Annual medical report / Northern Nigeria.

  • Northern Nigeria (Nigeria). Medical Department.
Date:
[1908]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical report / Northern Nigeria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    2/10 page 99
    99 THE KORTHERN NIGERIA GAZETTE. May 31, 1909. Prevalence of sickness in the different seasons of the year, and general character as to mildness or severity of the diseases prevailing. Statistics of Blackwater Fever for six years Kelative mortality in the different seasons. Particular diseases that have recurred during the year. i I ) General sanitary condi¬ tion of the Protectorate. Annual Report, Medical Depai'tment 1908. As in former years the most unhealthy months for the Europeans were August and September, the number of admissions having been 114 and loi, in these two months, as against 57 in February, 63 in March, and 61 in April. The general character of the diseases prevailing showed little or no change. The case mortality of Blackwater fever was above the average of the last five years but the cases were fewer in number. The actual number of admissions being 14 with 4 deaths. 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 Number of Cases. 17 35 18 25 12 14 Rate per 1,000 of average population. 54 69 108-69 .'■>2-63 72-04 28-3 28-05 Number of deaths. 8 6 4 5 — 4 Case mortality per cent. 47-05 17-14 22-2 20 — 28-57 The greatest number of deaths among Europeans occured in August and November, and there were no deaths in May, June, October, and December; during the rest of the year the mortality was evenly distributed through the months. The native death rate varied but little throughout the year, and owing to the absence of any serious epidemics was much lower than in any year since the Protectorate was established. The greatest amount of sickness among Europeans has been due as in former vears to Malaria. The total number of admissions from this disease (Blackvv'ater fever being classified separately) were 307, compared with 318 admissions during last year, and 370 the year before, 445 in 1905, and 515 in 1904,-a progressive diminution in the number of cases met with in spite of the increase of population. Dysentery. 22 cases of this disease occurred during the year among Europeans, with no deaths, all being of a mild type, as against 23 cases in 1907. Cerebrospinal pexer. Only 2 cases with i death were met with, both in natives. Sleeping sickness. 3 cases were admitted, all natives. There is however considerable evidence to shew that this disease is not un¬ common on the Benue, but the portion of the Protectorate where it is said to occur has not yet been thoroughly examined. It is apparently confined to small areas and has never assumed the form of epidemics such as have occurred in East Africa. Bcri-Beri. 9 admissions with i death, as against 5 cases in 1907. Syghilis. There w^ere 549 admissions amongst natives from this disease. In 1907 there were 774, a very marked diminution in the number of cases. As in former years the north eastern part of the Protectorate has furnished the greatest amount ol sickness from this disease. }Rws. 114 cases were admitted. The general sanitary condition of the European stations is very satisfactory, and ds being improved year by year.
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