Annual report on the Medical Department / Straits Settlements.

  • Straits Settlements. Medical Department.
Date:
[1931]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the Medical Department / Straits Settlements. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/148 (page 19)
    The practice of referring to the health branch applications for licences for coffee shops, eating shops, slaughter houses, markets, milk vendors, etc., has been continued with satisfactory sanitary results. Inspections as tabulated were carried out in the northern and southern settlements : — Coffee Shops Toddy Shops Rating Shops Markets Milk Vendors Slaughter Houses Singapore 1,604 140 929 714 418 437 Penang 1,215 89 619 102 48 179 Province Wellesley i,i57 120 947 624 157 225 Dindings 197 l6 102 254 85 78 4A73 365 2,597 1,694 708 919 In addition, bakeries, fishmongers’ shops, grocers’ shops and chandu shops were inspected. In Malacca, similar work was done. Eight villages have good markets. There are three dairies in the rural area, supplying milk to Malacca town ; samples taken were satisfactory. C.—Measures taken to spread the knowledge of Hygiene and Sanitation Some of these are detailed in the Maternity and Child Welfare and Social Hygiene reports. Baby shows have been held in both large and small centres. Health officers and their assistants and health sisters give advice on the preservation of individual health both at clinics and in set lectures. Tan tern slides and films are shown especially in connection with venereal disease, hook-worm and malaria. Pamphlets and posters are issued. Lectures on health are given in all government schools both English and Vernacular. The diffusion of knowledge of the principles of hygiene is gradually spreading amongst school children through lectures and b}- demonstrations and physical examina¬ tions carried out in the schools, amongst mothers through the visits of the health sisters and amongst the population generally through the gradually awakening intelligence of those who share in the advance of sanitary progress. The householder who is unaware of the existence of a sanitary inspector is now a rarity, and few owners of land are left in ignorance if their holding proves to be a breeding place for mosquitoes. Sanitary inspectors are taught to advice and encourage rather than to adopt the roll of the policeman. The knowledge of their duties, in which they receive a comprehensive grounding during their course of instruction in Singapore, is supple¬ mented by fortnightly lectures at the office headquarters. Public health museums have been set up in some of the health offices, both for the instruction of staff and the education of the general public : there are also exhibits and posters at the health centres. Propaganda work has been undertaken on a permanent basis by the health branch. D.—Training of Sanitary Personnel With the development of rural sanitary work, it became obvious in 1921 that the government should have a proper staff of sanitary inspectors. A lecture-room, small museum and various offices and a store were fitted out. The collaboration of the Royal Sanitary Institute of Loudon was fortunately obtained ; and, in accordance with its practice in suitable tropical centres, the Institute agreed that students locally trained on an approved schedule should be able to obtain the sanitary inspector’s certificate of the London Institute after an examination by an approval board of examiners, in co-operation with the government of the Straits Settlements. This facility was much appreciated, for it meant that not only the students destined for government service would be catered for, but, at the same time, without much expen diture, members of the public might be admitted to the course on payment of the necessary fees. The first session began in May, 1921, and, was attended by five selected candidates for government service.