Report of the director of the Bureau of Medical Service / William Pepper.

Date:
[1876]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the director of the Bureau of Medical Service / William Pepper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Bureau of Medical Service. Health of English residents. Composition of Centennial Guard. the Japanese exhibitors, there were 9 cases of typhoid and typho- malarial fever. These cases were all treated at the University Hos- pital, and all recovered. They were of a rather mild type, with a peculiar absence of diarrhoea and of symptoms of nervous disturb- ance. Although the cases were not severe, it was further noted that the convalescence was unusually slow and protracted. Among the English residents, of whom there were 36,—next in number to the Japanese,—there was a moderate amount of diarrhoea, but only two cases of typhoid fever, both of which recovered. In marked contrast to the unhealthfulness of the Japanese colony is to be placed the excellent sanitary conditions of the cottages for the employees of the British Commission. The most important question in connection with this part of our subject concerns the health of the Centennial Guard. This body, which originally consisted of 1176 men, was selected with great care as to their physical fitness. It comprised representatives of twenty- five States; the largest number from any one being 608 from Penn- sylvania, of whom only 197 were from Philadelphia, so that over 80 per cent, of all were from country districts. This fact has an impor- tant bearing upon the liability to continued febrile affections conspicu- ously displayed by the members of this force. In regard to occupation, about 50 per cent, of all had been engaged, prior to their enrolment, in in-door pursuits (as clerks, store-keepers, printers, shoemakers, etc.), which gave the worst possible preparation for the very exposing and trying duties assigned to them as members of the Guard. Indeed, of the 50 per cent, who had previously been engaged in what we have classed as out-door pursuits, as distinguished from those which were purely sedentary and in-door, there were several large groups (such as sailors, machinists, blacksmiths, etc.) who were not especially well- fitted to bear protracted exposure to intense summer-heat. An exam- ination of the ages of the men enrolled, shows that every year from 21 to 53 inclusive was represented. The following table shows the relative number enrolled for each period of five years from 21 onwards: Age of the From 21 to 25 years in elusive . . . 223 meu. Guard. “ 26 to 30 “ U . • 340 (i “ 31 to 35 “ a . . 288 “ 36 to 40 “ u . 211 “ 41 to 45 “ (( • 95 “ 46 to 50 “ a • . 12 <6 Over 50 years of age • • • • • • 7 Total • • • • • . 1176