March 23, 1901.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
for the issuing of handbills calling the attention men to be engaged, and everything was now of the Chinese to the fact that vaccination was being done by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon a protection against small-pox. He advocated
in the
to do was to the shed an infected area occasion, and certain places should be named the Vice-President's order engaging the men. at which the vaccination could be done. He On the motion of Dr. CLARK, seconded by would suggest the Tung Wa Hospital, | Mr. CHATHAM, the Board gave the necessary the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals, declaration and endorsement of the Vice-Pre- and the Government Civil Hospital. That sident's action, and that concluded the business. would necessitate a considerable stock of vaccine lymph. He believed about 300 tubes were used every week at present, but that would not be sufficient to meet the increased demand, and with a view of securing sufficient lymph he proposed that the Government be asked to telegraph to Saigon for a further supply.
similar course being taken on the present deve ordinary way. All they and endorse
On Thursday afternoon, the 21st inst., a meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held. In the absence of the Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., (Vice-President, and Captain Superintendent of Police), Dr. Bell (Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer) was voted to the chair. There were also present Mr. W. Chatham (Acting Director of Public Works), the Hon. A. W. Brewin, Mr. E. Osborne, Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. Fang Wa Chuen, Mr. Chan A. Fook, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
The CHAIRMAN observed that at the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals they were doing a tremendous amount of work among the Chinese and he had himself given the staff of those institutions 200 tubes since last Wednes- day.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUEN thought it would be better if they got about a dozen students to go The SECRETARY read a lotter from the Colonial round to the Chinese houses and ask the people Becretary stating that Mr. J. McKie had re- to get vaccinated. He had had an awkward signed his seat on the Sanitary Board, and that experience with his own servants, who, not- | arrangements would be made for the election withstanding his express instructions, refused of a successor.
RESIGNATION OF MR. J. MCKIE,
to get vaccinated. He thought the Govern- The CHAIRMAN said that this matter was re- ment should be asked to engage these students,ferred to at the previous meeting, so that all for their labours would be more effe tive in that was necessary now was to lay the letter on securing the attendance of the Chinese at the the table. vaccination stations.
The Hon. A. W. BREWIN Ooncurred. There were a great many people who would not take the trouble to go to a Hospital to get vaccinated, and unless it was taken to them nothing would be done. He thought it was a good idea.
Dr. CLARK: So it is!
The CHAIRMAN: The more students we can get the sooner it will be done. The disease is practically all over the town, and has been going on for a long time now.
BATH-HOUSES FOR CHINESE COOLIES.
severe cold of the proceeding two days. enclose a plan of the district to illustrate my report.
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(2.) Considering first the main stream marked “A” on the plan the complete re. moval of all bushwood from the lower part of it and the filling up of many side pools, are an undoubted improvement to the district. But I found the whole stream in its more stagnant parts literally swarming with larvae of anopheles, which were not confined t
to any particular hollows. Immediately above the plank bridge beside the old mortuary is a deep pool round the edges of which I was able in the presence of Inspector Watson to scoop up larvae and pupae at nearly every dip of the spoon. And a similar condition existed all along the ravine, Moreover, over the pos
position of some of the old side pools, now filled up, a greenish ooze. of water-weed has formed above the lime and cement with which they have been filled owing to a trickle of water over them, and in this ooze I found the larvae abundant.
3. There are two branches of this stream which join it near the old Tung Wa Mortuary. That marked B" is also inferted with larvae. everywhere but that marked “C” is quite free from them, owing to its being rendered foul by soap and soda used by washermen, along its banks and so made unfit for the breeding of anopheles.
4. Turning my attention to the Valley on the East side, of the spur occupied by the new Police The SECRETARY read the following minute Station, I found the nullah marked "D" at the from His Excellency the Governor, dated the date of my visit almost dry and such pools as 7th instant, relative to the provision of bath-exist in a foul condition owing to the houses for Chinese coolies:-
"I think it may have an important bearing upon the health of the colony if two or three bath-houses can be supplied for the use of the working coolies. Ask the S. B. to advise as to this matter and the location of the bathhouses." Lieut. Col. Hughes, R.A.M.C-Most néces
sary'
""
Dr. CLARK then moved the following resolu- tions:-
Dr. Hartigan:-"It is eminently satisfac- (1)-That this Board recommend the Gor-tory to find His Excellency advocating a ernment to insert a notification in the Govern-
measure urged by the 8. B. on previous Govern. ments unavailingly. HE's. recommendation should be taken in hand forthwith.
Presence of workmen quarrying or breaking up rocks higher up and consequently free from larvae, while that marked "E" is aimilarly free from anopheles owing to the use of it by washer- men, though I found larvae in springs by the side of the stream.
5. I further continued my enquiry to the west side to which I first referred. At “F” there is a
nullah partly trained and in this trained nullah close above the slaughter houses I found a green ooze similar to that above mentioned coating the surface of the stone floor of the watercourse at certain points where water was trickling from the sides and swarming with the larvae of
ment Gazette calling the attention of the public to the prevalence of small-pox in the Colony, and stating that persons can be vaccinated free of cost at the Tung Wa Hospital, the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals, and the Government Civil Hospital.
