another floor. He was convinced work, the latter necessarily including the
there wore one or two other cases of which he former. I do not consider it necessary
had lost the certificates. There was a very to have duplicate gangs in each district, as the strong presumption that if a house became in- health districts are now comparatively small, fected with plague the plague infection might and there are already a police officer, two spread from an upper floor to a lower floor and soldiers, two Chinese foremen, and forty coolies vice versa, and in consequence in 1896 he gave at work in each of them. The Acting Regis instructions that whenever a case occurred the trar-General has, I understand, explained to the whole house was to be disinfected. He knew Chinese that any houses found in a cleanly the Chinese were very anxious that the re- condition by the officers appointed by the gulation should be done away with. Per- Board and approved by the officers administer-sonally he did not feel justified in doing ing the Government will be exempt from the operations of the cleansing gangs, and I am exercising as great discretion in this matter as is compatible with the safety of the community. I hope to be able to commence operations in British Kowloon on Monday next, the 18th instant, but at present I have no authority from the Government to employ the necessary staff, Mr. Browne's appointment by the Board has been forwarded for the approval of His Excel- lency the officer administering the Government, and he will supervise the cleansing gangs in
that district. Chloride of lime has been in use
in all the public latrines for the past month, and is also being distributed by the cleansing gangs, but fortunately the stock of this dis- infectant in the colony is already exhausted, although a fresh consignment is expected early
away with it, and as he pointed out to the Co- lonial Secretary the responsibility rested largely upon him, because the Bye-law said the work was to be done to the satisfaction of the Medical Officer of Health.
The PRESIDENT thought Dr. Clark spoke good sound sense. People might be allowed to cleanse their own houses provided it was done to the satisfaction of either the In- spector of Nuisances or the Medical Officer of Health. They would observe that the
"the reason deputation said that
for dead bodies of plague patients being put into the streets was their fear and dislike of having their premises invaded by the house cleansing gang, the forcible removals of their furniture from every room in the house, the consequent breakage of some of their poor furniture, and the bondage to which the immates were sub- jected." There was nothing about their object- Mr. N. J. EDE-Referring to this matter Iing to being treated by Western medical methods. would like to see the Chinese have the oppor. tunity of cleansing their own houses on being notified that cleansing is needed. I have heard complaints that the gangs are very rough and that the coolies pilfer. If after getting notice the tenant or owner does not cleause then it should be done for them, and I think at their expense.
next week.
Minutes appended :-
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-I see no reason for change of procedure now. When
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, interrupting the Acting Registrar-General, suggested that they should take the points mentioned in the Governor's letter one by one. He thought they had better settle the question as to the disinfection of the houses first.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-With regard to the suggested cremation of Chinese corpses found in the street, I may take it that that has been settled.
it was passed unanimously by a Connoil on which they were two Chinese members and various influential members who were property owners
order a house to be cleansed. Therefore it was no new thing they were putting into force. As the Medical Officer of Health had very justly observed, it was the duty of every householder to keep his house clean. Of course in making an inspection one selected streets in which the houses were most likely to be in a dirty con- dition, and although the occupants in many cases had possibly taken some trouble to cleanse their premises they had not done so in a thorough and satisfactory manner. They had only got to lift up the bed board and remove the large number of miscellaneous articles stored beneath and they found that a brush had not touched these particular corners. In such a house, especially if it was situated in a lane where there had been several cases of plague, it was only reasonable that the Board's Officers should take the precaution of thoroughly clean- ing out that house. Although the Bye-law gave them power to do so forthwith, it was not the practice to do so forthwith. Twenty-four bours' notice at least was given to the people to remove their household goods into the street, and they did so. He had not seen any of that throwing of furniture out of windows that they beard so much about. People removed their goods, the gangs-who were under specially selected officers-arrived on the succeeding day, and cleansed the place, and the people the same day removed back into their houses. He did not think the public realised the enormous difficulty of getting the coolie class to properly clean out the cubicles on each floor in which they lived. To allow the occupants in every case to do the work themselves would require an enormous amount of supervision. They had only a limited number of officers and they must have the thing done with some sort of regularity. They began, which one lane, and they liked to finish that' and then go on with the next. On this point he moved that the Board reply to the effect that it does not see its way to modify the procedure which was laid down in Bye-law 25 under
Ordinance 15 of 1894.
The PRESIDENT, in seconding, suggested the advisablity of this house to house inspection being carried on in non-epidemic times, as the Chinese were undoubtedly a very dirty race-at any rate those who live in this colony were. The Sanitary Board had power under sect. 16 of
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