Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals / [Ceylon].

Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.

Date:: [1906]

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals / [Ceylon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

23/90 (page 21)

General Sanitary Condition of the Province. 21. The general sanitary condition of the Province remains in much the same condition as last year, except that some of the wells in the populous parts of the Province have been protected from pollution. I can only repeat my remarks of last year on this point, and I am sorry to say that very little, if any, has been done to improve the drainage of any of the small towns and villages. The'principal scavenger in most of the towns and villages in the maritime districts is the native pig, which is very plentiful along the sea coast 22. Colombo.—This town is annually increasing, and is kept in as sanitary a condition as existing arrangements will permit. The scavenging arrangements are the same as they have been for many past years ; cesspits are being gradually filled up and closed. Many parts of the native part of the town are overcrowded, and the drainage is very defective ; in some parts there is no attempt at drainage. I am glad to report that the dumping of the sweepings and refuse of the town over the grassfields within the limits of Municipality has been stopped ; but I would recommend that the rubbish be incinerated instead of being distributed over the grassfields outside Municipal limits. Fast progress has been made with the Mansergh scheme for sewers and pumping stations, but it will be some time yet before this scheme is in working order, and the transport of night soil by cart will have to continue as before. The water supply to the town is now sufficient since the main has been duplicated. The water is pure and wholesome. 23. Panadure.—During the year a Local Board has been formed for this town, which is kept in a most insanitary state ; drainage defective. Water supply obtained from wells, which are unprotected from surface contamination. The scavenging of the town is still defective. There are no public latrines. 24. Kalutara.—Improvements are being gradually carried out in this town, but the sanitary condition is still very defective. Public latrines insufficient, water supply defective, so also drainage. Some parts of the town are overcrowded. 25. Negombo.—Drainage is still defective, as the town is very low-lying and flat. Water has to be carted from some distance, as the water in the town is unwholesome. The scheme for supplying this town with a pure water supply is still under consideration. Some parts of the town are overcrowded. No public latrines are required. 26. Avisawella.—The Medical Officer reports that the sanitary condition of the town is, as reported before, still unsatisfactory, drainage defective, no public latrines, and water supply defective. No overcrowding. 27. Minuwangoda.—The Sanitary Board of this little town is doing good work by improving the drainage, erecting public latrines, and protecting the public wells from pollution. 28. Moratuwa.—Nothing has been done to improve the condition of this town. There are no public latrines, and very poor private ones. There is no attempt at drainage, and the water supply is very defective and obtained from shallow wells, the majority of which are unprotected from surface pollution. There is hardly any scavenging carried out; all refuse, &c., is left lying in the compounds, &c., of the houses, and the town in many places is overcrowded. This town is never free from enteric, and at times there have been as many as 30 cases within a small area, all of which have been traced to water contamination. It is high time that Government appointed a Local Board to look after the sanitation of this important and wealthy town. It is a necessity that should not be postponed any longer, as the existing conditions are a standing menace to the safety of the public health. Hospitals. 29. General Hospital, Colombo.—The total number treated in the pauper section of this insti¬ tution during the year was 17,115, against 12,533 in 1905 ; of these, 16,633 were new admissions. The total number of deaths was 2,044, that is 11*94 per cent., against 9*57 in 1905. The greatest mortality was amongst those sent in by the police, viz., 48*91, as against 13*81 among those voluntary seeking admission. The daily average sick during the year was 632*31 for pauper and paying section, against 510*40 in 1905. This hospital consists of 24 wards and 8 solitary wards. Throughout the whole year there was overcrowding, especially during the second and third quarters. The female side was very much overcrowded, as well as the male diarrhoea wards. The pauper side of the hospital has a maximum of 425 beds, but during the month of July the daily average sick was 729, and the greatest number in hospital on any one day was 730, which was on the 19th July. The main cause of this overcrowding was due to destitute Malabar coolies who had failed to procure employment. The influx of coolies from the Coast was very marked during the year. To relieve the overcrowding about 40 female patients were sent to the Branch Hospital, and steps were taken to open a pauper hospital at Ragama by taking over No. 4 Camp, and where from 150 to 200 could be accommodated. This, I am glad to say, was accomplished about the middle of November, and now 100 males and 50 females can be accommodated there, and the congestion at the General Hospital considerably reduced. The chief causes of death were— Cases. Deaths. Cases. Deaths. Enteric Fever 338 .. 114 Lobular Pneumonia .. 65 15 Phthisis 884 274 Meningitis 19 .. 15 Malarial Cachexia 571 .. 77 Diarrhoea 936 .. 318 Debility .. 1,185 .. 235 Anchylostomiasis 607 . . 61 Lobar Pneumonia 329 .. 138 The majority of cases which proved fatal came under treatment in a moribund and hopeless state, and many of the cases of enteric admitted into hospital died within one or two days after admission. The latrines are on the dry-earth system, and were kept in as sanitary a condition as tney possibly could be, but all the seats should be replaced by Doulton earthenware squatting plates, and many of the latrines should be rebuilt on more modern plans. A Thresh’s disinfector was daily in use at the institution, and was kept in order by the Public Works Department. The numbei of ward attendants and latrine coolies at this institution is quite inadequate ; more night as well as day attendants are required, and their pay should be increased, and all attendants supplied with uniform. I would again beg to suggest that a ward of ten beds for gynaecological cases be built and a special nurse appointed for such cases. The paying section of this hospital consists of 42 beds, and a new building of 9 rooms, with operating room, storeroom, and attendants’ room, was commenced about the middle of the year, will, I trust, be handed over to the Medical Department by the middle of 1907.