Nutritional Deficiencies in Hong Kong before Invasion

Abstract

Much has been written about deficiencies in the diet of Chinese; indeed, the deficiencies described seem to be so widespread, severe, and multiple that one might well wonder how the Chinese nation was able to propagate and increase to the extent of 450 millions. However, in an article on the subject of nutritional problems in China (Heng Liu and Chu, 1943) the authors explain that, hitherto, all the research on diets in China has been undertaken in large industrial cities (i.e., Shanghai, Peiping, and Chungking), where the problem of inadequate diets was due to the low purchasing power of the average person. It is not surprising that undernourishment, or even plain starvation, was rampant (and still is rampant) sporadically in parts of China, the main causes being the lack of irrigation with resultant droughts and floods, persistent internal warfare, and, latterly, the Japanese invasion. Thus millions of displaced persons, in search of work or food, converged on large industrial cities, and the resulting saturation and unemployment, coupled with inadequate relief measures, gave rise to conditions of undernourishment or even plain starvation, associated at times with one or more specific deficiencies. Thus in one refugee camp in Shanghai the inmates were given only a bowl of gruel (of imported white rice), with a few vegetable leaves, twice a day. Naturally, severe cases of nutritional oedema and vitamin A, B, and C deficiencies began to appear in due course, but such food cannot be regarded as the customary diet of the Chinese.

Deficiency Diseases in Hong Kong

“…Lately L.M.O. (Maternity and Child WVelfare), Hong Kong In a paper entitled "Nutritional Diseases in Hong Kong before the Japanese Invasion " (Fehily, 1945) I[described the widespread occurrence of B avitaminosis among the Chinese population in Hong Kong which was undoubtedly due to the high consumption of imported highly milled, and, latterly, long-stored rice. This vitamin B deficiency manifested itself mainly in beriberi, which was the second highest cause of death in Hong Kong in 1940; while maternal B avitaminosis (either latent or manifest) was the cause of infantile beriberi, a disease which often appeared in such an acute and lethal form that the term "human milk intoxication" was suggested for it.…”

“…In one foundling home with 75 orphans up to the age of 5 years I observed signs of vitamin B deficiency in 27 children. The ocular signs of ariboflavinosis were especially prevalent; 12 children had conjunctivitis of the type described as being common in Chinese in Shanghai (Hou, 1940(Hou, , 1941, and 10 other children had photophobia alone. On entering the infants' ward one was surprised to see so many infants with their hleads buried in their pillows, while others were doubled up with their heads between their knees.…”