Medical report / British Honduras.

  • British Honduras. Medical Department.
Date:
[1935]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Medical report / British Honduras. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/46 (page 8)
    More stringent bye-laws are under consideration. (5) DIET IN HEALTH AND DISEASE. The people live to a large extent on tea, bread, rice, beans and salt pork. In the north, corn is a staple article of diet. There is much evidence of imbalance of diet and lack of vitamins. Dental caries and constipation are the general rule. Cases of scurvy have been recorded in a district where wild oranges and fruits grow freely. It is evident that not sufficient advantage is taken of the fresh foods available, and of the potential agricultural resources of the Colony. Recommendations for Future Work. (i) Surface drainage for a part, if not, the whole of the town of Belize. (ii) Enforcement of building bye-laws. (iii) Institution of Anti-rat Campaign. (iv) Medical Inspection of School Children. Appended is a Report of the Senior Sanitary Inspector. IV. PORT HEALTH WORK AND ADMINISTRATION. During the year quarantine regulations were in force against the Central American Republics, Mexico and Brazil. All vessels arriving in the port of Belize are boarded by the Medical Officer, Belize. During the year, no quarantinable disease occured in the port or in the Colony. VI. HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES. In the Belize Hospital, in addition to the cases detailed in the classified returns ap¬ pended to this report, there were 24,000 attendances at the Out-patient Department dur¬ ing the year. There were 118 major and 198 minor operations. In 135 cases, spinal an¬ aesthesia was used. One thousand and forty-one mothers and expectant mothers attended as out-door patients in connection with he Maternity Ward. The Private Wards which were destroyed by the hurricane have not yet been re¬ built. There is a certain demand for private ward accommodation. There is a dental clinic held twice a week at which patients in all the Institutions are attended to, and in addition, there are 726 non-paying outdoor cases. A V.D. Clinic, which is well attended, has been established. There are five District Hospitals, each in charge of the Medical Officer of the Dist¬ rict. Adequate accommodation for patients is provided. Repairs, alterations and painting have been carried out both at Belize and Stann Creek Hospitals. VII. PRISONS AND LUNATIC ASYLUM. The Prison is a well-managed institution; the grounds and individual cells and out¬ buildings have been maintained in an excellent condition. The diet is plentiful and well cooked. The average daily number of prisoners during the year was 52.00 as compared with 48.00 in 1934. The Lunatic Asylum— Number of patients remaining at end of 1934.55 Admissions . 7 Deaths . 1 Discharges . 5 Number of patients remaining at end of 1935.56 The buildings and grounds are maintained in a sanitary condition and the patients are well looked after. Opportunities for recreation and amusement are however very limited. J. INNES MOIR.