316
German friends, and that they turn it to good account is seen in the extent to which they acquire the best houses in the colony. If in the summer one runs his eye over the passengers by the tiffin tram to the Peak he will see that Germans number about as many as the British, including officials, and alto- gether the Germans seem to enjoy what at first view appears a disproportionate share in the prosperity of the colony. If, however, this is due to their own energy and superior business methods Britishers must take the blame to themselves and, if they want to redress the balance, profit by their rivals' example.
British section is concerned the tradition no
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE KEMOVAL OF PLAGUE CASES. |
There appears to be some defect in the arrangements made for the prompt removal of cases of plague after they are reported to the sanitary authorities. Sometimes as much as six or seven hours elapse before the re- moval of the patient takes place, and during this time the risk of the patient infecting the other occupants of the house must be considerable. The matter is one that should receive the attentieu of the authorities. The
usual routine is that when a case of infectious
doors.
disease is reported the report has to await the return of the Inspector of Nuisances for the district, should he be absent at the for his duties lie for the most part out of time of its receipt, as is generally the case,
lost before the report is placed in course of In this way several hours may be
being attended to and another hour or two made. In times of epidemic it is to be may clapse while arrangements are being presumed that special arrangements are in force for more prompt attention being given to the reports, but at present these arrangements, if any exist, do not appear to be sufficient. If the defect lies in the be lost in increasing it to the necessary smallness of the staff no time ought to
The Germans, it will be admitted, devote more time to business than Britishers. They do not think it necessary in the winter to devote a day and a half a week to cricket and sundry afternoons to golf, not to speak of croquet, tennis, and football, besides taking the Sunday holiday. The Hongkong community used to be truthfully spoken of as an exceptionally hard working one, and the tradition still survives, but so far as the longer corresponds with the facts of the case. Everyone of course, admits the necessity of a reasonable amount of re- creation in order to maintain the mens sana in corpore sano, but it must be admitted also that it is possible to overdo the thing, and it would seem that in Hong-strength, for considerations of petty economy kong the Germans draw the line more correctly than the British. Then, again, Sir WILLIAM ROBINSON says the English do not keep pace with the times, whereas
the Germans will supply anything that
cause
of this
was
is required. The hinted at by Mr. BYRON BRENAN in one of his recent reports, namely, that Englishmen arc afraid of losing social tune if they engage in certain formis of perfectly respectable business which amongst the Germans are attended with oo social disabilities, We do not know whether this is due to a difference in na-
should not be allowed to interfere with the
adoption of adequate measures for coping with the plague, which is subjecting the colony to such severe commercial loss.
Even for ordinary times, when there is no epidemic, the arrangements for the prompt removal of cases of infectious disease, such as smallpox, appear to be inadequate.
MEDICAL INSPECTION AND, THE PLAGUE.
}
[April 23, 1893.
A CHINESE PLAGUE HOSPITAL.
In recommending the establishment of a Chinese hospital for the reception of plague patients the Sanitary Board arrived at a wise decision. It is better that the Chinese
should be encouraged to go voluntarily to a hospital under native management than that they should be allowed to die in conceal- ment and have their bodies thrown out into the streets.
