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.

    60/120 (page 60)
    ESTATE HOSPITALS. The following diseases were treated at the Bukit Asahan, iVIerlimau, Tembong Lendu and Diamond Jubilee Estate Hospitals :— Malarial Fever 1,266 cases with 32 deaths. Dysentery and Diarrhoea 379 n )> 32 Pneumonia and Bronchitis 181 n J? 28 Ankylostomiasis 201 » ) ) 6 M Ulcers 166 ) > JJ 2 }} total cases treated in these hospitals were 4,450 with 138 deaths percentage of 3'i on the total treated. In addition 569 out-patients were treated at the Bukit Asahan Hospital. These Estates have a visiting Medical Officer, the Bukit Asahan and Diamond Jubilee Estates having a resident Assistant Surgeon in addition. Public Health Measures. New drains have been made at Alor Gajah, Merlimau and Pengkalan Balak. The Municipality had several drains repaired, Kubu Plain was filled in and cleaned and a swamp at Koon Cheng Road was filled in. In addition a main drain was com¬ pleted at Kubu. All the works thus mentioned amounted in cost to $927. With the view to combating Malaria in Malacca, I visited 19 Vernacular Schools and lectured to the boys on Malaria and mosquitoes. All the youngsters took a very intelligent interest in the subject and the Gurus promised to speak on the subject frequently to keep the matter in their minds. Within Municipal Limits the Sanitary Inspectors paid special attention to the eradication of breeding places of mosquitoes and notices were served out to house owners who had empty tins, etc., lying about their grounds. Every well was carefully examined and fish ordered to be put in. Lectures on Malaria are being translated into the Arabic character and printed in the Malay Newspaper, the Utusan Malayu, so as to reach as large a circle of Malays as possible. One thousand four hundred and seventy boys in schools throughout Malacca were examined and 270 were found with enlarged spleens. With the view to forwarding vaccination among Malays I have spoken in the schools on its utility in the suppression of small-pox, a disease which they dread as it entails isolation in a Quarantine Camp and has a high mortality. Every boy in the Vernacular Schools has been vaccinated. The Infantile Mortality of Malacca is terrible and “ convulsions ” heads the list of causes. With the view to its being lowered I have delivered lectures in Malay on the subject to the Penghulus in the Central, Jasin and Alor Gajah Districts at their respec¬ tive head-quarters dwelling on the extreme prevalence of “convulsions,” its very high death-rate, and pointing out that it is chiefly brought about by injudicious dietary and the feeding of infants, even the newly born, on soft boiled rice. This lecture has also been published in the Utusan Malayu. In connection with the prevalence of Ankylostomiasis, at the suggestion of the Principal Civil Medical Officer, an examination of the fceces of every patient admitted into the Durian Daun and Jasin Hospitals was made from July 1st to December 31st with the following results :— MALACCA. Durian Daun Hospital. 1. Number of patients examined ... 1,680 2. Number of patients found with ova of Ankylostoma ... 267 3- Number of patients found with ova of other worms 38 Jasin Hospital. 1. Number of patients examined ... 204 2. Number found with Ankylostom ova 55 3- Number found with ova of other worms 47 4. Number admitted with symptoms of Ankylostomiasis ... 27 5- Total Admissions for Ankylostomiasis 1915 5i 6. Total deaths from Ankylostomiasis 8 1