The annual report of the Medical and Health Departments, Kedah and Perlis.

  • Kedah and Perlis. Medical Department.
Date:
[1928]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The annual report of the Medical and Health Departments, Kedah and Perlis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    54/66 (page 2)
    ■2 out-break promptly subsided, as soon as the taking of raw vegetables and fruits into the Gaol was prohibited. “Fevers” still continue to take the greatest toll of life, and head the list of com¬ municable diseases; most of them are malarial. The number of cases admitted into hospital show a slight decrease from 438 in 1345 to 356 in 1346. Lung complaints come next in order to fevers. There has been a slight decrease m the number of cases of Pneumonia seeking admission into hospital during the present year. The number of admission for ankylostomiasis increased from 34 in 1345 with no mortality, to 83 in 1346 with 5 deaths. 3 Tamil women (two from Cowdar Estate and one from the P.W.D., Line) died a few days after premature labour; all these were bad cases of ankylostomiasis and their haemoglobin on admission was less than 10%. Almost all the Tamil Estate coolies are suffering from this disease. . 1 he coolies on Cowdar Estate are badly affected. An attempt was made to treat these coolies on the estate, and about half the labour force was treated; but treatment had to be given up, as the Assist¬ ant Surgeon was not asked to continue his visits. Conservancy arrangements on Cowdar Estate are primitive, and unless and until they are improved, there can be no great improvement in the number of ankylostomiasis cases. Kaki Bukit is still the proverbial hot bed for malaria. Except for the tia\elling dispensary which visits the place once a fortnight, nothing has been done to improve that place. A malarial survey of this place is necessary before instituting effective anti-malarial measures. Arrangements are now being made to do this. Mukim Beserie is an endemic place of malaria, as shewn by prevalence of enlaiged spleen in the school children at Beserie. The construction of pipes for water supply to Arau was finished in 1346; of the four pekans or townships: Kan gar, Arau, Padang Besar, and Kaki Bukit, which aie under the control of the Sanitary Board, Kangar and Arau are enjoying pipe water supply, while Padang Besar is getting its water from the F.M.S. Railways. A supply of pure water to Kaki Bukit should be considered necessary. The disposal of the night soil in the four pekans is carried out by the Sanitary Boards. All use the bucket system of removal, the night soil being trenched in plots some distance from the town. The trenching ground in Kangar is not satisfactory; it is very near the hospital and trenching is not carried out properly. A suitable plot away from the town on its leeward side, and more careful supervision in the process of trenching are necessary. A qualified health inspector to carry out Sanitary work is required. The health of the Government servants was satisfactory. All of them were examined for signs of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, and three were invalided as they were suffering from active disease. One prisoner in Kangar Goal died of Pulmonary tuberculosis after a pro¬ tected stay of 15 months in the hospital. Of the Malay Vernacular Schools in Perils (2 girls’ schools and IT boys’ schools) 11 boys' schools and 1 girls’ school were visited by the Assistant Surgeon. oys' schools were visited with the following results:— Total pupils on register 1,135 Percentage. Total seen 943 Enlarged spleen 415 44% Pupils showing no vaccination marks ... 30 3.2% Yaws ('Burn) 20 O 190/ ‘ /O Beserie school had the greatest number of enlarged spleens: 68 boj^s out of 74.