Report on the malarial epidemic fever of Mauritius of 1866-67, (with plans of Port Louis and Flat Island, and a map of Mauritius, shaded to show the distribution of the fever districts) / by John Small and W.H.T. Power.

  • Small, John, Surg.-Major.
Date:
[between 1870 and 1879?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the malarial epidemic fever of Mauritius of 1866-67, (with plans of Port Louis and Flat Island, and a map of Mauritius, shaded to show the distribution of the fever districts) / by John Small and W.H.T. Power. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    The admissions to hospital during this time (30th March to 24th May) were amongst the men, malarial fever, 292 ; dysentery, 49. Percentage of admis- sions : malarial fever, 76-54; dysentery, 12-84. But, with the exception- of 20 men, all had had several attacks of fever, and all the women and children were ill with it or dysentery. The officers also suffered severely: one was invalided home from Flat Island, and two others on the arrival of head- quarters in Port Louis. The most serious case was that of a young officer who had an attack of genuine enteric fever, complicated with occasional attacks of malarial fever. The deaths were 10 men, viz.: 4 from malarial fever, 5 from dysentery and 1 from ebnositas and malarial fever. Percentage of deaths : malarial fever 1-048; dysentery, 1-310. One woman died from dysentery, and 13 children from dysentery and from asthenia after fever. Three men with dysentery were left behind, as they were too ill to move: one came to Port Louis shortly after, the second died at Flat Island, and the third in Port Louis after we had left for England, and are not included in the above death list. We may notice, in conclusion, that not one of the inhabitants had fever, except such as had been on the mainland. Port Louis again.—Erom 23rd May to June 7, the health of the battalion rapidly improved, especially those whose state had been the most serious, viz., the dysenteric patients, so that for -the week ending 7th June, of a strength of 645 men, there were 2 admissions for fever, and 9 remaining; no admissions for dysentery, and 22 remaining ; while about 130 men were convalescents under treatment with quinine at the barracks. During this period (23rd May to 7th June) there were 8 admissions for malarial fever, and f2 for dysentery, and no deaths. Of these dysenteric cases, 3 were cases which occurred in last week in May in Port Louis detachment; the remaining 9 contracted the disease at Flat Island, but were not at once admitted. The battalion embarked for home on board H.M.S. Himalaya on the 7th of June. Before proceeding further with the history of the battalion it will be desirable to give a short account of those men of the regiment who were stationed at Cannonier's Point since 16th February, and at Port Louis during our stay at Flat Island. Cannonier's Point Detachment.-'Fvom 16th February to 31st May the average strength was 164. The admissions were : 142 malarial fever, seven dysentery, and one diarrhoea ; the percentage of admissions, 86-5 malarial fever, and 0-42 dysentery ; the deaths were, two malarial fever, and one dysentery ; percentage of deaths, 0-61 malarial fever, 1-22 dysentery. The greatest num- ber of admissions for malarial fever occurred towards the end of April, and of dysentery, very end of April. Port Louis Detachment.—From 30th March to 17th May, the average strength was 70'3. The admissions were: 78 malarial fever, and none of dysentery ; percentage of admissions, 110-95 malarial fever and none from dysentery ; the deaths were two from malarial fever; percentage of deaths 2844 malarial fever. Thus comparing the three stations of Port Louis, Cannonier's Point, and Flat Island for the seven weeks from 30th March to 17th May, we get the following:— Flat Island. Cannonier's Paint. Port Louis. Percentage of Percentage of Percentage of Admis- sions. Deaths. Admis- sions. Deaths. Admis- sions. Deaths. Malarial fever ., Dysentery 75-03 9-078 1068 0-801 53-80 1-890 0 -4723 0 -9446 110-95 2-844 Average strengths 374-5 211-7 70 -3