Commercial. No. 29 (1883). Despatch from Sir Edward Malet, inclosing a report by Surgeon-General Hunter on the cholera epidemic in Egypt.
- Malet, Edward, Sir, 1837-1908.
- Date:
- 1883
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Commercial. No. 29 (1883). Despatch from Sir Edward Malet, inclosing a report by Surgeon-General Hunter on the cholera epidemic in Egypt. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
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![Dakahlieli to ascertain the nature of the malady, and to take such measures as might he necessary. He then begged the Minister of the Interior by telegram to stop communications and to establish a cordon. 2. On the 24th June the Minister of the Interior sent a Committee, consisting of Drs. Dacorogna Bey, Ahmet Bey Hamdi, Grant Bey, and Abdel Rahman Bey Herraoui, with instructions to investigate the disease. At Damietta this Committee joined that which had been sent by the Maritime Sanitary and Quarantine Board, and the two together drew up a Report. But before leaving Damietta the Committee ordered steps to be taken for isolation, disinfection, &c., and for issuing instructions and advice to the public. The Committee returned to Cairo, and the same day fresh orders were given to interrupt communications with Damietta and to organize a cordon. A few hours afterwards the chief doctor of Dakahlieli announced the existence of two cases of cholera at Mansourah, and urgent measures were taken. Since then the disease has assumed larger proportions at Damietta and Mansourah, and cases have occurred at Port Said, Samanoud, and Sherbin; a sporadic case occurred at Tantah, and another at Alexandria. In all these latter places the persons first attacked had come from Damietta. The Public Health and Sanitary Board, with the concurrence of his Excellency the Minister of the Interior, whose constant and valuable assistance insure the execution of its decisions, formed round the infected spots well-organized cordons of troops under the command of superior officers, and under the supervision of the Inspectors Dr. de Romano for Damietta, and Dr. Mahmoud Sidki for Mansourah, and sent to each of those places a large number of efficient medical men and druggists, and a large quantity of medicines and disinfectants. Hygienic and sanitary measures have been ordered and executed, not only in the towns which have been attacked, but throughout Egypt, particularly at Cairo and Alexandria. These measures are as follows :— The supervision of markets, slaughter-houses, and public places; the prohibition of the sale of the fish called “ fissihs,” the seizure of fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, or of any food offered for sale and found to be spoilt or tainted. The prohibition of the transport of “ fissihs,” of fresh or untanned hides, of bones and of rags, which must be placed in special warehouses. The superintendence of the river and canals so as to prevent dead animals being thrown into them, and to have those which are in them taken out and buried. A service of inspection of the river and canals has been organized and intrusted to Mr. Good all. The disinfection of the latrines of the mosques, barracks, prisons, schools, and other public establishments; the drains of the mosques will be disinfected and walled over. To disinfect the houses where there have been patients attacked by cholera, and to burn the rags and clothes of those who have died. To organize a service for the disinfection of correspondence from Damietta, Mansourah, and Port Said. To start hospitals for the cholera patients at Damietta, Mansourah, and Port Said7 and to establish one at Cairo to contain 200 patients, in case it should be needed. To close up the house and street drains emptying themselves into the Halig, which has been disinfected by throwing quicklime into it throughout its course, and more particularly at the stagnant places. Orders have been given to remove the population of the infected quarters of Damietta to places outside the town, but inside the sanitary cordon which has been established. Tents, “gourbis,” and wooden huts have been put up to receive the inhabitants ; their dwellings will he carefully disinfected, the hovels will he demolished and destroyed, and the rags and clothes of deceased cholera patients will he burnt. The Permanent Sanitary Committee, of which his Excellency the Minister of the Interior, the Prefect of Police, the Commander-in-chief of the Constabulary, and the Under-Minister of Public T\rorks are members, orders all the measures which are adopted, and are calculated to insure the protection of public health, and has them executed at once. These measures have arrested the progress of the disease, which, in the epidemic of 1865, had in a few davs spread over the whole of Egypt; whilst, in this instance, [1523] * ‘ D 2](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24914666_0031.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
