June 17, 1901.]
burial of plague cases, which have ended fatally, could be discontinued with safety having regard to the question of ground adulteration."
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Dr. Clark, to whom the letter was passed, minuted to the effect that he attached no importance to the use of lime, and was quite prepared to discontinue its use. The danger to the community from a dead body buried six feet below the surface was practically nil. The discontinuation of the use of lime would, however, necessitate more durable coffins.
The following minutes were appended:-- Mr. Fung Wa Chuon-“If the M.O.H. and the P.C.M.. are of opinion that the use of quicklime in the burying of dead bodies is of no use, the practice should be discontinued. I agree with M.O.H. that more durable coffins should be used."
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Dr. Bell -"Seems no use.' Hon. F. H. May-"If bodies clear of plague are never to be disinterred, the sooner the plague cemetery at Moant Davis is closed the better. Some of the best sites in the colony hare been sacrificed already to this cemetery, and it is in my opinion a simple waste to go on burying in Mount Davis, and is besides a bad advertisement for the colony."
Mr. MAY-I should like to know if any quicklime is of no use, or only Hongkong quicklime.
Dr. BELL-Any quicklime. Mr. MAY-Well, I don't know In England, I believe, when a man is hang, the body dis- appears in three weeks when buried in quick lime.
Dr. BELL-If you ever heard of a case where a body so buried disappeared in three weeks, I should like to know about it.
Dr. CLARK-I think we might forward to the Government a suggestion that the use of quicklime be discontinued.
The PRESIDENT seconded, and the proposal was agreed to.
THE LEFUSE-DESTRUCTOR.
The following reply from the Government relative to an application by the Board for the erection of a refuse-destructor was read :-
"Colonial Secretary's Office,
**lith June, 1901. "Sir,-In reply to your letter of the 3rd inst., I am directed to inform you that an incinerator for the cremation of cattle having been ordered, His Excellency is of opinion that it should be tried for the purpose of consuming rubbish in addition to its proper use."
"
Dr. CLARKI move that a reply be sent to the Government to the effect that the cattle incinerator will give no indication as to the advantages or disadvantages of a refuse-destruc- tor in this city.
The motion, which was seconded by the PRESIDENT, was carried.
THE TREATING OF PLAGUE CASES AT HOME.
Mr. E. OSBORNE, pursuant to notice, moved :- "1. That persons suffering from plague (or under observation) be allowed to remain in their own homes provided all other persons occupying the same floor are removed, except three adults to attend the patient, and provided a written cortificate be produced from a medical practi- tioner that he has charge of the case. Such medical practitioners to be nominated by Govern ment, their names and addresses published, and to report at once to the Medical Officer of Health if they find the patient is not kept isolated, in which event the patient be im. mediately removed to the Plague Hospital.
2. That the bodies of Chinese who have died of plague may be coffined in the usual Chinese manner by relatives or friends and removed from the colony without any restrictions."
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In making the motion, Mr. OSBORNE said About a fortnight ago we considered a sugges- tion from His Excellency the Governor that plague patients should be treated in their own homes, but the audacity of the idea, if I may thus describe it, so paralysed the Board that wo all with one accord voted against it. A fortnight's reflection has, however, taught mo that the suggestion, startling as it first ap peared, touched one of the vital spots wherein I think lies the secret of success, if evòr we are to be successful in grappling with this most in sidions and deadly of diseases, for I believe, and have always believed, that we shall never make headway without the voluntary co-operation of the Chinese, and I think that our future endea-
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487
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
vours should tread in the direction of securing, discussed, and he had then explained his if necessary, by reasonable concessions, the reasons for opposing it. Mr. Osborne assistance of the people themselves, first in the had said something about details, but did discovery of the disease and subsequently in not explain what those details were. Where the treatment of those who become its victims. were all the people to go who left the The history of plague epidemics in this colony house? Where were the people to look since 1894 reveals the discouraging and after the patient? Where would they get a sorrowful fact that though we have done what medical men to take charge of the case? How seemed right and proper at the moment, our could they be certain that the patient was kept efforts to cope with the disease have never continuously isolated? The only way of been successful, and the cause of failure lies, making sure would be for the doctor to I think, in the fact that wo have forced sit in the room, and a medical man would upon the Chinese measures which were not be in practice long if it were known impalatable and which have caused them to he was sitting with plague people. It was an surreptitiously thwart as at every
turn. old story that a sick Chinaman could not bear I am not saying that these measures should to be taken to the hospital, but it was a wrong not have been tried. I merely say they have one. The only time such a thought entered been tried and failed, and should therefore be a Chinaman's head was when he read the state- discontinued, that we should in future act upon ments of people who ought to know better. Again, lines which will induce the co-operation of the Chinese patients, were not treated by strangers natives and which, I think, can be brought and coolies. They were treated--within the last about by conceding to some extent to their seven weeks at least-by trained nurses, and ignorance and prejudices and by conforming as there were Chinese servants to whom they could far as possible with their ideas. The two mo- talk and ask for anything they wanted. There tions which I am about to propose have this end was only one way to treat plague, and that way in view, the first as a concession to the living was not