Annual report of the Medical Department / Colony of Seychelles.

  • Seychelles. Medical Department.
Date:
[1933]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Department / Colony of Seychelles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/28 (page 14)
    Leper Asylum. The Leper Asylum on Round Island Praslin has accommodation for male lepers only. The* female quarters on the island have not yet been built. The advantages of having only one island as a leper asylum lor both males and fences are obvious from a financial and adminii- trative point of view. Round Island Praslin is not however suitable for a leper Asylum. The island is full of rocks and too hilly, most of the inmates cannot walk about as there is much climbing to do. Hence they remain idle all day long, taking no exercise, although, this is so important in the treatment of their disease. Owing to the rocky nature of the island the heat on it is often unbearable. There is no water on the island and a pirogue has to go on the mainland daily to fetch a. supply, consequently this is limited and in a disease like Leprosy an abundant supply of fresh water is essential for cleansing purposes. There is a line of reefs stretching from Round Island to Anse la Farine (Praslin) and at low tide anyone can walk knee deep in the water from the camp to the mainland. Certain troublesome inmates frequently escape at night time and it is sometimes a couple of days before they are recaptured by the Police, and brought back to the camp. During that time they may have been a source of contagion to many people at Praslin and the public are evidently much concerned at such escapes. All the inmates complain of the heat in their huts built of poilite sheets and corrugated iron roofs. If a more suitable island could be found with water on it a new Leper Establish- ment for both males and females could be set up and Round Island Praslin given up altogether as a Leper Asylum. Fiennes Institute. This Institution is situated at Plaisance about two miles from Victoria. It has accom¬ modations for about 130 paupers. The Resident Surgeon who is also the Medical Superin¬ tendent of the Institute visits there three times a week and at other times when necessary. The daily average number of patients in 1933 was 91. There were 28 deaths duting the year from senile decay, cerebral Haemorrhage, and Syphilis# Rs 7,473.39 were spent during the year for the upkeep of the Institution, this represents 2U saving of Rs 126.41 on the amount voted for the year. The number of patients admitted during the year was 72. The health of the inmates considering their advanced age was fair throughout the year* the industries which include mat, basket and broom making, maize cleaning etc., realised Rs 165.42 the cost of those industries was Rs 147.30, the difference being handed over to the paupers as a bonus. Cottage Hospital Fraslin, This Hospital is rej orted on appendix. by the Assistant Medical Officer in his report found as at1 VII Meteorology. This has been supplied by the Port Officer and is given in tabular form in Table V. It shows temperature, rainfall, winds and a column for total deaths in each month. VIII Scientific. There is nothing of a scientific nature to report. The disease locally know as “Deeoque and which is met with mainly in the outlying islands still requires investigation.