Annual medical report / Southern Nigeria.

  • Nigeria, Southern. Medical Department.
Date:
[1907]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical report / Southern Nigeria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/24 (page 6)
    ground precludes complete destruction of Mosquitos and prevention of a constant influx of the adult insect to areas where the local breeding place® have been abolished. In the Towns, and places where native dewellings are near to and comingled with those of Europeans, it is particularly desirable; in Hospitals it is a necessity. The comfort too, and protection against diseases conveyed by the abounding swarms of house-flies and other insects, which result from the use of this wire-gauze, are most important addtional reasons for its employment. No one who has once fully appreciated the benefit but must feel that it is an essential to life in West Africa. This, my own experience, is borne out by what is stated to be the case on the Isthmus of Panama, in Italy, and other places where the use of wire-gauze-screened houses has become the rule. Not onlv has the O * t effect on Malaria been most marked, but bowel ailments due to pollution of food and drink by flies, have decreased remarkably, and the ordinary decomposition of food is found to be delayed for a longer period than was formerly the case. The risk of contracting Eilariasis, (with its sequelae), and Trypanosomiasis,—in certain places,—and the other insect-borne diseases, is, obviously, greatly lessened; and I cannot but urge once again that all houses should be so constructed as to permit of complete “ Mosquito-proofing ” by wire-gauze while allowing the maxi¬ mum of light and air to enter. After several years, personal experience of life in a Mosquito-proof house, I most unhesitatingly and strenuously advocate the use of such houses in West Africa. I have above pointed out the benefit in regard to many diseases, but as regards Malaria, if only all Europeans used them, the possibility of actually abolishing that disease among the European inhabitants of the large Towns would be enormously enhanced; and there is little doubt that the intelligent portion of the native community would in time adopt the same precaution against the disease which annually destroys so vast a number of its infant population. To be of value to the European community as a whole, however the use of such houses should be universal in it. At present the use of wire-gauze is an undoubted and most important aid in preventing infection of the individual who is wise enough to avail himself of its protection, but, as I have shown in previous report, one who now escapes Malarial infection while living in his own house, is exposed to infection when he spends an evening in that of one who will not take the trouble to protect either himself or his acquaintances from the risk of contracting the disease during those periods of the year when Anopheles are present. Among minor benefits conferred by the use of the Mosquito-proof house, are, abolition of the use of the hot Mosquito-net, (otherwise absolutely necessary), and of the need for taking Quinine as a prophylactic,—the latter procedure being then only necessary when travelling and exposed to the infection. 3. In order however to get, in this hot climate, the full benefit of the use of Mosquito-gauze with the minimum of resulting increase of heat, every house should he surrounded by a proper, sufficiently wide, verandah, and the gauze should be used to completely close the verandah, and not for the windows and doors of the rooms. In this way there is far less diminution of the amount of air and light admitted. I have found from experiments during the past year with different wire- gauzes and various species of Mosquitos, that not even the smallest kinds of Mosquitos will pass through a mesh of 16 to the inch. This is due to the construction of the legs of the insect.