by allowing coolies to be treated in and the second both to the living and the dead. | their own houses. It would be a most disgrace- Those who are familiar with our method of ful proceeding to do so. As regarded the story searching out and dealing with persons suffer- about the nailing down of coffins, that was all ing from plague, cannot fail to have any but imagination. Mr. Osborne was fond of indulging the most intense pity for the sufferer wo, in imagination. The nailing down was done a dragged by force from friends and home, con- long way from the patients. Europeans might veyed in a comfortless ambulance through miles hear, but not the Chinese. As to the "long of streets. sometimes under a burning sun, procession of coffins," it did not pass in front of deposited in the dreaded hospital and tended by the Chinese matsheds, but in front of European strangers, lies, amidst the most depressing houses. Incidentally, that was to be remedied. surrou dings within touch of the dying. The whole story, to Dr. Bell's mind, was within sight of the dead, and within earshot of pure imagination. There was no place where the hammering-down of coffins, waiting in sick Chinese had a better chance than in a solitary despair till death completes the British hospital, and, further, the amount work which insanitation and disease began. of harm done to them by carrying them, when This is no exaggerate or fanciful picture of delirious, through the streets, was practically my own, but a faithful representation of non-existent, or at least nothing compared to reality and one that exists, and correctly so, the benefits derived from treatment in the in the minds of the Chinese. No wonder then hospital. Where a man had plenty of money, that every Chinese man, woman and child who he might be treated in his own house, becausз can possibly afford to leave the colony does he could afford to have all the necessary so the moment they fall sick. and frequently precautions taken to secure isolation and beforehand. No wonder that friends smuggle skilled treatment, and prevent the spread of the away their sick and dead, or failing the latter disease. But a coolie-that was a different and fearing the consequence of being identified question. Concluding, Dr. Bell said he with the corpse, dump it into the street. opposed the motion, and that tooth and nail. With a view to prevent this wholesale scutt- ling from the colony. to stop the dumping of bodies, to discover the sources of infection, and to get at the true deth-rate of the colony, we should, I think, allow the sick to be treated in their own homes under certain conditions, and permit the bodies of the dead to be coffined in the usual Chinese matner and removed to their ancestral home for burial. At first, comparatively few would probably avail themselves of the privelege, but when the concession came to be known, when it came to be understood that a man could die of plague attended by his friends and in his own home. and buried according to his most cherished ideas, I think that many who could afford the
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Mr. MAY was also opposed to the proposal, and spoke in a similar strain to Dr. Bell. For the benefit of the gentleman who moved it, he would point out that Chinese plague patients were not treated in a British hospital but in one of their own, run by their own nationals. The stories about the "procession of coffine," the "binging down of coffin lids,” and all that, were quite untrue. Mr. May said he had been down to the Tung Wah Plagne Hospital, and saw nothing of the kind. In 94 and again in '98-especially in th latter year-they had gone as far as they could possibly go to meet the objections of the Chinese, They had even said to them If you are sick you can go anywhere you like out of the colony, services of a doctor would do so, and those who, so long as you start from a particular wharf through poverty, could not, would be less reinc- and leave your name and address." Only thre tant to go to the native hospital if they were
Chinese availed themselves of this permission assured of being treated by their friends, and, to leave the colony when they know they wero in the event of death, being removed from the sick of plague. The reason was that the ex- colony without fear. These, sir, are my pro- pense was too great, the Chinese catching plague posals, based on His Excellency the Governor's being generally poor coolies. As soon as a man suggestion, and though these are details which of that class got sick he went home, no matter would require to be carefully considered, I put what his illness may be. Under the speaker's them forward in the firm conviction that if charge were several hundred Chinese police, adopted they will not be barren of good results. not one of whom paid the slightest attention
Mr. OSBORNE then moved the adoption of to the regulation requiring any
mon in the first motion.
the force, when sick, to go to the Govern Mr. FUNG WA CHUEN seconded, and saidment Civil Hospital. He had long ago the present system of dealing with plague given up trying to enfores that regulation. - patients or plague suspects was dring more
Were he to dismiss every man who disobɔyod harm than good." They had been going on the the rule, at the end of six months there would same lines for the last seven years, and not be a Chinese constable left. They simply nothing to benefit the health of the colony went off to their rural homes, and wrote was being done. In his opinion, a sufferer from plague had as good a chance of recovering in his own house as in the hospital.
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Honoured Sir.-I feel a little sick. I feel I could not get well anywhere than in my native village, so I hope you will grant me a **And ~1," continued fortnight's leave." Mr. May, "simply answer-Kind friend, when you feel better, please return to your
duty." (Laughter.)
Dr. BELL, in opposing the motion, said it had apparently been brought forward with that vague idem they all had of trying to stop plague. Plague came every year, and they could not stop it. To prove this he had only Continuing, the speaker said the idea these to point to India, where they tried with all | men had—a good ides at bottom-was to get sorts of nonsense. The proposal to treat back to their native villages, where there was patients in their own homes" had already been ' plenty of freshair. If they died, they knew where
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