The Straits Settlements medical report.

  • Straits Settlements. Medical Department.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    5/156 (page 3)
    The following are the number of cases of beri-berl treated in the various hospitals of the Colony for the past five years:— Beri-beri cases treated igog-igij. Year. Total treated. Deaths. Percentage. 1909 ... 2,118 224 10-57 1910 ... 2,044 290 14-18 1911 ... 2,152 242 11*24 1912 ... 2,032 293 14-41 1913 ••• 2,045 187 9-14 Of 253 chronic cases treated at the sea side Beri-beri Hospital but 2 died of the disease. 14. Venereal Diseases.—The admissions to all hospitals in 1913 were 3,038 with 50 deaths, compared with 3,318 with 39 deaths in 1912. Salvarsan is being more largely used in the treatment of syphilis and with greater experience in the selection of suitable cases has been found of inestimable advantage. One now rarely sees in the wards of our hospitals the terrible wrecks of humanity formerly so prevalent. 15. Phthisis.—Deaths registered from this cause numbered 2,424, against 2,582 in 1912 and 2,907 in 1911. With an increasing population this decrease is even better than it seems but some considerable time must yet elapse before marked return for past improvement in sanitation can be seen. 16. Dysentery.—The deaths from this cause totalled 1,016, as against 1,549 and 2,035 in 1912 and 1911 respectively. 17. Malaria.—The deaths from this cause numbered 2,878. There were also 4,746 deaths returned as being due to fever unspecified. No doubt many malaria cases are returned under the latter head by the Registering Officers who have to arrive at the cause of death from information obtained from relatives only. The numbers for 1912 under these two heads were 4,303 and 4,194 respectively. The admissions for malarial fever to the Hospitals of the Colony, all cases being diagnosed micros¬ copically, were 8,102 with 499 deaths, as against 9,172 in 1912 with 660 deaths. Dr. Finlayson’s services were continued throughout the year in connection with the Anti-Malaria Committee and much good work has been done. I am preparing a separate report with full details for transmission to the Home Advisory Board. 18. Ankylostomiasis.—The numbers treated in the hospitals of the Colony were 1,073 with 159 deaths, against 919 with 173 deaths in 1912. There were 405 admis¬ sions in Singapore and 322 in Province Wellesley. The dangers of this disease are well understood and considerable attention is being paid to the proper housing and sanitation of estate labourers by Medical Officers and by Estate doctors. 19. Hospitals and work done inwall Settlements :— Year. . Number Treated. Number of Deaths. Percentage of Deaths to Total Treated. Europeans. Natives. Total. Europeans. Natives. Total. Europeans. Natives. 1 Total. 1909 1,398 28,868 30,266 70 3,565 3,635 501 12-35 I2'OI 1910 1,463 34,221 35,684 64 4,465 4,529 4-37 13-05 1269 1911 1,702 45,260 46,962 82 6,042 6,124 4-82 13-33 13-04 1912 1,794 40,420 42,214 87 4,566 4,653 4-85 11-29 11-02 1913 2,255 37,470 39,725 82 3,853 3,935 3-66 10-28 9-09