Report on the public health / Southern Rhodesia.

  • Southern Rhodesia. Department of Health.
Date:
[1924]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the public health / Southern Rhodesia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/70 (page 9)
    Average Number Employed on Mines in Southern Rhodesia during 1924, including late Returns. • Natives. Europeans. Bulawayo. 12,681 449 Gwelo. 9,528 445 Victoria . 2,794 53 Total for Matabeleland. 25,003 947 Salisbury. 7,688 309 Hartley. 6,772 287 Umtali . 1,823 91 Total for Mashonaland . 16,283 687 Total for Southern Rhodesia 41,286 1,634 The sickness and mortality rate amongst native mine labourers increased during the year, and it is interesting to note that the higher rate of sickness was ascribable to diseases which are associated with a short rainy season and a low rainfall, these being pneumonia and other diseases of the chest, scurvy, dysentery and other intestinal diseases. The pneumonia rate was no doubt raised by a wave of epidemic influenza which appeared during the last quarter of the year and attacked natives employed on many of the larger mines, notably the Cam and Motor, Shamva, and Shabani Asbestos Mines. The mortality rate from diseases was raised in consequence, being 16.11 per thousand, as compared with 13.44 per thousand in 1923. On the other hand, the sickness rate from malaria was decreased. The average sickness and mortality rate still continues highest amongst labourers recruited from Nyasaland and the next highest amongst natives from Northern Rhodesia, and lowest amongst indigenous labour. It is somewhat significant, however, that amongst 41,372 native labourers employed on mines in Southern Rho¬ desia, only 11,133 are recruited in Southern Rhodesia. (2) Public Health Laboratory—The report of the Government Bacteriologist, which is to be found in Part II. of this report, shows a steady increase of the routine work of the laboratory. Dr. J. G. Thomson, of the London Tropical School of Medicine, who was engaged in special research work into the aetiology of blackwater fever, returned to England in September, 1923, and it was not found possible to replace him. Following on the new arrangement that has been entered into between this Government and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the latter will in future keep one or more research workers in Rhodesia. Dr. G. R. Ross, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H., Ph.D., Lecturer on Bacteriology at Leeds University, has been selected as the first Research Fellow. During Dr. Orpen’s absence on leave no research work was carried out in the laboratory, the staff in his absence being employed in routine work only. The gross earnings of the laboratory amounted to £862, as compared with £726 in 1923. (3) Medical Inspection of Schools.—The Medical Inspector of Schools was transferred to this Department from the Education Depart¬ ment towards the end of the year, as it was considered that his work could be better correlated and developed under the Health Department. Dr. Gatchell’s report, which has been separately printed and circulated, is