Report of the Medical Officer of Health, Cairo City.

  • Egypt. Cairo City Health Inspectorate.
Date:
[1920]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Medical Officer of Health, Cairo City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    27/106 (page 17)
    Under these measures, the epidemic was quickly suppressed. One case only occurred after they were put into force. See Table X\TII and Figure 9. Chart XI shows the weekly number of cases of cerebro-spinal fever estimated per million of population as compared with the maximum, minimum, and mean rates for the period 1915-1919. Puerperal Fever.—The total number of deaths notified from puerperal fevei during 1920 was 48, of which 43 were among natives and 5 among foreigners. This gives a death-rate of 0-062 per thousand of population and 1-333 per thousand births. In addition to these 48 deaths, there were 30 others which took place within a tort- night of confinement. The cases assigned to these were : peritonitis 3, eclampsia 7, difficult labour 3, typhus 2, heart disease 5, haemorrhage 5, influenza 1, pneumonia 3, and abortion 1. If these 30 deaths be added to the total of 48 from puerperal fever, the death-rate will be 0-102 per thousand of population and 2-170 per thousand births. Table XVIII.- Puerperal Fever, 1914-1920. Death Death within a Total Year. from Puerperal Fortnight of Coniine- Maternal Deaths. JL L V Cl > ment. 1914. 48 30 78 1915. 85 32 117 1916. 75 29 104 1917. 55 27 82 1918. 85 31 116 1919. 55 25 80 1920 . 48 30 78 Death-rate from Puerperal Fever per Thousand of Population. Death-rate from Puerperal Fever per Thousand Births. Death-rate of all Maternal Deaths per Thousand of Population. Death-rate of all Maternal Deaths per Thousand Births. 0*066 1 * 532 0-107 2*490 0-115 2*839 0*159 3*903 0*113 2*406 0-140 3*336 0*073 1-766 0-109 2-607 0-112 3*030 0-152 4*135 0-072 1-720 0-105 2*502 0*062 1-333 0*102 2-170 Influenza {and Respiratory Diseases).—This infectious disease became notifiable in August 1919, and during 1920 the number of notifications were 1,587 with 130 deaths recorded. This gives a case-rate of 2-019 per thousand of population and a death-rate of 0-165 per thousand of population. The ratio of deaths to cases was 8-2 per cent. The following prophylactic measures were taken with a view to prevent the spread of the disease. Posters in Arabic, English, French, Italian, and Greek were put up m various quarters of the town and in tram cars and handbills distributed giving in brief the manner m which the disease is contracted and the precautions to be taken against it. The measures to be adopted, when attacked or when nursing a patient affected with it, were also detailed. Instructions were sent to the Tram Companies as to the necessity of keeping the trams ventilated during the journey and of leaving the doors open until they start on the return journey. . „ , Theatres and places of amusement were required to leave an interval of at least an hour between successive performances, during which time a thorough ventilation of the interior of the building was to be effected by opening all doors and windows. In view of the fact that the cause of death in influenza has so frequently been pneumonia and broncho-pneumonia in the serious epidemics of recent years, a comparison of the recorded deaths from influenza with those certified as being due to pneumonia and broncho-pneumonia is not without interest. Such a comparison is even of considerable value when an epidemic is threatening in view of the possibility of the influenzal origin of cases of pneumonia being overlooked. It happens that this year there is nothing remarkable to be observed m the com¬ parison, but the table that has been drawn up is given as Table XIX. As will be seen from that table, the deaths due to respiratory diseases, excluding tuberculosis, amounted to 4,099. _ . , , These comprise 1,518 of pneumonia, 2,269 of bronchitis, 39 of pleurisy, and 273 of other respiratory diseases. (Table XIX.)