May 14, 1898.]
the many years he has unselfishly devoted himself to the cause of sanitation in the colony." The PRESIDENT-I have much pleasure in seconding Mr. May's motion. Although I have not been associated with Mr. Ede on this Board for so many years as the Vice-President, yet I have worked with him long enough to regret that we shall be so soon losing bis services. Although we are not always in accord, differences of opinion necessarily occur. ring at times; yet for sound common sense såd knowledge of business habits I do not wish for a better member to work with. (Hear hear.) The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. EDE, in reply, said-I feel highly honoured by the very flattering resolution which you have just passed with regard to my services on this Board, and I thank the mover and seconder of the resolution for the very complimentary terms in which they have spoken of me. I have felt it a privilege, and it has been a source of much pleasurable interest to me, to have taken part in the promotion of sanitation in this colony. I was appointed a member of the Board almost from its commence- ment about 13 years ago. For the 40 years previous, that is from the time when the island was first taken, there had been no specially organised body for dealing with such matters. At first we sat with closed doors, but it was found desirable that the meetings of the Board should be held in public. In my opinion publi- city is the greatest possible protection to the inhabitants in regard to all sanitary enactments and is one of the means best calculated to secure the co-operation of the community. Notwith- standing the criticisms upon the acts and methods of the Board which have from time to time been made, I think I can truly say that the Board has done much useful and valuable work, and I feel satisfied it will continue to do so proportionately better and better as time goes
on.
Critics sometimes do not realise or are not aware of the inherent difficulties which beset many of the questions that have to be determined. There is no doubt that some of our principal troubles arise from errors made in the past partly by the Government in permitting but mainly by the inhabitants in erecting unwhole. some and insanitary dwellings. I hope that this state of things will gradually be remedied (it cannot be done all at once), and that the resi dents will not rest content with criticising but
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
copy of which appeared in our issue of yester day. In forwarding copies of the report to the Board the Acting Colonial Secretary requested that the Board would consider the report and favour the Government with its suggestions and comments on as early a date as possible,
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE I beg leave to move that after the ordinary business of to-day is completed the Board resolves itself into a committee for the considera. tion of this report.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-1 have much pleasure in seconding. The question of the improvement of the sanitary condition of the colony is one of vital interest for the future welfare of the colony, and no recom- mendation of the Board should go forward to the Government until it has been thoroughly thrashed out. I quite see that discussion of the report will be much freer if the Board is in committee than if the discussion takes place in public.
Carried.
DISSOLUTION OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE.
387
and obviate the necessity of resorting to extreme measures.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.-A COMPLAINT FROM THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, in transmitting on April 30th a letter from the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce regarding the medical inspection now in force in the colony, said-His Excellency the Officer Ad- ministering the Government would be glad to learn, as soon as possible, whether upon further consideration and in view of the results up to date of such medical inspection, the Sanitary Board is of opinion that medical inspection should continue to be carried out.
The letter from the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, signed by Mr. R. Chatterton Wil- cox (secretary) and dated April 22nd, was as follows:-"The great inconvenience to which the travelling public are subjected in consequence of the enforcement on the river steamboats running between this port, Macao, and Canton of the medical inspection of all passengers, has The PRESIDENT-In pursuance to notice I been brought to the notice of this Chamber. beg leave to move: "That the select committee My committee understand that since this exa- appointed on the 21st April, 1898, by the Board mination was instituted on the 11th inst. by the to arrange all details, &c., re establishment of a Sanitary Board only one case of plague has been Chinese Plague Hospital under section 3 of discovered on any of the steamers, and that case Ordinance 11 of 1895, be dismissed." The reason why I make this motion is that the this be the fact, they would respectfully suggest at the commencement of these regulations. If hospital is started and is now in working order. that the detention of the steamers for an exa- Dr. Thomson is in medical charge of it, and Imination which is practically resultless might presume he is responsible practically now for either be discontinued or that some modification the working of the hospital.
of the regulations might be made that would render the examination less inconvenient to the steamboat companies and their constituents."
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Seconded Mr. EDE-Do not you think that before the committee is dissolved we ought to see a report of what they have done so that we can consider it ?
The PRESIDENT-There has been a report.
· Mr. EDE-I have not seen any. I do not
know what has been done.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH—Â re-
port would have been sent in before this reference to the disposal of night-soil. meeting but there has been some difficulty with Dr. Thomson wrote to me and asked what the wishes of the select committee were in re- ference to the matter, and the committee decided that the best thing to do would be to burn the night soil. I was down yesterday
which, had been given to him and has not completed the work, but as soon as it is in full working order it will be for the select committee to send in a report as to what has been done by
them.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE
I think it would be better if the report of the committee were awaited.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-General-We have done our work, have we not? This is a matter of detail for the people at the hospital
The following minutes were appended :— The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-No information is vouchsafed as to the nature of the alleged inconvenience. If the system was properly organised as urged repeatedly by me. there would be no inconvenience.
