Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services / [Ceylon].

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1927]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services / [Ceylon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    34/138 (page 34)
    Causes of Death.—The following table showing the chief causes of infantile death amongst the total population of the Island for the year 1927 is of interest : — Table showing the Chief Causes of Death amongst the Total Population of the Island for the Year 1927. Causes. Three Months Over Three Months and Total under Percentage of Deaths to Total and under. under One One Year. under One Convulsions 7,010 .. Year. 2,634 . . 9,644 Year. 29-3 Tetanus 41 .. 3 . . 44 •1 Diarrhoea 121 .. 326 .. 447 1-4 Bronchitis 109 . . 138 . . 247 •7 Pneumonia 240 .. 664 .. 904 2-7 Enteritis (excluding enteritis) gastro- 83 .. 143 . . 226 •7 Debility . . - — 7,352 22-3 Prematurity . . - — 2,105 6-4 Other causes .. — — 11,990 36-4 25,459 7,500 32,959 It will be noted that convulsions and debility are the two chief causes of death. The causes of death amongst infants on estates are given in the section on Medical Wants on Estates in Section III. of this Report. The figures given there show that convulsions and debility are the two chief causes of death. YI.—HOSPITALS, DISPENSARIES, AND VENEREAL CLINICS. General Remarks.—In 1927 there were 86 Government hospitals with provision for 6,677 beds, the accommodation varying from 8 beds in smaller outstation hospitals to 839 beds in the General Hospital, Colombo. In addition to the above-mentioned 86 hospitals the following special hospitals were maintained:—A Lying-in Home with 100 beds, an Eye Hospital with 58 beds, a Women’s Hospital of 41 beds, a Children’s Hospital of 67 beds, a Female Venereal Hospital of 29 beds, a Police Hospital of 31 beds, a Prison Hospital of 180 beds, a Tuberculosis Hospital (for chronic cases) of 338 beds, a Tuberculosis Sanatorium of 72 beds, and an Infectious Diseases xxospital of 154 beds. In addition to Government hospitals and dispensaries, 80 estate hospitals and 659 estate dispensaries were maintained during the year by the properietors of estates. There were 543 Central and Branch Dispensaries provided and maintained by Government in different parts of the Island in 1927, and in addition to these the following special institutions were maintained for the treatment of out-patients:—King Edward VII. (Memorial) Anti-Tuber¬ culosis Institute, Colombo; Grenier Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Infirmary, Colombo; Dental Institute, Colombo; and special dispensaries at Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, and Batticaloa for the treatment of eye diseases. The total number of in-patients treated in the various Government hospitals was 200,770, with 12,158 deaths, giving a mortality rate of 6.05 per cent., as against 205,529, 12,745, and 6.20, respectively, the previous year. In the Government dispensaries and at the out-patients’ departments of Government hospitals 2,759,403 patients wdio paid 4,205,220 visits were treated, as against 2,864,733 patients and 4,102,466 visits the previous year. The following are some of the more important buildings that were completed during the year:—Dental Institute (two-storey building), Colombo; Kilinochi Hospital consisting of 6 wards, with a total of 54 beds, administration block, quarters for the full staff; new' children’s ward 16 beds, Kandy Hospital; new two-storey ward of 40 beds, quarters for 14 nurses, 2 apothecaries, 2 stewards, and administration block, Mahamodera Hospital, Galle; Dispensary and Apothecary’s quarters at each of the following places: Eriyagama, Uhana, Gomarankadawela, Ichalam- pattai, Anavilundawa, and Nivitigala; Maternity wards for the hospitals at Ingiriya 4 beds, Deltota 2 beds, Madulkele 4 beds, Agrapatna 4 beds, Kitulgala 4 beds; Infectious Diseases Hospital 4 beds, Dimbulla; Female ward 12 beds, Mihintale Hospital; Female surgical ward 12 beds, Isolation ward 4 beds, and District Medical Assistant’s quarters, Passara Hospital; Apothecary’s quarters, Hiripitiya Dispensary; 2nd Apothecary’s quarters, Batticaloa Hospital- Isolation ward 6 beds, and 2 rooms for nurses’ quarters, Kahawatta Hospital; Isolation ward 6 beds, Kitulgala Hospital; Isolation ward 4 beds, Deniyaya Hospital; Medical Officer’s quarters, Tirukkovil Dispensary. The following are some, of the major improvements that were also carried out during the year:—Additions and improvements to nurses’ quarters, Batticaloa, Chilawq and Badulla Hospitals; to District Medical Assistant’s quarters, Badulla, Haputale, and Karawanella Hospitals; to Medical Officer’s quarters, Chilaw Hospital; to Apothecary’s quarters, Haputale Hospital; improvements to water supplies of Nikaweratiya, Moneragala, Madagama, and Kegalla Hospitals; additions and improvements to latrines of Badulla, Marawila, and ’ Karawanella Hospitals, and Polpitigama, Hiripitiya, and Wellawaya Dispensaries. Many other works were begun but are not yet completed. Report on Colombo Hospitals. A brief summary of the work done in the chief Colombo hospitals is given hereafter. General Hospital, Colombo.—The following is a summary of the chief features of the report of the Medical Superintendent, General Hospital, Colombo: — 873 patients remained in hospital on December 31, 1926, 65 in the paying section and 808 in the non-paying section. During the year 19,770 patients were admitted', 18,144 to the non¬ paying wards and 1,626 to the paying wards. At the out-patient department 44,387 persons were