Annual report on the Medical Department / Sierra Leone.

  • Sierra Leone. Medical Department.
Date:
[1918]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    29/64 (page 29)
    The sanitation of the compounds is under the management of the Maintenance Engineer. This is most efficiently carried out, particularly the disposal of household rubbish which goes from the covered dustbins outside the kitchens direct to the incinerator. The large dustbins as used in the Freetown streets are thus dispensed with. The chief breeding foci for flies is undoubtedly the large mango trees planted before the railway site was laid out, and considerable clearance of these has been made during the year. Cassias and similar shady trees have been substituted. There are 45 quarters for Europeans and West Indians, and these are mostly situated in the main compound of 47 acres. Seventy-one men are available for bushing and sanitary work, the bushing gangs being occasionally taken away for railway work. At the Dispensary, which was only opened in 1913, the new cases attended were 4,419, including 898 cases of Influenza; the subsequent attendances numbered 2,555. ANNUAL MEDICAL REPORT OF BONTHE, SHERBRO DISTRICT, FOR 1918. The town and district were under the charge of Dr. McConaghy, Medical Officer, from the beginning of year until February 12th, when he handed over to Dr. Mayer, Senior Medical Officer, who in turn was relieved by me, Dr. Murphy, Medical Officer, on December 20th, 1918, who now writes report. First Class Dispenser Mr. C. H. A. Johnson has been in charge the whole of 1918. Female Nurse Lucinda Johnson also for the whole year, except for two months’ leave, end of March to May, during which time she was relieved by Nurse King from Freetown. Male Nurses.—Mr. Turner from beginning of year to May was replaced by Mr. Morgan from that date until present time. Until about the last quarter of the year the general health of town and district had been fair. There were the usual prevalent diseases including: Bronchitis, Rheumatism, Digestive troubles, Ulcers, etc., etc., but showing no marked difference with other years. Malaria also present but not markedly so over other years. There were numerous cases of round worm, some tape worm, also cases of Ankylostomiasis. As compared with 1917, there were 351 more cases treated. 1917— 2,892 cases, new. 1918— 3,243 cases new, but at least 751 of these cases were due to Influenza, a quite unusual disease; up to the coming of this disease everything pointed to a fewer number of cases for 1918. European Officials.—The health of the European Officials was fair. There were four stationed here (two for short periods only, 43 days and 11 days) during the year. Other officials passed through but were not stationed here. Total number of European Officials on sick list during 1918, 1. Total number of days spent by European Officials on sick list during 1918, 3.