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

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1925]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    19/90 (page 5)
    The returns for the hospital during the past seven years are shown in the following table :— Mahara Prison Hospital Returns, 1919-1925. General. Malaria. Year. Average Daily Strength of Jail. Total Cases treated. Average Daily Sick. Per Cent. Death-rate. Per Cent. Cases treated. Death-rate. Per Cent. 1919 .. 1,031-4 4,421 .. 10-9 . . 10-7 .. 800 . . 1-0 1920 .. 1,085-1 4,495 8-6 . 3-3 .. 1,462 . . 1-2 1921 .. 1,102-6 5,265 9-8 . 8-2 .. 1,711 .. 2-4 1922 796-9 5,767 .. 11-9 . 4-4 .. 3,377 . . 2-5 1923 671-8 4,002 .. 10-2 . 1-3 .. 2,032 . . 0-3 1924 740-1 2,740 8-3 . 1-2 .. 712 . . 0-1 1925 675-5 1,527 5-1 . 1-9 .. 387 . . — Anti-Malaria Campaign, Anuradhapura.—In March, 1925, Dr. W. H. Schokman was appointed Medical Officer in charge of this campaign, and was assisted by Entomological Assistants E. A. M. Karuna- ratne and J. L. N. Fernando ; and a bungalow was rented for use as an office and laboratory in place of the room in the Government Hospital previously used for this purpose. From March onwards the main labour force was engaged upon the major work of reconstructing the Halpan-ela, a stream which flows for a distance of nearly three miles through the town area and which is of primary importance in relation to drainage and removal of waste irrigation water, while subsidiary forces have been maintaining the works previously performed and oiling. A considerable number of additional coolies were employed in connection with the reconstruction of the Halpan-ela. Preliminary work on the ela was performed by the convict brigade, but in order to expedite it and especially to obtain some alleviation of existing conditions before the onset of the north-east monsoon rains, an increased force was essential. The strength of this force fluctuated, but from its employment in July until the end of the year, it maintained an average of approximately 100 coolies. The labour force engaged in the campaign at the end of 1925 was as follows :— (a) Prison Labour-maximum strength—42 convicts. (b) Oiling Brigade—5 coolies and 1 kangany. (c) Maintenance Brigade—20 coolies and 1 kangany. (d) Halpan-ela Force—average strength approximately, 100 coolies, and 4 kanganies. Two overseers were also engaged, one being associated with the oiling and maintenance brigades, and the other with the Halpan-ela force. The local authorities voted a further sum of Rs. 2,000 for work in connection with the campaign and in addition in July, 1925, Government sanctioned the allocation of Rs. 7,000 from the vote under Head 37. Medical Research, sub-head 4. Incidental of the estimates for the extended work on the Halpan-ela. The works in the central portion of the town, excluding those on the Halpan-ela which are dealt with separately, were continued and may be summarized as follows :—• Nature of Work. 1925. Extent of jungle and low shrub cleared (acres) . . . . 20 Contents of pits, swamps, &c. filled ( cubic feet) . . . . 74,242 Contents of earth drains and irrigation channels cleared, drained, and regraded (cubic feet) . . . . . . 47,564 Contents of new drains cut (cubic feet) . . . . 22,842 Situations oiled (average per month) . . . . 555 The fish nursery in the reservation of the “ drinking ” pokuna has been maintained in good order, and distribution to wells and temporary pools has taken place. Unfortunately, the majority of the wells in this town appear to contain the carnivorous fish “Lula” (Ophiocephalus striatus), and in many instances it has been necessary to pump dry and thoroughly clean the wells before introducing “ Millions.” Maintenance of the control measures previously completed was performed, so far as was possible during 1923 and 1924 by detachments from the labour force available, but early in 1925 it was found necessary, if such work was to be done thoroughly and systematically, to engage a special gang of coolies. At first this gang consisted of nine coolies under a kangany, but later its strength was increased to twenty. Arrangements were made with a view to the entire area being inspected and maintained at fortnight inter¬ vals after the initial round had been accomplished. The latter occupied a period of nearly three months, but subsequently fortnightly rounds became possible, and at present only ten days are necessary for the work, Such short intervals, however, are no longer required, and were it not that the newly completed works on the Halpan-ela will shortly demand considerable attention dining their consolidation, the force could be reduced in numbers. In the circumstances, however, the gang has been retained at full strength, and when not required for its legitimate purpose is employed on new initial measures. The work of this brigade consisted mainly of reducing undergrowth, clearing weeds, silt, and rubbish from water-courses, and from ponds, swamps and burrow-pits preparatory to oiling, and raising the level of fillings where sinkage had occurred. In addition they carried out a number of new works including the drainage or filling (2,517 cubic feet) of pools, the cutting of portions of the Halpan-ela (1,195 cubic feet), and the clearance of jungle (33,000 square feet). Halpan-ela.—This stream is approximately three miles in length, and is contained almost entirely within the town limits, passing in its central portion through a relatively thickly populated area. There can be no question that normally it should serve as an important drain for a large section of the town situated on the western side of the river, and that it should not only alleviate flooding during the rainy season but should act as the chief outlet for waste irrigation water from a considerable area throughout the year. Its condition, prior to reconstruction work, however, was such that drainage was entirely prevented, and a serious menace to the health of the community was produced. It was, hi fact, no longer a stream, but an extensive series of, more or less, isolated swamps and pools, bordered in many places by low marshy areas which, owing to the continual accession of water from the paddy fields and irrigation channels, persisted, even during the dry season. In several places owing to encroaclnnent the original course of the stream