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

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1902]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    23/128 (page 10)
    the Island for tW ^ertt4, as OortYphred with tlnv previous year. I have1 separated' the dbath-rates amom? the mixed races'aild Malabhrs fOY purposes Of cofiiparishn :— 1 x Hospitals. -S Mixed Races. Malabars; ' * » ‘ » Total. i 1901. 1902. . 1 1901. t . 1902. , 1901, 1902. Civil 5*92 6-59 , 18-60 1601 9-06 818 Field ... .?. 3*08 3-22 7*40 $:97 | 3-23 3-8‘d Immigrant 1*85 3 71 10*48’ 6*37 4-39 Hi District ... ... 628 4-GO 28 98 21 97 23-69 16-88 Asylums ... 12*57 7-49 14-28 837 < 11-54 7-61 Total ... 5-62 5-26 22-94 18-25 12-18 9-87 The percentage of deaths to cases treated in the Civil Hospitals showed a slight decrease among the mixed races and a decrease of 2-59 among the Malabars. In the Field Hospitals the increase among the mixed races was slight, and that among the Malabars was 2*57. In the Immigrant Hospitals the increase among the mixed races was 1-85, but among the Malabars there was a decrease of 4-11. In the District Hospitals there has been a decrease of 1*68 among the mixed races and 7*01 among the Malabars. Taking all the hospitals and asylums together, there was a slight decrease among the mixed races and 4*69 among the Malabars. The percentage of deaths to total treated was 9*87, against 12*18 during the previous year. Hospital Accommodation.—This was generally sufficient; occasionally some overcrowding took place. This especially applies to the General Hospital, Colombo. Although two new temporary wards have been opened during the year, containing room for 84 beds, overcrowding still continues. Water Supply.—With the exception of the following institutions, Matale, Mannar, Galle, Chilaw, Nikaweratiya, Trincomalee, the water supply in all the hospitals was reported to be good, pure, wholesome, and abundant. Water for drinking purposes is, as a rule, boiled and filtered before use. Bathrooms.—All hospitals are provided with separate bathrooms for males and females and furnished with tubs, which are filled with hot or cold water according to the requirements of the patients. Patients who can help themselves, however, prefer to bathe in streams where there are such adjoining a hospital. Drains.—There are no covered drains. The drains are all surface ones for carrying away the ward washings, rain, and storm water. Sewage.—The conservancy of the latrines is entirely on the dry-earth system, the excreta being removed daily and buried or incinerated at some distance from the hospitals. Inspection.—The hospitals were all inspected either by me, the Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer, or the Colonial Surgeons of the respective Provinces. The number of these visits of inspection and the official designation of the visitors will be found given in the return of each institution. The books were produced when called for, and were generally found complete and made up to the date of examination. The reports of inspection by the Colonial Surgeons as well as those by me were forwarded to Government when necessary. Food Supply.—-The provisions for the various hospitals were supplied by purveyors on contracts approved by Government. The system works satisfactorily. The medical officers in charge of the respective hospitals examine the food before it is served out to the patients, and reject such articles as do not come up to contract sample. Dispensaries.—37G dispensaries were in operation. Of these, 215 were Civil, 44 District, and 117 Estate. They are distributed as follows :—In the Western Province 31, Central 52, Northern 38, Southern 35, Eastern 18, North-Western 25, North-Central 19, Province of Uva 21, and Province of Sabaragamuwa 20. In the Civil and District Dispensaries there were treated 975,180 persons, against 1,073,993 in the previous year, who paid 1,499.227 visits and contributed voluntarily Rs. 22,373*79. Estate Dispensaries were kept up on the estates by the planters, medicine being supplied free by Government, and the resident dispenser, who is paid by the estate, being appointed on the recommendation of the Principal Civil Medical Officer. Port Duties and Immigration.—The number of vessels which arrived at the port of Colombo was 2,802, against 3,039 in the previous year, 2,375 being steamers and 427 native craft. The number of native traders was 00,872 and coolies 33,780. Included as traders were 52,140 men, 4,293 women, 3,194 children, and 1,045 infants. Of the coolies, 21,440 were men, 7,182 were women, 3,271 wero children, and 1,807 were infants. llagama Gamp.—The total number of coolies who passed through the camp during 1902 was 34,280, against 45,823 during the previous year. There were five distinct outbreaks of cholera during the year. Nineteen persons were attacked, of whom 13 died. These outbreaks occurred during the months of July and August. Of the other diseases admitted into the hospital, there were 4 cases of diarrhoea, 1 of fracture, 2 of fever, and 1 of pneumonia. Of the total number of coolies who passed through the camp, 1,411 persons wore vaccinated, and the rest either had marks of successful vaccination or of smallpox. The drainage system of the camp is efficient. The conservancy is earned out on the dry-earth principle, the excreta being disposed of by incineration. There is a good and ample water supply. A new Camp for coolies was completed during the latter part of the year.