Alpine heights and change of climate in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary consumption / by Charles R. Drysdale.

  • Charles Robert Drysdale
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Alpine heights and change of climate in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary consumption / by Charles R. Drysdale. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the deaths 1*71. In Bermuda, the annual admissions per 1000 for phthisis were 10-5, and there were 2*60 deaths per annum per 1000 living. In the West Indies, in the Windward and Leeward command, the average annual admissions per thousand men for phthisis were ten, and there were L57 deaths per 1000 from 1859 to 1865 among the white troops; whilst among the black troops the admissions actually amounted to 18-2, and the deaths to 6*52 in 1000 annually. In Jamaica, the average annual admission for phthisis was 10*1, and the deaths 1*75 in 1000 ; whilst among the black troops no less than 17*5 were admitted, and 5*43 per 1000 died tubercular. In Sierra Leone, at present, there appear oidy to be black troops. The admission of these black troops into hospital per 1000 was 16-2, and no less than 7 05 per 1000 annually died at Sierra Leone of tuberculosis. The same tale holds good for Gambia and the Gold Coast. St. Helena seems very healthy altogether, and has only an annual admission of 6 2, and a death rate of L82 from phthisis; and the Cape of Good Hope has about 9 admissions and 1*35 deaths annually per 1000 troops. In the island of Mauritius the average annual admission per 1000 troops for phthisis has been 10-7, with 2T9 deaths of late years. In Ceylon there has been a great deal of this fatal disease ; no less than an average of 16-8 admissions annually per 1000 men into hospital, and 3'52 deaths among the white troops; whilst among the black troops there seem only to have been 2-9 admissions and L26 deaths annually per 1000 from phthisis in the years between 1859 and 1865. In Australia and Tasmania the average annual admissions rise to 16*2 per 1000, with 5-29 deaths; and in New Zealand it falls to 8-7 admissions and 1-90 deaths per thousand annually. In China the admissions are 9-8, and the deaths from consumption 2-24 per 1,000 of the white troops; whilst among the native or Asiatic troops there are only 3-2 admissions and L08 deaths annually per thousand from this disease. In Japan, in 1866, there were 15-8 admissions into hospital per 1,000, with 2-25 deaths from consumption. In 1866 the average number of European non-commissioned officers and men serving in the Indian commands was 58,901. In the Bengal Presidency, the average admissions per 1000 of the troops for phthisis was 1L00, and there were 2-49 deaths per 1,000. In the Madras Presidency phthisis seems to have been rather more common, since the average admissions amount to 16*7 and the deaths to 2‘00 per 1000 annually. In the Bombay Presidency, again, the annual admissions sink to 10-1 and the deaths to L88 per 1000 annually. What can we conclude from these statistics ? Simply, I believe, that some local circumstances, and above all, I am inclined to think, the bad ventilation of the barracks inhabited by the troops, are the constant cause of the occurrence of tubercular phthisis, and that climate has little or nothing to do with its
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