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September 30, 1899,]
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DИOMMOK CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
both disasses are largely dependent upon the deterioration of physical stamins by squalid and insanitary surroundings Typhus has been stamped out of England by sanitary measures | alone, and equally must bubonic plagna, be stamped out of this Colony by the better housing of the poorer classes of the cominunity and by a vast improvement in their physical and moral welfare. It is often said that statistics can be made to prove anything, and I am told that nearly as many cases of plague have occurred this year in sanitary houses, as in insanitary ones. But what is the standard taken to qualify these houses as "sanitary"? Nothing but a pal- try air shaft of 50 sq. ft.7 ft. by 7 ft. in fast- irrespective of the height of the building or the area covered by it. To my mind this only proves how hopelessly inadequate is this "stan dard,” and that the sooner the Board's scale of open spaces for new buildings becomes law, the sooner there is more complete control over enbicles and over the condition of private lanes, the sooner the present excessive height of build- ings in narrow streets is curtailed, the better will it be for the health of the community of this city. (Applause.)
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houses would become grossly overorowded and be converted into hotbeds of disease; and yet the Sanitary Board is not infrequently blamed for not going to these lengths, and because we do not stamp out the plague by such means as these the only ones, mind you, which are at present at our disposal-we are dubbed by the highly scientifle agromen " emasculated," which can. I presume, only mean that we are a parcel of old women! Yet in spite of this I think no one can say that we have not the courage of our convictions. We know what we want and we have not failed to ask for it in season and out of season, and not only we but every sanitary committee and sanitarian that has given a thought to this matter during the past twenty five years; but, alas!, it is not a case of “ Ask, and ye shall receive." Two of the gentlemen who volunteered their services assured me that they would willingly go into the witness box and give it, their opinion that many of the Chinese houses they visited were unfit for human habitation, and they were astounded when I assured them that even now,
'after our five years' scourge of plague, owners of land can still cover the whole of it with roofs and are not required to provide any The VICE-PRESIDENT:-I agree with every air shaft or open space whatever in connection thing Dr. Clark has so ably said, but at the with their houses, even thongh such houses be same time I cannot vote for the resolution. I 60 feet or 80 feet in depth. These gentlemen think the increase of staff asked for is too great. were not experts in sanitation, but merely gave In the first place it is said one inspector is re- their opinions as men of ordinary common sense quired for the prevention of food adulteration, and understanding, and I take it that what this especially in milk. Well, there is a police in colony wants at the present moment is the spector at the present time whose duties are openly expressed opinions of such men and very largely in connection with the Food and the representative men of the commercial Drugs Ordinance. It is he who collects samples world, as to the danger which is being done to of liquor from licensed premises and elsewhere, trade by the plague in our midst. One hears in and there is no doubt he would have time to the course of conversation that the trade of this collect samples of milk, and in that way he port is seriously affected, that every steamer that would assist the Sanitary Board very consider can possibly do so passes Hongkong by, and yet ably in connection with the prevention of food we hear nothing authoritative from those whose adulteration. I think at any rate that that interests are most closely bound up in the com- scheme might be tried. That would save merce of the port. The incident of the steamer apparently one man. Then it is said that Chingwo alone must have involved a loss of two auditional second-class inspectors are several thousands of dollars. Why does not, required whose services would mainly be therefore, the Chamber of Commerce or some employed in connection with overcrowding. other representative body tell us that the plague We all know that these prosecutions for over- is raining the trade of the Colony (if such is crowding cannot be carried out except in the indeed the truth), and demand that it shall be winter months, for the simple reason that the stamped out at any cost? What is the use of the people sleep on the roofs and in the streets Chamber laying the flattering unction to its in summer, and you cannot get the neces- soul that plague has now become "merely sary evidence, It is quite true the police sporadio" when we have had a practical con- have not been able to assist the Sanitary tinuity of cases sinos May, 1897, and are Board this year in connection with the at last driven to the admission that the plague, but the Police Force has never been disease has become endemic in the city? so andermanned, as far as Europeans are con What is the practical value of long anony.cerned, as it has been this year. We have been mous screeds such as this signed by "Over- about 25 men short. There is no doubt that if we work and Overstrain." What is the value had not had that shortage we could for a of postio effusions, also anonymous, addressed term have lent some men to the Board to to Gentle Pollock, kind and true," on the sub- assist them in carrying out plague work, for ject of our sanitary sin's of omission? (Langh the simple reason that when the plague is epi- ter.) Nay, more, what is the value even of the demic in the colony a large number of people gallant fight which the Press is always making leave the place, and it has been proved by ex- for the betterment of our sanitation, if our périence that crime in the city decreases, I trust public' men will not come forward and person- that the taking of certain measures will enable ally add their weight and influence to the re- the European portion of the force to be brought