The Straits Settlements medical report.

  • Straits Settlements. Medical Department.
Date:
[1915]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Straits Settlements medical report. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    47/120 (page 47)
    2. The lepers received the usual New Year gifts of 25 cents per man. 3. Staff.—Mr. Assistant Surgeon BkUCE, who had been in charge of the Asylum for over 23 years, became seriously ill toward* the close of 1914. He was admitted to the General Hospital, Penang, where he died on the 7th June, 1915. The health of the staff has been fair throughout the year; but there have been a few cases of Malaria among the coolies. 4. Treatment ff Leprosy.—Treatment with injections of Nastin and Heiser’s preparation of Chaulmoogra Oil was suspended from the beginning of the year until August, owing to the lepers refusing frequent injections. When Dr. Heiser, Chief Health Officer, Manila, visited the Asylum, he explained his treatment to the lepers and told them of the benefits to be obtained from the injections and of the good results he had obtained at the Philippines. As a result a fresh start was made in August with a few cases and gradually the numbers swelled and there are now over- seventy cases undergoing this treatment. The other lepers are eagerly watching the result of this treatment. Many lepers have expressed their satisfaction with the immediate results, such subjective symptoms as the return of sensation, a feeling of lightness and greater ease in movements of fingers, etc., being especially mentioned by them. Changes in colour and size of patches on face and other parts, shrivelling up of nodular thickenings of lobes of ears and of other parts, disappearance of chronic oedematous conditions and the clearing up of dermatitis have all been noticed. In a few cases oedema of hands and feet developed after injections when further treatment was suspended. Amongst those undergoing these injections, one patient, lately transferred from Singapore Asylum, had these injections when in Singapore. He is now having 6 c. c> injected once a week. In this case the disease has made no further progress and it remains to be seen whether continuous a id prolonged treatment will result in cure, or permanent amelioration. Since starting with the injection treatment many lepers have taken Chaulmoogra Oil in gelatine capsules. They declare that the oil taken thus has some good effects on their general condition. This use of the oil by mouth is becoming more general. Since August clarified Chaulmoogra Oil has been tried. Previously the crude oil was in use. This crude oil, which is unsuitable for injection purposes, is found beneficial ire the external treatment of suppurating sinuses with sloughing of tissues, when combined with a small proportion of resorcin and camphorated oil. In some cases the addition of a little powdered iodoform is a great aid. Many cases of sloughing toes and fingers* have improved under this treatment. 5. Buildings.—All wards and other buildings including Dressers’ and Assistant Surgeon’s quarters were painted and whitewashed during the year. Several minor repairs were also carried out. The reservoir at the Leper Asylum was thoroughly overhauled and its bed completely concreted. FEMALE LEPER WARD, JELUTONG. Report by Dr. R. Dane, Chief Medical Officer. The ward and out-houses were kept in good condition during the year. Twenty-one cases remained at the end of 191 T» anc^ 4 cases were admitted, making a total of 25. Three died. The average stay of those who died was 4 years. Durino- the year Intramuscular Injections of 01. Chaulmoogra and Resorcin were- tried on 6 cases. The recent cases showed a slight improvement in the ulcers and ia the nodes.