ENG-1968 — Page 155

HEALTH

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Group has a variable number of beds for the treatment of the more chronic forms of the disease, while the Sandy Bay Orthopaedic Hospital and Convalescent Home deals especially with bone tuber- culosis in children and with other forms of childhood orthopaedic ailments.

Thiacetazone is a cheap and easily administered drug which has been found to be very effective in many parts of the world. Un- fortunately a joint study with the Medical Research Council of the UK has revealed that this drug is too toxic for routine use amongst the Chinese of Hong Kong. At present a large scale trial is underway with the Medical Research Council to evaluate the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy in Hong Kong, i.e.; six months of Strep- tomycin, PAS and INAH followed by PASTINAH for 18 months. Technical advice is also being obtained from the World Health Organization with regard to BCG and tuberculin testing.

Venereal diseases are diagnosed and treated free at clinics main- tained in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. The recorded incidence of early infectious syphilis, which rose to its maximum in 1963 and fell steeply in the succeeding four years, remained low in 1968, thus differing from experience in other parts of the world. Latent and late syphilis and gonorrhoea have stayed comparatively unchanged and the incidence of chancroid and lymphogranuloma remained very low. The maintenance of this satisfactory position is due, at least in part, to energetic epidemic control by contact tracing, follow-up of defaulters and routine ante-natal blood tests.

Leprosy remains a public health problem of almost negligible proportions. Twenty out-patient sessions are held weekly solely for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, while other sessions are held at social hygiene centres in conjunction with dermatology and venereal disease clinics. Surgical appliances are fitted to patients with limb deformities. Prejudice against employment or rehabilita- tion of cured leprosy patients is gradually disappearing and wide- spread publicity is leading to a more humane and progressive ap- proach to the problem by the community. The Leprosy Mission- Hong Kong Auxiliary, with the aid of a government subvention, maintains accommodation for 540 persons at Hei Ling Chau Lepro- sarium for the treatment of infectious cases and a small number of patients requiring reconstructive operations are also accepted.