Annual report on the health and medical services of the state of Queensland.

  • Queensland. Department of Health.
Date:
[1948]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the health and medical services of the state of Queensland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/108 (page 8)
    Laboratory.—Laboratory activities have been extended during the past year, firstly by the addition of a part-time assistant in September, 1947, and in January, 1948, by the addition of a laboratory technician. This was necessary in view of the increased work due to the use of diasone, and has also made it possible to do differential leucocoyte counts on the island, relieving the strain on the Laboratory of Pathology and Microbiology. Table XI. shows the work carried out by the Laboratory during the year. A start has been made on diasone estimations in urine in an attempt to control dosage. TABLE XI. — Haemoglobin Estimations. Red Cell Counts. White Cell Counts. Differential Leucocyte Counts. Arneth Counts. Microscopic Examinations of Urine. 1-7-47 to 31-12-47 1,174 533 536 459 1-1-48 to 30-6-48 1,054 914 910 627 7 568 Total, 1947-48 2,228 1,447 1,446 627 7 1,027 Staff (Medical).—The medical staff remains at the same strength as at the end of last year. Medical Records.—Practically no improve¬ ment in the medical records has occurred during the year, and no improvement is anticipated until more staff is available (B) Leprosy Among Aboriginals. It has not been possible to do any surveys during the year, though a number of admissions to Fantome Island during the year have been cases in which the disease was suspected in the last survey. It is hoped that next year will see marked advances in the treatment of the disease among natives. (C) General Remarks. Records.—The task of catching up on past, records is still a large one and work done during the year has only served to emphasise their incompleteness. Epidemioiogy.—No new data have emerged from the year’s work and the present state of the disease in Queensland remains virtually unknown. The disease is a difficult one for the general practitioner to diagnose. The arrest of the disease still appears to lie in diagnosis and treatment as early as possible. It is known that in whites infection is transmitted in the majority of cases only by close and prolonged contact with a case and that the incubation period may be up to twenty years or more. In natives, both contact and incubation periods are shorter. The solution to the problem in both cases is, how¬ ever, the same; repeated thorough examina¬ tions of known close contacts over a long period. The longer the delay in doing this the more dis¬ persed become the known contacts and the more widespread the disease. The past twelve months have seen a big change in general amenities at Peel Island. The year has been marked by increased Public Works activity; the acquisition of six army huts for conversion into the following:—Temporary ward, medical officer’s quarters, male staff quarters, and dining room, patient accommoda¬ tion. The work of conversion is still going on. Accommodation has been further augmented by the transfer of several buildings from the old institution at Dunwich. Just before Christmas the electric light plant which had been installed during the first half of the year came into action and is very greatly appreciated. Shortly afterwards, the motion picture equipment was installed and weekly programmes have been much enjoyed ever since. In August, 1947, a visit was paid by the Honourable the Minister; the Under-Secretary, and the Director-General, and several Members of Parliament, to discuss various matters with patients and staff. During the year much planning has been done following the decision of Cabinet to rebuild the institution on another site on the island. The plans are still in the hands of the architects and a new road is under construction from the pres¬ ent site to the new site to link up with a pro¬ posed new jetty. Visits by the Salvation Army and others have been much appreciated.