The PRESIDENT-As these two ports have . been declared infected medical inspection must necessarily take place. (See Quarantine Regu- lations, April 11th, 1897.) A modification of the regulations might be permitted in allowing the Canton and Macao steamers to proceed to their wharf and be there medically inspected. Then the European passengers could come off at once and the Chinese as soon as they
of plague have occurred already, one from the Fatshan and one from the Chihli.
Mr. EDE, the MEDICAL OFFICER OF ERAL, were in favour of the President's sugges- HEALTH, and the ACTING REGISTRAR-GEN-
tion.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS thought the inspection should be discontinued.
will take a share in the work and help the morning to see what they had done in the way have been examined, instead of having to of building an incinerator, but unfortunately Board and the Government to make the much the contractor misunderstood the directions wait until all have been examined. Two cases needed improvements. I would like to take the opportunity of placing on record my opin ion, though not with a view to argument to day, that the general adoption of the water carriage system in this colony will only lead to serious trouble and I hope the experiment will not be tried, especially as the means of hand removal are readily available and inexpensive- indeed a source of revenus. If the sewage be removed to a safe distance, if our refuse is burnt, if overcrowding is abated and the houses kept clean, but above all if plenty of sun-light is let into the dwellings of the masses, there is no doubt the health and general welfare of this important colony will be much improved, and the expense of carrying out these things pro- perly will, I am satisfied, in the long run be less costly than the recurrence of epidemics. (Hear, hear.) I need hardly say, Mr. President and gentlemen, that I leave this Board with in- finite regret and I hope to hear from time to time that your efforts to improve the sanitary condition of this colony are meeting with un- qualified success. (Applause.)
THE MANUFACTURE AND SALE OF POISONS, The ACTING SECRETARY submitted the amended Bye-laws for regulating the manufac ture and sale of poisons and the sale of unsound and adulterated drugs. He also read a minute by the PRESIDENT, who said: "I think these papers should be circulated before the amended Bye-laws be considered by the Board."
The PRESIDENT-I move that these Bye laws be referred to the next meeting of the Sanitary Board.
The MEDICAL OFFICEE OF HEALTH-I
second that.
·
Carried. REPORT OF THE INSANITARY PROPERTIES
COMMISSION.
The ACTING SECRETARY submitted a report of the Insanitary Properties Commission, a
themselves.
The PRESIDENT-I think we may take it that the committee will circulate the report at an early date. I think one report has been issued before.
Mr. EDE-I have not seen anything. The PRESIDENT-I have read one. The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-May
'dissolved I suggest that the word "
be sub. stituted for the word "dismissed
in the reso- lution. The latter is hardly the word to use with regard to a select committee unless we are in disgrace.
3
The PRESIDENT That is a misnomer. I do not wish any slight to the committee.
With this alteration the resolution was carried.
THE SUGGESTED CREMATION OF
CHINESE,
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, writ- ing on April 29th, said-I am directed to state for the information of the Sanitary Board, that His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government is not prepared to sanction the cremation of corpses of persons who have died of plague which are found exposed in the streets, and that His Excellency trusts that the establishment of the branch hospital to the Tung Wa Hospital for the reception of Chinese plague patients will tend to effect the object of putting a stop to this objectionable practice
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE observed-Was the Fatshan case really plague ? I think that whatever value the inspection might have before Hongkong was itself infectel it is simply waste of time and energy and money to continue it when we are and have been in- fected for a considerable time. Dr. Home, who is on this work, would be far more usefully em- ployed on shore. There are heaps of work for him to do and no one to do it.
A discussion ensued.
The PRESIDENT said that in addition to the two cases of plague mentioned by him one case of smallpox was discovered. The Fatshan case was undoubtedly a case of plague; it was certified by Dr. Lowson as such." The man died on the way down from Canton.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL—What was done with the ship and passengers ?
The PRESIDENT—The passengers were medi- + cally inspected by Dr. Jordan that morning.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL-After the cases had been discovered P
The PRESIDENT—~Y+8.
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL-Is not your suggestion that the steamer should go to the wharf ?
The PRESIDENT—Yes,
The ACTING REGISTRAR-GENERAL—And passengers be examined as they leave the gangway?
The PRESIDENT-No, on board the steamer There will be a police officer in charge of the wharf.
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