Annual report on the Medical Department / Sierra Leone.

  • Sierra Leone. Medical Department.
Date:
[1905]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the Medical Department / Sierra Leone. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/38 (page 16)
    The Gaol. Dispensaries. Konietta District, Moyamba. Sanitation. Banda juxna. Danguma. The Gaol.—The general health has been good and the sanitary condition satisfactory. Dispensaries — Eight Dispensaries under the care of Dispensers trained in the Colonial Hospital were open during the year, and visits were paid to outlying districts. A table is attached showing the total attendance at all the Dispensaries in the Colony and Protectorate. PBOTECTORATE. Ronietta District, Moyamba.—Dr. Greenidge reports that the town was burned down in the early part of the year, and that the District Commissioner has insisted on the houses being rebuilt regularly and considerable distances apart, and that a great improvement is being effected in this way. The health of the European and native Officials has been good, no one at any time being seriously ill. 165 in-patients were treated in the Hospital, as compared with 131 the previous year, and 2,090 out-patients were attended to as against 1,898, again showing an increase, which Dr. Greenidge attributes to a growing appreciation among the natives of the value of European treatment. One case of blackwater fever occurred, which ended in recovery. Sanitation.—Dr. Greenidge remarks that “ Sanitation in the Protectorate is apparently a subject the native mind has as yet failed to grasp.” Visits are, however, paid by the District Commissioner and the Medical Officer, and a circular has been issued by His Excellency the Governor, laying down the lines for a model bush town and suggesting elementary sanitary regulations. Prizes have been offered for the best-kept town, and these measures will no doubt in time do much to improve the sanitary conditions of the districts. Constant super¬ vision and inspection are, however, necessary; for, while chiefs are in the habit of making promises very freely, they are very apt to fail in carrying them out, and the Medical Officers should be encouraged to go on patrol as much as possible consistent with the performance of their duties at Headquarters. Bandajuma.—A short report is submitted by Dr. Hunter, and a supple¬ mentary report by Dr. Gray, who was in charge of the district during the greater part of the year. There were 74 cases treated in the District Hospital, and 1,006 out-patients were attended to, as compared with 2,478 the previous year. This decrease was due to a misapprehension on the part of Dr. Gray, with reference to a circular on the subject of medical attendance to paupers when on patrol. Dr. Gray reports “ that the general health of the district was good, and that of the European Officials was excellent. There were no serious cases of malarial or other fever, and no Europeans were invalided home.” There was an outbreak of small-pox in the district, but it did not become extensive at any time. Dr. Gray appears to have taken very active measures to cope with it, and vaccination was extensively performed. Panguma.—This is reported on by Drs. Wood-Mason and Burrows. There were 111 admissions to the District Hospital with 3 deaths, and 1,333 out-patients were seen. The site of the District Headquarters has been unfavourably reported on, owing to being surrounded by swamps, an^ it is contemplated changing it.