In the courao of the past eighteen months a number of causes, notably the transfer of the rice-export from' Wuhu, combined to bring about a remarkably rapid growth of trade at Chinkiang. The change in the aspect of the port amounted to a transformation. A dozen steamers might be constantly seen loading in the river when before there was rarely one the little cluster of junks apd sampans grew to a fleet; vast godowns were built; new hongs sprang up like mushrooms; and an army of cargo coolies bellowed up and down the Bund all day long.
This sudden rush of commercial activity brought its own dangers to public health. The multiplied channels though which plague and other epidemics might reach us; the enormous growth of a floating population of the dirtiest habits; the increasing lution of our water-supply; and the numberless nuisances of the worst kind accumulating in the Settlement, imperatively called for attention, The Municipal Council according-sumed the functions of a Sanitary Board, Oficor of Health.
in uly Inst invited me to act as Medical
Previous efforts at sanitary reform had been made io a fitful and listless fashion. But tempts came to nothing for jous:
straitened funds; apathy on the part of lot-holders; and dogged and senseless obstriction, which still continu of the Chinese officials, The Settlement was originally planned, or rather grew up piecemeal, ina haphazard way, with little beyond the most rudimentary provision for sanitary needs, The work undertaken by the present Council had, therefore, to go back to the ver beginning ne small expenditure of tim to carry through to tory completion, the progress achieved has been almost entirely in the direction of surface improverients; and is la the highest degree factory, Nuisances have in great part peared. The old abominable latrines and urinals have in almost every instance been replaced by cleanly and suitable conveniences, laid in cement, which can be easily kept in order, and are under constant supervision by the Municipal police. A number of public urinals and Intrines of a similar character have also been constructed at different points, Certain limited areas, however, ina recent report of mine to th still remain ina neglected and highly insanitary state, T have frequently pointed out the grossly defective condition of the drainage system, and the absence of any contrivances for flushing or ventilating the sewers, These matters will, it is to be hoped occupy the attention of the Council during the present winter, It will be simply unpardonable if another hot season comes and finds us unprepared, The necessary information has been amply furnished in a very lucid and comprehensive report by Messrs. Morrison and Gratton on the engineering aspect of the problem, and my own communications dealing with the sanitary requirements to be fulfilled.
An equally pressing need is that of a wholesome water-cupply. Upon this. and other sanitary questions, I have already entered into considerable detail in previous reports made to the Council.
Special Diseases of 1895.—During the summer and autumn months the worst epidemic of cholera within the memory of most residents raged among the Chinese inhabitants of the city and surrounding region. Remarkably few cases, however, came to light within the boundaries of the Concession. Two deaths from cholera took place among foreigners; one in Jaly, that of an engineer on board a rice-steamer just arrived in port; and one in August, that of a Customs salt-searcher who lived iv a Chinese quarter out of the Concession limits, In July a child of ten months died of choleraic diarrhea; and in August a man of 34 succumbed to the same disease.
bardly needs saying that in every case of cholera, or of anything resembling it, the most rigid and thorough disinfection' was carried out.
In April two Chinese employes of the British Consulate were attacked with scarlet fever, but, the disease did not spread.
In October a foreign resident died of pericarditis and fatty heart; making a total of 5 deaths during the year 1895 in a population fluctuating between 70 and 80.
J. A. Lyscu, M.D., Medical Officer of Health. Chinkiang, 31st Dec., 1895.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.