Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals / [Ceylon].

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1911]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals / [Ceylon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    43. The Victoria Memorial Eye Hospital and Grenier Outdoor Dispensary.—At the dispensary 12,787 new cases (eye and ear) were treated, among which were 1,201 cases of injury. 190 persons were examined as to their fitness for employment in Government Departments, e.g., the Railway. 004 operations were performed. At the Victoria Memorial Eye Hospital 1,003 in-patients were treated. 509 major operations were performed, 277 of which were for cataract; 3'24 of these were failures. To show the popularity of this institution, patients came from every Province in this Island and from South India. The accommodation provided has been found insufficient, and a new male ward and an enlargement of the outdoor dispensary are pressing necessities. Owing to the generosity of Mr. Walter de Soysa, who has given Rs. 50,000 for the extension of buildings for the treatment of eye diseases in Colombo, Galle, and Kandy, a start will be made soon to supply these wants. 44. Police Hospital, Colombo.—The total number of patients was 1,276, of those 122 were jail officers. Of those admitted, 4 died, 1 each from dysentery, bronchitis, pneumonia, and pericarditis ; only one case of enteric fever was admitted. The average daily sick in hospital was 14-72. 45. Branch Hospitals for Women.—At Colombo 545 were treated for venereal diseases, with one death. At Galle 164 were treated. 46. Jail Hospitals and Sick Prisoners.—During the eighteen months’ period 21,749 prisoners were admitted into the different jails of the Island. The average daily strength of prisoners was 3,108 • 12, the number treated in jail hospitals was 9,991, the total number of deaths was 347. The following table shows the number of admissions, number of deaths, average strength, and death-rate to admissions to jail hospitals during the past five years :— Admission to Number of Average Daily Death-rate per Cent Hospitals. Deaths. Strength of Prisoners. to Admissions. 1906 .. 4,776 110 3,153-26 2-30 1907 .. 5,617 113 3,334-88 2-01 1908 .. 5,667 205 3,371-97 3-61 1909 .. 8,319 346 3,348-21 415 1910-11 9,829 350 3,10812 3-56 The chief causes of sickness and deaths were as follows:—3,984 cases of diarrhoea, with 133 deaths ; 960 cases of dysentery, with 63 deaths; 1,213 cases of malaria, with 15 deaths; 18 cases of enteric fever, with 6 deaths; 144 cases of injury, with 2 deaths. All other diseases totalled 3,672, with 128 deaths. Colombo Jails.— Average Daily Average Per Cent. Sick Total Per Cent. Deaths Strength. Daily Sick. to Strength. Deaths. to Strength. Welikada 796-06 38-28 4-81 89 • 020 Mutwal 300-47 27-52 9-16 57 035 Hulftsdorp 121-08 2-45 2-02 6 009 Mahara 584-36 43-78 7-53 87 •028 Diets.—In August, 1910, 16 ounces of raw rice was substituted for 16 ounces of bread in No. 1 penal diet in the Colombo prisons. 47. Kanatta Infectious Diseases Hospital.—1,646 cases of infectious diseases were treated at the hospital during the eighteen months’ period. The diseases included :— Cases. Deaths. Cholera 9 3 Smallpox 105 22 Chickenpox . .'£1,141 1 Measles . . “ 133 2 Acute diarrhoea 2 2 Mumps .. . . 73 Whooping cough 7 _ Beri-beri 10 ____ Diphtheria 4 1 Other cases, including those under observation 162 1 Victoria Home for Incurables.—At this institution 66 remained on December 31, 1909, and 12 were admitted during the period under review, making a total of 78 cases, of whom 1 was discharged and 3 died, 74 remained on June 30, 1911. 49. Bacteriological Institute and Clinic for Tropical Diseases.—The total number of specimens •sent for bacteriological examination was over 3,000, including the Clinic and Seamen’s Ward, General Hospital. The fees collected amounted to Rs. 1,029. A new clinic is an urgent need, the present building being unsuitable. Research work was earned out in the following subjects by Dr. Castellani :— (1) Dhoby itch and its fungi (five new species). (2) The hyphomycetes of Tinea imbricata ; their growth on artificial media and experimental reproduction of the disease. (3) Tropical bronchomycosis. (4) Anchylostomiasis fever. (5) Cases of fever due to Bacillus Asiaticus. (6) Observations on some new intestinal bacteria. (7) A peculiar trychomycosis. (8) The treatment of yaws. (9) Vaccination with live vaccines. The details of the investigations will be found in the reports to the Advisory Committee of the Tropical Diseases Research Fund.