Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health / City Council of Pretoria.

  • Pretoria (South Africa). Health Department.
Date:
[1965]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health / City Council of Pretoria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    25/192 (page 21)
    In 77 of the cases diagnostic swabs were taken. Seventy-five of these showed Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus to be present. In 2 of the cases no growth was found. Swabs were not taken from the balance of the cases (41), as the lesions had been treated and had already healed by the time the Health Visitor made her visit. From the Clinical history however, the lesions were considered to be Staphylococcal. In seven of the cases where lesions showed Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus to be present, a second organism was found to be present as well. These were as follows:— Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus and Beta Haemolytic Streptococcus. 3 cases. Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus and Diplococcus Pneumonia. 1 case. Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus and Alpha Haemolytic Streptococcus. 1 case. Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus and E. coli. 2 cases. Sensitivity tests were also carried out on cases of Coagulase (*) Staphylococcus to assist in the treatment of patients. The number of swabs which showed insensitivity to the various antibacterial agents were as follows:— Sulphonomides. . 46 - (2) Colistin. . 11 (65) Penicillin. . 43 (59) Chloramphenicol. . 9 (4) Polymixen. . 42 (62) Novobiocin. . 8 (3) Tetracycline. . 34 (23) Oleandomycin. . 8 (-) Streptomycin. . 24 (24) Vancomycin. . 7 (1) Erythromycin. . 20 (12) Kanamycin. . 6 (4) Methicillin. . 13 (-) Cephalosporin C. . 4 (-) Ampicillin. . 15 (45) Spiramycin. . 3 (-) Supervision of persons practising midwifery in the Municipal Area, other than Medical Practitioners is carried out by the Inspectress of Midwives. Her duties include routine inspections of Maternity homes under our control. Regular inspections of these Maternity Homes were made and the staff advised in the control of this infection. MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS The following cases were reported:— Europeans Non-Europeans Total Local Cases. 3 (6) — (1) 3 (7) Imported Cases. — (1) — (—) — (1) Two of the patients were from Hercules and one from the Central Area. All the patients were removed to hospital, where one, a European female of 113/i2 years un¬ fortunately died shortly after admission. OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES REPORTED Local cases Imported cases Europeans Non- Europeans Non- Europeans Europeans Erysipelas. .. 6 (4) 2 (1) - (—) - (-) Encephalitis. .. 5 (5) (2) - (-) (1) Leprosy. .. — (1) (7) - (-) 2 (1) Tetanus Neonatorum. . . - (-) 4 (-) - (-) - (-) Opthalmia Neonatorum. . . . 1 (-) - (-) - (-) - (-) Insecticidal Poisoning. .. 2 (-) - (-) - (-) - (-) TUBERCULOSIS During the year 1,259 cases of Tuberculosis were reported, 173 of which were Europeans and 1,086 non-Europeans. The total notifications show an increase of 394 over last years figure, which was 865. This increase, as will be seen from the tables that follow, is due mainly to the discovery of a large number of Primary Complex cases which were discovered during a rather intensive campaign of Heaf Testing conducted at a number of European and non-European schools. It is however, interesting to note that in spite of this extensive case-finding campaign, the notifications for Pulmonary Tuberculosis have shown a very slight increase from 675 in 1964 to 691 during 1965. A start has now been made with the administration of B.C.G. to all new-born babies in ma¬ ternity hospitals. At present it is given to approximately 250 European and 760 non-European babies per month. It is administered to all babies except those who have severe jaundice, are acutely ill or are under observation for a variety of reasons. The vaccination does not cause any ill- effects and in most cases does not leave scars. Where mothers are doubtful whether the vaccine has “taken”, they are requested to report to the clinic after 6 weeks. No undesirable reactions have been observed so far. VITAL STATISTICS The following table A shows the total number of notifications for the year, classified in the various races and sexes. In tables B and B1 comparative tables of notifications for the years 1948 to 1965 are given.