Mr. E. Osborne:-"I think the Board recom- (2.)-That the Board recommend the Gov-mended public baths some time ago. They are ernment to instruct the Registrar General to badly needed, especially for the coal-coolies at issue posters and hand-bills calling the atten. Wanchai." tion of the Chinese to the necessity for being vaccinated, and that the Government engage competent vaccinators from the College of Medicine for Chinese to go from house to house and offer vaccination to the inmates.
Mr. Fang Wa Chnen: It is very impor- tant that public bath-houses for coolies bo es-anopheles. tablished."
(3.)-That the Board recommend the Gov. ernment to telegraph to Saigon for a stock of❘ vaccine lymph to supplement the local supply.
Mr. CHATHAM seconded, and the resolutions were carried on a show of hands. RINDERPEST AT THE POKFULAM DAIRY FARM. The CHAIRMAN read the following letter which had been received from Mr. Ladds ad- dress d to the Acting Secretary:-"I have to report for the information of the Board that several cases of rinderpest have occurred in a shed containing 33 head of cattle at the Sassoon's Villa premises of the Dairy Farm Company at Pokfulam,
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"The whole of the herd having been inoculated some time ago, the general type of the disease is of a very mild character, and as I have now reinoculated all the animals, I anticipate that the outbreak will be easily stamped out. The farm being so far distant from any other, there is no danger of the disease spreading to them. In fact rinderpest is an easy disease to isolate at any time. For example, when the outbreak occurred amongst the military reserve cattle last autumn at the Government østtle sheds two sheds only were infected whilst nine other sheds which were full of cattle all round, within a few yards of the infected ones, and în the same compound, escaped free simply on account of strict isolation and careful disin: fection. All that now remains to be done at Pokfulam is to declare the shed an infected and to authorise the appointment of two ner, whom I have that the letter was
ithorised
WAX explain to the Vice-President,
The Vice-president :-"In Shanghai, Peking, Tientsin, and other Chinese cities, public baths are opened by private enterprise, like at home If a Chinese were. granted the sole privilege of opening bath-houses, I believe they might be opened in that way. In fact I was approached on the subject some years ago."
The CHAIRMAN said the Board was asked to advise as to this matter of bath-houses and to select some sites. He thought there was no question whatever that it was a very good scheme indeed, and he thought the work should be done by the Government. If they waited for private enterprise in the matter it would be a long time in coming. He thought the Govern- ment might start with two baths one east and one west. As Mr. Osborne said, one was very much required in the Wanchai district for the coal-coolies there. He suggested the appoint ment of a committee to select sites.
Mr. OSBORNE proposed the appointment of Dr. Clark and Mr. Chatham.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUEN seconded, and the motion was carried.
THE ANOPHRLES MOSQUITOES, The SECRETARY read the following report of Dr. Thomson on the presence of the larve of the anopheles mosquito in the neighbourhood of the cattle-depot at Kennedytown ---
6. At "G" to the south-west of the now dis used silk-works there is a marshy piece of ground used as a cress-garden and here to found the larvae abundant.
7. At "H" close behind the site of the pro- posed Tang Wal Hospital Infectious Diseases Branch there is elevated marshy ground similarly harbouring larvae in abundance..
8. Having given the foregoing facts very careful consideration the following seems to be their practical bearing :
(1) The valley drained by the two streams marked "D" and "E" does not demand early attention, but inasmuch as there is already in it a considerable Chinese population and as the Chinese city will probably tend to spread still more into this valley the nullahs should even- [tually be trained when nullahs near the centre
of the city have been dealt with.
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(2.) The neighbourhood of the proposed Chinese Infectious Diseases Hospital marked G." & "H." will need to be thoroughly drained before that building is occupied or it will certainly prove unhealthy. A free channel for a stream flowing past the site made with some systɔm of subsoil should bo drainage for the marshy ground as a whole, to remedy the present damp condition of part of the surface. In connection further cutting of a sloping hauk behind the new Hospital, which I understand is to be made a deep damp hollow between the new site and the Government Infectious Diseases Hospital should be filled in, until proper provision is made for the stream passing through it in the interest of both hospitals. (3) Not much more of a ter character can be done for the the nullahs to the south-east of the
and * B," and I do marked “ A the needs of the locality at
“I have the honour to report that at the sug- gestion of the Director of Public Works I have carefully inspected the neighbourhood of the cattle depot at Kennedytown with a view to ascertaining its present condition as regards the presence of larvae of anopheles mosquitoes and I submit the results of my observation for the information of His Excellency the Governor. I spent the afternoons of Friday. 1st instant, and Tuesday, the 5th instant, at Kennedytown, making my second visit partly level to complete notes made on the previous occa- | district sion and partly to investigate the result of the
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