Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services / [Ceylon].

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1948]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services / [Ceylon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    69/134 (page 69)
    1948, when he visited the Out-door Dispensary he was found to have developed a rash and the D. M. O. diagnosed it as smallpox and he was removed to the I. D. H., Bandarawela. On March 15, 1948, the patient died. On receipt of information regarding this case on March 8, 1948, a list of the pilgrims who travelled by air from India was obtained and all Medical Officers of Health concerned were instructed to make investigations regarding the passengers and to keep them under observation since they were contacts. This resulted in the detection of five more cases among the pilgrims, one from Matara, one from Peradeniya, two from Narammala and one from Wariyapola. The source of infection of this outbreak was definitely established as India. The seventh case which was fatal occured during the latter part of March. This occurred in the Colombo District at Nugegcda. The source of infection of the case was not traced. The eighth case was also one imported from India. This was detected early in May within the Colombo Municipal limits in the person of a passenger who had come to Ceylon by the overland route from Hyderabad. There were over a hundred known contacts of this case but none of them developed the disease. Vaccination against smallpox was carried out as usual by the vaccinators and the Sanitary Inspectors, who have received certificates of proficiency in vaccina¬ tion. The following table gives the number of vaccinations performed according to provinces during the year 1948. Table XXVIII r Primary Vaecinationa -^---, Revaecinations Province Western .. Central Eastern Northern .. North-Western Southern .. North-Central Saharagamuwa Uva Total o Si .. 39,781. .. 60,601. 8,925. .. 13,580. .. 22,759. .. 34,808. 6,145. .. 27,046. .. 13,372. .. 217,017* 31,045.. 3,489. . 6,247.. 17,282. . 4,061. . 2,150.. 11,071 46,417.. 2,309.. 1,875.. 0,723. . 1,810.. 660. . 4,247 8,008.. 174.. 743.. 727.. 293. . 110.. 324 10,788.. 1,682.. 1,210.. 8,242.. 1,129.. 420. . 6,693 17,031.. 2,618.. 3,210.. 31,639.. 6,959. . 4,527.. 20,153 31,105.. 657.. 3,046.. 6,736.. 1,590. . 896.. 4,250 5,222.. 295... 028.. 8,664.. 4,075. . 1,409.. 3,080 24,351. . 520.. 2,175.. 4,953.. 2,565. . 234.. 2,154 11,362. . 1,025.. 985.. 9,716.. 3,796.. 4,550,. 1,370 185,329 12,569 19,119 94,582 26,284 14,956 53,342 * Represents approximately 75 per cent, of the births in 1948. Minor Communicable Diseases Poliomyelitis,—An unprecedented outbreak of Poliomyelitis was reported during the year. The first case occurred among Service personnel and later cases occurred in all parts of the Island. The heaviest incidence occurred in the Central Province with 163 cases and 18 deaths. The total number of cases for the Island was 301 with 37 deaths. The outbreak started towards the end of May, almost simultaneously in the Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces. The outbreak reached its peak during July/August after which it showed a progressive decline with a slight upward trend in December. It was lowest during the middle of July and again during the middle of November. The age groups mostly affected were those under five years; the incidence was lowest among those over thirty years. The death rate was also highest in those under five years. The disease was made notifiable in 1944. The incidence of the disease from 1944 as notified is as follows; — Year Gases Deaths 1944 6 Nil 1945 4 1 1946 Nil Nil 1947 Nil Nil 1948 301 37 I All Medical Officers as well as private practitioners in the Island were informed i by a circular embodying information regarding the disease, and measures that should be adopted to combat it. The public was also informed through the Press which gave full asistance in the campaign.