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.

    25/70 (page 17)
    mount importance to the beneficial settlement of the more malarious parts of not only this Colony, but the whole continent of Africa, and the atten¬ tion of the recently appointed branch of the London School of Tropical Medicine in Rhodesia will, in the first instance, be directed to this subject. Quinine.—The importation of quinine by the Government and its distribution to the public through the agencies of post offices, stores, etc., has been continued throughout the year, and is now widely taken advan¬ tage of. Some 8,954 bottles of 100 tablets each, representing 895,400 5-grain tablets of quinine, were distributed by this Department during the year, and were sold to the public at 4s. 6d. per bottle. The indigenous native is gradually becoming alive to the value of this drug, and the demand for quinine by natives is gradually increasing. In order to meet this, it is proposed to sell small tubes, each containing five 5-grain tablets of quinine, to the natives at 3d. a tube, and the Chief Native Commissioner anticipates that this will be widely taken advantage of. Pneumonia.—There was a general increase in the incidence and mortality rate from pneumonia both amongst Europeans and natives, and especially affecting natives employed in mining. In many instances this was secondary to influenzal infection, being specially marked in the last quarter of the year. It is a noticeable fact, however, that whilst the incidence of malaria and blackwater increases in seasons of high rainfall, pneumonia, dysentery and scurvy tend to be highest in years following low rainfalls, and this year several of the Government medical officers in their annual reports have drawn attention to the abnormal amount of pneumonia this year. Dysentery.—As in previous years of drought or low rainfall, there was an increase in dysenteries and diarrhoeal diseases admitted to hos¬ pitals. In opposition to pneumonia, which in this Colony is essentially an industrial disease, dysentery affects the native in his kraal more than in service, children being more prone to infection than adults. In the majority of the cases seen it was bacillary in type. Influenza.—Following on the great* epidemic of influenza in 1918, this country, as in England, has been subjected to mild recurrent epi¬ demics which affect Europeans and natives alike, but the mortality is higher amongst the latter, owing to secondary pneumonia. These waves of recurring influenza were more prevalent in the latter part of the year, that is, towards the end of the dry season. There were 91 Europeans and 332 natives admitted to hospitals on this account during the year, with 30 native and no European deaths. In 1923 the admissions on this account were 63 and 131 respectively. Amongst natives employed on mines there were 1,664 cases recorded, with 42 deaths, as compared with 1,341 cases in 1923, with 29 deaths. Small-pox.—Two cases of small-pox were recorded during the year, both in natives. This is the lowest return on record. There were no deaths. Vaccination.—36,193 vaccinations amongst the native population were carried out last year. Owing to the prevalence of small-pox in the Portuguese territories adjacent to our borders, a system has been inaugurated this year of vaccinating at the port of entry all alien natives entering this Colony in search of work, 16,552 of these natives being vaccinated immediately on entering the country during last year. This should help to limit the number and extent of the epidemics of this