Annual medical and sanitary report / Nigeria.

  • Nigeria. Medical Department
Date:
[1924]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report / Nigeria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    51/146 (page 49)
    Tuberculosis In Lagos. 1919. 1920. 1921. 1922. 1923. 1924. Lungs 53 48 57 74 85 69 Tuberculosis other parts . 10 8 8 4 6 23 Totals . 63 56 65 78 91 92 Total certified deaths of Africans . 823 1,002 1,060 1,196 1,081 1,844 Percentage of certified deatlis . 7-6 5*6 6-1 6-5 8-4 4-9 In 1923 the number of deaths certified bv Medical Practitioners 4/ formed 43‘394 of the total deaths registered whereas in 1924 thev formed _ ‘ < 4/ 56‘79^. The true number of deaths from Tuberculosis is probably higher than the figure given since there may be an error in registration due to some uncertified deaths, which, though due to Tuberculosis, are registered as Bronchitis. The improved building bye-laws, referred to in a previous part of this report, when put into application will help to improve insanitary conditions but the effect will be too slow and too localised if town planning of the insanitary areas is not carried out at an early date to improve the congested over-built insanitary areas of Lagos as measures against both Plague and Tuberculosis. Injiiienza has occurred as mild outbreaks in many places. In Lokoja an abdominal type was recorded in 1924. Enteric. Nine cases have been recorded as treated in Europeans but no deaths; in Africans six cases with one death are recorded. (c) Helminthic Diseases. There is little new to add to what is known and has been written on the prevalence of such diseases as Guinea worm, Bilharzia, Tape¬ worm, Ascaris and Hook-worm. Figures of cases treated for these infections give no indication as to degree of prevalence amongst the indigenous population. The greatest clanger is occasioned by the Hook-worm which is very prevalent and can be found in as many as 30 to 90^^ of those who do not adopt the use of “Saigas” or midden cesspits which are a common institution in each household of Hausa people in the Northern Emirates of the Northern Provinces. Efforts have been made to introduce its adoption by the Yorubas and other races in the Southern Provinces. Amongst prisoners infected with Ankylostomiasis, mortality runs high when other diseases such as dysentery or pneumonia supervene. The use of the pail system with incineration of nightsoil is the most effective method of prevention of spread of infection and one that is of most value where labour is employed in large numbers on construction work, on mining or in workshops.