Annual medical and sanitary report of the Director of Medical Services / Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Trinidad and Tobago. Department of Medical Services.
Date:
[1942]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report of the Director of Medical Services / Trinidad and Tobago. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/8 (page 5)
    22. Leprosy— The number of patients remaining in the Settlement at Chacacbacare from 1939 was 377. There were, during 1940, forty-four new cases admitted and ten re-admissions. The total number treated was 431. There were 19 deaths giving a percentage of 8.57 deaths on the number of persons treated. Eighteen persons were discharged and 11 absconded. 23. Venereal Diseases.—The work of the clinic at Port-of-Spain which was opened in 1939 increased so rapidly that it was found necessary to engage the services of a private practitioner on a part-time basis to make it possible to meet the demand. The total number of cases treated here in 1940 was 4,209. Of these the new cases numbered 2,144 of whom 567 were classified as non-venereal or non-specific venereal disease. Of the others, 919 were syphilis, 570 gonorrhoea, 45 lymphogranuloma venereum, 9 granuloma inguinale and 34 yaws. The number of attendances for the individual attention of the medical officer was 28,242, whilst the attendances for dressings and irrigations was 19,413. The fall in the latter figure from that of 1939 (27,251) was due in large measure to the use of the sulphanilamide drugs, particularly sulpha- pyradine (M & B 693). In the district clinics at St. Joseph and Tacarigua 672 and 530 cases respectively were under treatment. 24. Yaws.—'This disease is not notifiable and even approximate figures are not available. The principal foci are in Tobago, St. Joseph, Couva, Gran Couva, Guaracara, Ortoire-Moruga and Nariva-Mayaro. 25. Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—One hundred and ten cases were notified. 26. Malaria is not a notifiable disease and no reliable statement of incidence can be made. Twenty thousand six hundred and ninety-one cases were reported but only a small proportion of these had microscopical confirmation. The deaths from malaria per 1,000 of the population were 0.89 which is the lowest yet recorded for this disease. 27. The prevalence of notifiable disease in 1940 is given in Table II. (d) Vital Statistics : 28. The estimated papulation of Trinidad and Tobago as at 31st December, 1940, was 484,900, an increase of 8,566 over that of 1939. The excess of births over deaths was 9,036 while immigration exceeded emigration by 2,409. The rates given below are based on the mean population for the year viz : 479,178. 29. Total live births numbered 16,535 giving a birth rate of 34.51 as compared with 30.96 in 1939. Still births numbered 965. 30. There were 7,499 deaths, the death rate being 15.65 as compared with 15.97 in the previous year. 31. The infantile mortality rate was 106.20. In 1939 it was 103.61. SECTION III—HYGUENE AND SANITATION. 1. Preventive Measures. Mosquito and Insect borne diseases : 32. The control of Aedes aegypti was well maintained in Port-of-Spain and the index in San Fernando was considerably reduced. Control in rural areas is more difficult but some improvement resulted from propaganda work and constant inspections and re-inspections. 33. Although filariasis is not a problem, the control of culex breeding continued to be carried out as a routine measure. 34. Malaria.—-This disease is one of the most disabling factors in the colony but steady progress is being made in preventive measures. The improvement is already manifesting itself r.ot so much in the steady fall in cases reported in recent years as in the steady reduction from year to year in the deaths from this cause. 35. Considerable improvements were carried out generally in the course of the year. These consisted in the usual anti-larval measures, in cleaning and straightening beds of riveis and streams and in clearing of river mouths. Oiling was carried out where necessarj/. These works are normally carried out by the department. In addition to this, however, are extensive drainage schemes under the joint control of the Health and Agricultural departments with the co-operation of the Irrigation, Drainage and Sanitation Engineer of the Public Works Department. Figures are not available for the northern division but in the southern division 46,660 lineal feet of new concrete drains were laid and 1,340,507 feet of earth drains were cleared and straightened. 36. Special reference should be made to work done at Point Fortin by the United British Oilfields of Trinidad Limited, in co-operation with the department.. This consisted in reclamation of the Crown Swamp (about 10 acres) and the elimination of certain inland swamps by clearing and re-channelling of the Teschier River. Thus extensive areas, previously heavy breeding grounds of anopheline mosquitoes have been reclaimed and are now available for housing and industry. 37. The following prophylactic aids were available for the general population ;— Sale of quinine at Government post offices in rural areas. Free distribution of quinine in schools, on sugar estates and to members of the local forces and naval ratings. Health Office and Dispensary treatment: 38. Ankylostomiasis.—The unit operating in the south concluded work in the La Brea-Point Fortin area and moved on to Palo Scco in the Erin-Siparia area. In the former area the infestation rate was reduced from 44.58 to 8.96 per cent, while in the latter the rate, which to begin with was 48.62 had by the end of the year been reduced to 28.42 per cent. 39. A similar unit operated in the northern division as from September. It commenced work in the Tacarigua district where the infestation late was found to be 56.3 per cent. 40. Latrine construction was carried out simultaneously with the survey and treatment. •