Dr. ATKINSON and Dr. CLARK
had qualms of conscience about recognising Chinese quacks, but that consideration it is proposed to set up will be more in the hardly arises in the case. The establishment
take it, than of a hospital for the applica nature of a well conducted dying house, we tion of curative treatment. No curative treatment has yet been discovered which Chinese plague patients. possesses any efficacy when applied to 11 but a very die, and the few who get over the disease small percentage of those who are attacked
owe their recovery to their constitution this point of view, therefore, the Chinese rather than to medical treatment. From sufferers might just as well be in the hands of their own doctors as in those of foreign doctors; indeed, if the statistics can be accepted as reliable the mortality in the Chinese hospital in 1894 was rather less than surprising, if it be granted that the medical in the Kennedytown Hospital. That is not
treatment received counts for nothing, be of recovery are calculated to be diminished cause a patient's originally slender chances in a hospital under foreign control owing to the mental distress to which he is subjected
upon finding himself in unfamiliar and unwelcome surroundings. The plague in itself is a severe enough infliction upon our Chinese fellow residents without subjecting them to unnecessary worry or alarm. That the dre of foreign medical treatment is very real and deep seated is proved by the fact that persons attacked by plague, instead of going voluntarily to the hospital, or being taken there by their friends, are allowed to die in their own houses. The Chinese have no objection to going to a native hospital, it is only the foreign hospital they object to, and the result of the attempt force Western medical treatment upon them is that the whole of the native community offers a passive resistance to the measures taken by the authorities to stamp out the plague, whereas the policy should be to enlist their active assistance. They will go to a Chinese hospital readily enough, and with the prompt removal of the sufferers from their own houses the chances of success- fully checking the spread of the disease in the town will be materially increased.
to
The
It is rather singular that no word of protest tional characteristics or to the particular has been raised by the shipping community circumstances of the case. Perhaps at against the system of medical inspection Kiaochau, when that place becomes a centre now being applied to arrivals from Canton of trade, the boot may be found to be on the and Macao, seeing how strong was the feel- other leg; with the introduction amongst ing expressed against the proposed estab- the Germans of the official and navallishment of the system as a permanent and military elements social distine-institution. The object of medical in- tions may be drawn more strictly amongst spection is to keep infection out of the them, the merchant may consider that colony, but it is being applied now he cau
no longer associate with the only after infection has been introduced. retail trader without compromising his If it is not thought worth while to take social position, and the young men may be
measures for keeping infection at a dis- inspired with the desire to spend as much
tance when the colony is able to show a time in sports and amusements as the men- clean, bill of health it seems doubtful bers of the garrison, leaving the lion's whether the possible advantage that may share of remunerative work to be done by accrue from such measures after an epid- Englishmen, as Englishmen in Hongkong emic has actually broken out is worth Siuce the above was in type we have re- leave it to be done by Germans. We do not the cost and inconvenience entailed,ceived a letter from Mr. E, OSBORNE, which anticipate that such will be the case, but ipecially when the places in respect of will be found in another column. is within the bonuds of possibility. Con- which it is applied are suffering less from views expressed in that letter will, we think, fining our view solely to Hongkong, how-plague than the colony of Hongkong itself. meet with very general approval, except ever, there can be no doubt, we think, that If the introduction of ouly one case of possibly as to the free removal of plague the success of the Germans is due in the first plague can be prevented the system cannot patients from the colony. At first view it place to the greater amount of time and atten- be said to be altogether without its advant- would seem'desirable that persons suffering tion they devote to business and in the second ages, but the important thing is to prevent from plague should be encouraged to leave place to the fact that they are a united the introduction of the first case, and if the colony, but the objection to that course community whose members would prefer to medical inspection is not to be applied for is that if by the removal of patients. from put business in the way of each other than that purpose it appears illogical to apply it Hongkong the neighbouring villages be- of outsiders, whereas amongst English to prevent the introduction of subsequent come infected we will be exposed for an in- cases, for the mischief has then been done definite period to the danger of having the On one disense brought back to us; that instead of point, however, all parties must be agreed, stamping the disease out we would be set- and that is that if there is to be medical ting up fresh centres of infection with which inspection at all arrangements should be we would afterwards be powerless to deal. made by which the inspection can be cou- I sufferers from the plague are to be al- ducted immediately upon a vessel's arrival.lowed to leave the colony, therefore, it should The delay to which some vessels have only be for certain specified destinations been subjected affords ground for legitimate from which there would be no great danger complaint.
of the disease being reimported, and the
men
social hostilities often give the foreigner an opportunity of stepping in and taking away business that might just as well be retained in English hands.
The following paragraph appears in the Singapore papers of the 12th April:-Telegrah communication beyond Escalante in Negros Island is interrupted, Tuburan cable station being in the hands of Philippine insurgents.
and the infection introduced.
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