158
recom-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Hon.
Mr.
(August 21, 1909. there was no such thing as a latrine which was
HEWETT-I agree with the not a water-closet. There was no dreadful bucket Registrar-General. If my memory serves me. system. That was one of the things which I think the rooms are very dark and not shocked him most when he came to the East. particularly well ventilated. If they are to be Dr. CLARKE, M. O. H., replied that the ex-used as stores, it is possible some structural planation was that Gibraltar had a dual water alterations should be made. supply. The use of filtered water for W. C.'s when Chinese had only two hours of water daily would be iniquitous. (Hear hear.)
The matter then ended.
EXHUMATION AND RE BURIAL.
Correspondence was submitted relative to an application for a permit to exhume remains
from the Chinese Protestant Cemetery at Pok- fulam for re-burial in a certain grave space in the Colonial Cometery.
Government bacteriologist, and on his return there would be a vacancy for the second assistant medical officer of health. The question was whether they would require anybody to replace him or not. He might point out that except for one short period, as far back as 1903, there had never been three medical officers at work at the same time in the Colony; at that time a third medical officer was appointed on the mendation of Professor Simpson when plague was very bad in the Colony, but since August 1905 there had only been two medical officers actually engaged in the work. In addition, he wished to point out that owing to the simpli. fication of plague procedure and the reduction in the amount of general sanitary work the work of the medical officers had been reduced. That was a further reason why
Mr. Chan Yui Tong, brother of Chan Sai, is pre- only two medical officers were Certain duties had been transferred to the Build-pared to allow the latter to bury the remains of his mother in one of his grave spaces in the ing Authority, and that further reduced the work of the medical officers, so that the doctors Colonial Cometery where he has re-buried the onginally appointed for plague were not required remains of his own mother and other members of the family. Please circulate to members of now even for plague work. They could do other
the Board who, I understand, are prepared to work. Last year there was a severe outbreak of plague, the cases exceeding over 1,300, and agree to this arrangement, though they un- the two medical officers were able to cope with animously refused Mr. Chan Sai Kai's applica the work. It seemed therefore unnecessary to
tion for separate grave space. have three medical officers where two would suffice, as even in an emergency they could always get an extra man. To pay that officer during the period when he is not required seemed in the present state of the finances to be hardly advisable.
required.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-Is any of the Medical Officer of Health's work now done by the Head of the Department?
The PRESIDENT-A certain portion of the work formerly done by the Medical Officer of Health is now done by the Head of the Depart- ment, while a great deal is done by the two in conjunction.
Mr. HOOPER-Who does the mortuary work
in Victoria?
The PRESIDENT—A great deal is done by the Government bacteriologist.
Mr. HOOPER-Who does Kowloon? The PRESIDENT-The Medical Officer of Health.
Mr. HOOPER-How many hours a day does that take him?
The PRESIDENT-I will ask Dr. Pearse to reply.
Dr. PEALSE--The average is about two hours a day.
Mr. HOOPER-Then. Sir, I would refer you to the Governor's minute. What is his sug. gestion that we should borrow from the Medical Department?
The PRESIDENT read the Governor's minute.
Mr. HOOPER-Then we should be in no worse position than we are to-day. We do not care whether a doctor is supplied from the medical department or whether he is sent from England. We have the same staff.
The PRESIDENT
The HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT minuted-
Mr. SHELTON HOOPER-What is the depth of the present grave, and what will be the minimum space between the ground surface and the top of
the coffin?
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-Approve sub- ject to the Medical Officer of Health reporting no sanitary objection.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH- The
death occurred in 1878, and therefore there is no sanitary objection to the transfer of the
remains.
The PRESIDENT remarked that this was the same application that had come before the Board at a previous meeting, but was refused because it was pointed out to members that the brother of the applicant had already several grave spaces in the Colonial Cemetery. If the present applicant could put, his mothers remains in one of the grave spaces already provided, the Board would consider the matter. Ho understood that all the relatives died some- no longer in time ago, and that they were coffins, but in ordinary pots. Whether the pots were in the cemetery or not he could not say. Mr. HOOPEE In the Colonial Cemetery? The PRESIDENT-I understand so. Mr. HOOPER-In pots ?
The PRESIDENT-I presume it was in a pot, but not in a coffin.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK-Was this room not required by the poultry dealers for storing purposes, and did they not offer to pay for the use of it ?
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL- The poultry dealers who were turned out have first claim.
The PRESIDENT moved that one of the kill-
ing rooms be let as a stall.
