Report on the public health administration of the Punjab.

  • Punjab (India). Public Health Department.
Date:
[1923]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the public health administration of the Punjab. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    29/82 (page 19)
    G. Epidemiological Bureau.~~The Epidemiological Bureau, which replaces the old Malaria Bureau, is staffed by three specially qualified officers working under the Assistant Director of Public Health (Technical) Epidemio¬ logy, and functions as the laboratory investigation section of the Depart¬ ment. The work conducted by the Bureau during the year under report may be summarised as follows :— (1) The study of the mechanism of epidemic malaria was continued by means of field observations and laboratory experiments. (2) The 19th and 20tii Provincial spleen census of school children under ten years of age was carried out in months of June and November, respectively. (3) A malaria survey of the tract drained by the Hudiara Nullah with the special object of collecting data regarding the incidence of malaria prior to the inception of the scheme for improving the drainage of this tract was carried out. (4) A study of the bionomics of mosquitoes was commenced having for its objects the determination of the precise part played by cattle in affording a protective screen to man. This investigation, which is being conducted in conjunction with Major It. B. Lloyd, I.M.S., Imperial Serologist to the Government of India, has not yet been completed. (5) An analysis of the vital statistics of a water-logged area in Gujranwala district was carried out for the Drainage Board. (6) An epidemiological investigation in connection with the epidemic of relapsing fever in the districts of Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan was undertaken and the staff also assisted in suppressing the epidemic. (7) An inquiry into alleged high mortality among women in Mian- wali District was conducted. (6) Two hundred and ninty-one blood films (53 positive for malaria para¬ sites and 4 9 for the parasite of relapsing fever) were examined. It is hoped that more use will be made of the Bureau in future by Health Officers and others wTio n >w have these special facilities for laboratory diagnosis placed at their disposal. (t;) Scientific memoirs emanating from the Bureau, all of which were published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research during the year under report, comprised a study of the influence of altitude of malaria and two papers detailing results of an analysis of the accuracy attained by the.malaria forecasts for the years 1921 and 1922. Throughout the year I remained in charge of the post of the Director of Public Health, Punjab. Lieutenant-Colonel 0. A. Gill, I.M.S., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H., acted as Assistant Director of Public Health, Northern Range, and Professor of Hygiene, King Edward Medical College, Lahore, in addition to his own duties as Chief Malaria Medical Officer from 1st to 19th January, on which date the charge of the office of Assistant Director of Public Health, Northern Range, was transferred to Khan Bahadur Dr. K. A. Rahman, who held charge of the office of Assistant Director of Public Health, Southern Range, in addition to his own duties from the commencement of the year till 19th January, the date on which he was relieved by Captain R. C. Malhotra, I.M.S., O.B.E. The post of the Chief Plague Medical Officer was also held by Khan Bahadur Dr. K. A. Rahman from 1st January to 15th October, while the charge of the office of Chief Malaria Medical Officer was held by Lieutenant- Colonel C. A. Gill, I.M.S. from the commencement of the year till the 5th April, the date on which he proceeded on leave, handing over charge of the office of Chief Malaria Medical Officer to Khan Bahadur Dr. K. A. Rahman. The usual inspections were made by the officers of the Department during the year.