presentations of this Board? In a memorable up to its full strength, and if this beldone there speech of Sir Thomas Jackson's some few years is no reason why in the winter months some ago he said that "There is no doubt that the two or three men should not be at the service of present state of Hongkong is a disgrace to our the Sanitary Board for night inspection. It does civilization," and since then Mr. Whitehead has not require any technical knowledge. It is many times reiterated these sentiments, and yet simply a matter of going into the houses and I fear that this state of things must continue so counting the sleepers, and all you want is some long as old buildings are allowed to exist and discretion. I think in that way the Board new ones to be erected without adequate pro- would obtain substantial assistance. I would vision for their lighting and ventilation. Surely vote for a resolution which recommended the it cannot be that the Colony's property is in the appointment of an Assistant Medical Officer of hands of men to whom the physical and moral Health and two additional first-class inspectors. welfare
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the community are naught in com. I think that that addition is certainly required. parision with their illicit gains from the rack. I would like to say that it is not by increasing renting of foul brothels and fouler tenements! our staff of inspectors to an excessive strength Surely the representatives of the vast commerce that we can get rid of the plague. There is of this port have some interest in the cleanliness only one panacea for plague, as the Medical of the port
Can we but get their views upon Officer of Health has pointed out, and that is this question and act upon them I am sure that light and air. It was proved here in 1894. the Board's hands would be strengthened and The inhabitants of Taipingshan, who had been that there would be an irresistible demand for giving us 100 cases of plague every day, were the improvement of our sanitary laws. If removed to new buildings which had never been any
} one wants evidence of the influence of occupied before; they were put there in limited
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population turned neck and. placed in temporary dw free circulation of air got no plague
quite soon after they were sun and air upon them almo the actual germs, which mu bodies before they were groping about for panaceas, you had 20 Medical Officers sanitary inspectors, and if yon had enough to drown the whole city, you wo stamp the thing out. The only be socomplished is to sit down and bit improve the city until you get it into suel state that plague or any other infectious cannot obtain a frm hold upon, as, fla, mat opinion it will take 25 years of hard work to de this.
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Mr. OSBOENE-In is matter of this involving a considerable, increase, in the penditure of the colony. I have not slightest doubt the Government only too ready to po oh advantage. of the remarks which have fallen from the Vice-President and refuse what we ask. ↑ Thanks fore I am very sorry to hear what the Vice President has said, because although da with a great deal of what he has said in to panaceas for this evil, still the factores that we have got to deal with things as they and not as they ought to be. We, has beard that this Insanitary Properties (Bilk apparently shelyed. It has taken five. get it into its present state, and it will probably be a very much longer time before; is boop law. In the meantime we are going on in the old way. The plague has become endemic, and apparently we are helpless. Therefore seemed to me when I first spoke on the subs ject that the only thing to do underst circumstances was to ask the Government, give us a larger staff, so that we could de best we could as at present and keep the even as it is a little oleaner—to keep y the cubicles and all those, illegal, strno inside the houses and then, it seemed to we could set to work on the large and comprehensive scheme of taking really prac steps to admit light and air into all these sly Although we are very much obliged i police for the assistance they have given na past, I do not think we ought to count upon. any more than we can count upen The reason that volunteers did not com ward this last summer was from wha heard, that people argued that business of Government to provide plague epidemics; that whilst they willing to come forward in the first assist they would not do so now, said no steps, or not suficient s taken to meet the diffaulty cannot hope for volunteers in the future. regard to the police, we cannot be gare assistance, and in any case it is
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a make-shift, and in a matter of thin ought not to be dependent upon, mal Ar regards, the amount of work whi inspectors have to do to keep the place als do not think we need a better. illustra what the Vice-President, Mr. Ormaby, sell saw and went through souča We visited some of those alums was literally heart-breaking work, i question of climbing up the stairs.
Fallide were perfectly dark. The air dust and filth and noisome smalls; so much-no that I know that I for about an hour half afterwards felt quite sick, and I belie the Vice-President and Mr. Ormaby much better. That is the kind of inspectors have to do every day of From the figures that have been rive the Medical Ofloor, of Health it would that there are about 2,000 floors i and these floors are supp
but still rely upon figu sometimes count the and the spectors it works to something-like
mga anitation upon such diseases as bubonic plague numbers; they were not allowed to erect | once every two months. Ofn
let them read carefully the history of typhus fever in the great cities of England. This disease in I believe, universally, recognised as having many very close" resemblances to bu bonic plague in fact Mürohison spoke of the latter as the
ärm ölimates.”
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cubiales; they were visited twice a day; it was seen that the buildings were properly ventilated, the windows being kept open. There were 4,000 people there for two months, and they only contributed tan casón of plague amongst them during that period."" I speaki
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