concerned in matters of public health, and six unofficials who represent the various communities of the Colony. The Chairman of the Urban Council is also the administrative head of the Sanitary Department which has a staff numbering several thousands carrying out the Council's various statutory duties.
The Urban Council is the responsible authority for administering the public health laws governing sanitation, food inspection, food establishments and offensive trades within the urban district which comprises Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon.
The District Commissioner, New Territories, is responsible for administering the laws concerning the same subjects in the New Territories. He is advised by the Director of Medical and Health Services and assisted by health officers and inspectors.
The Medical Department, with a staff of approximately 2,636, is administered by a Director assisted by three deputies of whom the Deputy Director of Health Services is the professional adviser and vice-chairman of the Urban Council. This department is responsible for the medical care and treatment of the Colony's entire population; it consists of three main divisions dealing with hospitals, health and investigation.
The treatment of accidents, maternity, infectious diseases (in- cluding tuberculosis), mental and general cases is the responsibility of the hospital division and for this purpose 11 hospitals with a total of 1,750 beds are available. In addition 15 dispensaries, 3 polyclinics and 3 dental clinics are provided for the treatment of out-patients. The Tung Wah group of hospitals, the Nethersole Hospital and the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association's Ruttonjee Sanatorium are also partly financed by the Government and these provide approx- imately 1,350 beds. In addition various private and charitable hospitals provide another 800 beds, making a total of 3,900 beds in the whole Colony.
Anti-epidemic measures such as port health control, vaccination and inoculation are the responsibility of the health division. This division is also responsible for the care of expectant and parturient mothers and for the neo-natal care of infants, inspection and treatment of school children, malaria control, a tuberculosis service, public health education, prevention and treatment of social diseases and the registration of births and deaths.
The pathological laboratories, one on each side of the harbour, the clinical laboratory at Queen Mary Hospital, the chemical and bio-chemical laboratories and public mortuaries are the responsibility of the investigation division.
Health Inspection
For health administration the Colony is divided into six areas. A Health Officer assisted by a staff of health inspectors is responsible in each area for health and sanitation. Health inspectors under the control of health officers are also posted to special duties connected with control of hawkers, anti-epidemic measures, scavenging and squatters.
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