ing primary schools, securing the vigorous ce-operation of the police in limiting the ravages of the rabies spreading "work," administering the hospitals maintained and controlled bby the Council, endeavouring within the limitations of its legal powers to conserve professional standards. on its voluntary medical register' and using all the skill of its hiyhly~ trained research workers to forestall the activities of disease germs, The result is gratifying. In spite of the congested slate of the Settlement, its 2 many drawbacks as a place of residence, and the handicaps imposed by economic, social, racial and political peculiarities, the authorities are able to give ita moderately good report. Indeed Dr. J. H. Jordan, who is not given to exaggeration or uncontrolled enthusiasm, is able to desecibe the Settlements health as satisfactory. Serious epidemiey—in 8 good hour may the point be made—have been absent for the last three years, but there is some anxiety over the advance of malaria and the revival of typhoid.
Dr. Jordan Is disposed to warn the public against complacence. There is ground for this warning. Ina time of economic depression it is inevitable that conditions favourable to the Department's enemies. should be developed. Unemployment with its consequences of undemourishment, mental depression and relaxation of precautions is one factor of which account has to be taken. 'The frequently heard eriti~ isms' of the cleanliness of the Sclticment—eriticisms which are by means unjustified—are bound to find provocation at a time when the [Council has been foreed to curtail lor severely restrict its expenditure. Since 1932 circumstances have induced the Council to impress on its Jexecutive the importance of avold~ ing recourse to additional taxation. Uis difficult position has been accentrated by the fact that the prevailizyg rate, reduced in 1930 ax the result of the profits made on the sale of the Electricity Department, dustrialization of the Settlement has been forcibly brought out in the Census Report, Tt must bring with it momentous issues among which the study of diseases affecting the industrial worker and the search for protection against those diseases are important. These points should borne in mind for although they Indicate the scope for improvement, they also invite admiration for the worl: which the Health Department has been able to accomplish in the ace of many difficulties, Fortunutely it is able fo count on the cooperation of neighbouring author= ities—a feature of municipal life Which it is to be hoped will be fostered by all three bodies con-corned. It is able once more to pay a warm tribute to the remarkable tance of the Lester Institute of Medical Research, a private organization which, in the short period of its existence, has already rendered notable service to the health protection activities Shanghai and in China generally. One of the most valuable advances made by the Health Department of ate has been the establishment of school clinics to which reference has already been made. The examination of school children has led to the diagnosis of diseases and sultable treatment of them. The scheme is still in its infancy, Its effect on the population cannot be felt until it has really become an important factor in Improving the health of the rising generation, Far more money than is available is required to bring it within measurable distance of comprehensiveness, Morgover it is important that such scheme should be supported by housing reform. The pupils im the school cannot fully benefit from the skill expended on them until the conditions of their homes have been made {0 conform to the ordinary principles of hygiene. No health department worth its salt would fail to recognize the vast gap between its performances and the possibillties presented by an urban population of over a million, Therefore thers is no need to be apologetic in pointing out these defects. Nor should the Department itself be apologetic, for ils report rings true, it indicates that much useful work has been done and a satisfactory deficiency maintained.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.