11. 醫療船「慈雲號」
Medical Vessel: The Tsz Wan
醫療船的出現是因為50 年代時香港的海上交通極為落後，當離島居民遇到有病痛需要就醫時，要花大量時間到市區醫治，要不只能光顧鄉村無牌醫生。馬會有見及此便與當時之離島理民府官員洽商由他們捐贈出醫療船由政府安排醫療船到各離島行醫，方便居民不用在有病時還要辛勞地長途跋涉到市區找醫生，。香港赛馬會捐贈之第一代醫療船：「慈雲號」及「慈航號」，分別於1958年及1959年投入服務。兩艘醫療船分别服務香港東面海域及西面海域：•「慈雲號」負責東面海域，包括塔門、鴨洲、吉澳、等地區；•「慈航號」負責西面海域，包括馬灣、大嶼山、喜靈洲及坪洲等地區。1976年開始，醫療船上每月有一次牙醫應診。
記得小時醫療船提供两種馳名聖藥：咳水和藥膏。咳水藥效顯著但非常難喝，被戲稱為「牛尿水」，意思是比牛尿還難喝；藥膏對傷口止痛、癒合有奇效，俗稱「濃雞屎藥膏」，其質地的確很像濃稠的雞糞，又稠又黑。以前裝藥水的樽洗淨可以循環再用，打針的針頭也是消毒後再用，不像今天用完即棄。也難怪，那時在吉澳學校打防疫針，愛滋病還沒有出現。
In the 1950s, Hong Kong had very poor sea transport. When residents of the outlying islands needed medical treatment, it took a lot of time to get to the urban area for proper care. Alternatively, they could go to an unlicensed medical practitioner in their village. In view of this, the HKJC negotiated with officials of the then Islands District Office to secure a donation for medical boats and for the government to arrange for the boats to travel to the outlying islands to provide medical treatment. The first generation of medical vessels donated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Tsz Wan and the Tsz Hang, were commissioned in 1958 and 1959, respectively. The Tsz Wan was responsible for islands in the eastern waters, including Tap Mun, Ap Chau and Kat O; and the Tsz Hang was responsible for islands in the western waters, including Ma Wan, Lantau Island, Hei Ling Chau and Peng Chau.
Two well-known medicines were available on board the vessel at the time: cough syrup and ointment. The cough syrup was effective but was so unpleasant to drink that it was jokingly called “cow's urine water”. The ointment, which was effective in relieving pain and healing wounds, was commonly known as “thick chicken faeces ointment”, because of its thick, black texture. In those days, medicine bottles were washed and reused, and needles for injections were sterilised and reused, unlike today's disposable bottles and needles. It is lucky that diseases like AIDS had not yet emerged when we were vaccinated at Kat O School.
