Annual medical report / Colony and Protectorate of Kenya.

  • Kenya. Medical Department.
Date:
[1926]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical report / Colony and Protectorate of Kenya. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    112/138 (page 98)
    (d) Routine examination for helminths of all persons admitted to the Native Civil Hospital, Nairobi, and comparison of results with physical signs. Nutritional Problems. Group I. Investigations. (a) Analysis of all local foodstuffs. (b) Observation of effects of various dietaries on long term prisoners and youths in Reformatory. (c) Observation of effects of experimental diets on animals. Pathology. Group I. Investigations. (a) Routine Post Mortem examinations (when possible) of all patients dying at the Native Civil Hospital, Nairobi, and publication of quarterly reports thereof. Trypanosomiasis. Group II. Investigations. (a) Detection of Food Hosts of the tsetse fly by application of precipitin test to stomach contents. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Grolip II. Investigations. (a) Typing of coliform organisms already isolated. (b) Determination of metabolism in cases with especial regard to a possible upset of (’a metabolism, and to the possible advantage of parathyroid therapy. “ Influenza.” Group II. Investigation. (When plague investigation is finished.) (a) Investigation of the bacteriology and cytology of blood, secretions and excretions of cases with especial regard to the possibility of a casual filterable virus. Unfortunately, owing to the transference of one of the staff to the Sanitation Division it has been impossible to carry out quite as much work as was expected. A considerable portion of the programme has been commenced, however, and some of the Group II. investigations should be completed during 1927. Naturally it is impossible to indicate a definite time-table for the whole scheme of research os it depends upon several factors, among which may be mentioned : (a) The possibility of more urgent problems arising. (b) Maintenance of the full senior and subordinate staff at 1927 strength. (c) Amount of co-operation available from the clinical and sanitary staff of the Department. Unfortunately it would seem that the officers in the Medical and Sanitation Divisions have their hands so fully occupied with clinical and sanitation work that it is almost impossible for them to supply the necessary assistance to make certain investigations into the problems of clinical pathology a feasible proposi¬ tion. Although those problems in many cases stand in urgent need of elucidation, the Laboratory Staff in the absence of co-operation is naturally thrown back upon research work which can be carried out solely with Laboratory resources, a result which tends to make research academic rather than practical. If the scheme whereby the new Laboratory building is sited in the neighbourhood of the combined hospital in Nairobi comes to fruition, then it will be possible for the Laboratory staff to carry out a considerable amount of the clinical work for themselves, hence one cannot urge too strongly the early commencement on the new building scheme for the combined hospital and laboratory in Nairobi. After a considerable amount of thought, a scheme whereby medical research in the Colonies could be co-ordinated, and an amalgamated Colonial Research Service organised was discussed with the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services just prior to his departure on leave. The ideas put forward met with his whole-hearted support, and it is hoped that as the result of his advocacy of the suggestion, research work will be placed on a more secure basis than has been the case in the past. B. SEROLOGICAL SECTION. (1) Yaws and Syphilis. In the report for 1925 reference was made to an attempt which was in progress to investigate the relationship existing between these diseases and certain serological tests, and to discover how far these tests were influenced by treatment with bismuth. This investigation has been continued in 1926, and