Mr. HOOPER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
The report of the Government Analyst reia- tive to the public water supplies of the Colony for the month of July was submitted. His
Pokfulam showed that both these reservoirs analyses of samples taken from Tytam and contained good drinking water. With regard to the Kowloon supply, he recommended that the water should be filtered before used for drinking,
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
on D
The mortality return for the week ended
rate death
per July 31st, based 1,000 per annum, showed that the death rate of the whole Colony for the week ending 24th ultimo was 23.1 and 21.9 for the week ended July 31st, as against 34.2 for the corresponding week of last year.
RAT RETURN.
The rat return for the week ended July 31st showed that out of 1,697 rats caught in Hong- kong and Kowloon nine were found to be infected. During the succeeding week the capture was 1,510, and of these nine were infected.
DESPERATE FISHERMEN.
A STORY FROM LANTAO 18LAND.
An unusual disturbance aroused residents from their slumbers in the quiet little village on Lantao Island early on Friday morning. It appears that at about 3 a.m. on the morning mentioned seven Hoklo fishermen, armed with choppers, knives and bamboos, landed at the village unobserved, and approaching an unnum- bered house at Shekshan, forced an entrance. The robbers apparently knew that there were two hawkers who carried a plentiful supply of
of cloth and a considerable sum
this house, and the object of staying at their visit was to relieve these men of their wares and cash. They entered the house with wild shouts and proceeded to use their bamboos and choppers on the inmates until they were satisfied that the latter were thoroughly fright-
Mr. HOOPER-I don't quite follow. Do you mean to say that those interred in the Colonial Cemetery now were buried in coffins originally and then taken out and put in jars or pots?
The PRESIDENT-I cannot say, but the point I considered would be raised was whether there was any sanitary objection or not. If there are pots with only bones in, I presume there is no
ened. That was the proposal sanitary objection. The burials were as far
back as 1882. made by the Secretary of State in re- commending Dr. Macfarlane for the post of Government Bacteriologist; if the second assis- tant was not replaced we should always have a man from the medical department.
Mr. HOOPER Then I think that is quite satisfactory. We shall not suffer the loss of a medical officer of health, because we shall have one at our call from the medical department.
When the Board resumed the PRESIDENT brought forward the resolution contained in his minute.
This was seconded by Mr. LAU CHU PAK, and carried on the assumption that arrangements are made with the Medical Department for the
loan of a medical man.
WATER FLUSHING GAIN.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I move that the application be granted.
Mr. HOOPER-Provided there is sufficient
space.
The PRESIDENT-The grave will not project above the ground.
Colonel BEDFORD-That is laid down in the Ordinance.
The application was granted.
POULTRY FRUIT STORE.
Mr. Au Yeung Kwong applied to the Board for a lease for five years of one of the two rooms in the Central Market formerly used for killing poultry, but now racant. He intended to use the room for selling fruit.
The COLONIAL VETERINARÝ
SURGEON
Arising out of a discussion on the insanitary reported that the rooms mentioned had been condition of a latrine,
COLONEL BEDFORD said the solution of the difficulty was water flushed urinals. That was the remedy for this and a great many other nuisances which came before the "oard.
The PRESIDENT remarked that the chief difficulty was the water supply.
COLONEL BEDFORD thought that should hardly apply when they saw tons of water rushing to the sea after rain. He had served on the Rock of Gibraltar, where the only water that could be obtained was from the rain which "ca me down from Heaven or from water pumped from wells. In that town, with a population of 25,000,
practically unoccupied since the new killing rooms were erected. They were used only at festival times, and were not then crowded. He thought it might be a good thing to let this as
a stall for three years at the average rout of the other fruit stalls, and at the end of that time its value would be better known. There were not too many fruit stalls.
Mr. Ho Kom TONG minuted-I think the Veterinary Surgeon's recommendation should be adopted.
money
Then the hawkers were asked where they had stored their money and goods. They lost no time in showing their assailants, and the fishermen speedily appropriated the cloth and the cash and departed. Next morning it was reported to the police at Chungchau that the robbers had departed with 8400 worth of cloth, and $29.50 in cash. Sergeant Gordon immediately instituted inquiries, the result being that two men wore arrested with the amount stolen in their possession. The police also learned that the men who had taken the cloth had sailed away in the direction of Linting, which is in Chinese territory
The two men arrested were charged before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Magistracy on Aug.. 16th and remanded.
*
A SANITARY PROSECUTION.
.
Dr. F. Clark, Medical Officer of Health, proceeded against a storekeeper who carries on business at 81, Bonham Strand, for having in his possession tinned fish unfit for human consumption.
Mr. Otto Kong Sing, who appeared for the defendant, raised the defence that the fish was not for sale. It was stored in defendant's shop Mr. HOOPER Has there not been some other until such time as the owner could examine it.
for a application to rent this killing room. fruit or vegetable stall before?
.
His Worship imposed a nominal fine of $5, and informed" the "defendant that he should have reported the matter to the Sanitary Board
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