Medical and sanitary report / Government of the Gold Coast.

  • Gold Coast. Medical Department
Date:
[1902]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical and sanitary report / Government of the Gold Coast. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    34/36 (page 244)
    34 ■I*? Q ^ 'Ci l» > '£) IY.—The Harmattan wind was very marked towards the end of the year, and it would seem as if the maximum incidence of disease occurred at this season. During this time the daily range in temperature is greatly exaggerated in comparison with other seasons. Meteorological instruments protected in a screen give no correct idea of the alternation in the temperature from maximum to minimum. Observations taken under trees in the open revealed the fact that the temperature in the cold breeze of the early morning was sometimes as low as 60 and the maximum temperature on the same day has been 96, a daily range of 36 therefore occurred. This condition must tend to produce congestion of the internal organs where officers are exposed to the morning temperature, and I do not consider it advisable or wise that officers should rise early during a marked Harmattan season. Before concluding my remarks on the subject of the health of Europeans, I wish to state that I have recommended the Medical Officers in the Northern Territories to use a reasonable amount of latitude with regard to invaliding any officer, and to act promptly on the first sign of any serious nature, and brief consideration of fact will demonstrate the necessity for this, as an officer may be situated at a station more than one month’s journey from the coast, and it therefore becomes essential that if he is to be invalided he should only be sent down before his physical condition is too far impaired, and it is needless to add that the condition of such an officer on arrival on the coast may vary within wide limits, but the fact that he may have improved greatly in health can not be any criterion of his condition when invalided. General Health, Natives. This will be divided into natives born on the Coast and natives horn in the Hinterland. The former get good health but the Harmattan season proves very trying to them. The latter enj oy very good health and live to a greater age than coast natives ; practically speaking a native of the Northern Territories gets remarkably good health in this country, and there is no disease that calls for special notice. The following diseases are comparatively of rare occurrence :—Leprosy, Syphilis, Elephantiasis; and sleeping sickness is unknown. Health of Soldiers, 2nd Battalion Gold Coast Regiment. The health of the native troops was excellent, and comparatively small numbers appeared on each day’s sick list, and of these many were so trivial in nature that the men were placed on light duty. It is unnecessary to consider more than the general health shown by the records of the companies at Gambaga. D. Average Strength. Died. Invalided. Average daily attend¬ ance of Sick. Remarks. 358 3 6 15 Several cases on light duty. I consider that this record will compare favourably with that of either Kumasi or the Coast. No doubt the health of the men may be due to their residence in their own country, and the supply of food to which they are accustomed. Native Officials. The native officials enjoyed fairly good health. No deaths or cases of invaliding occurred. The number of entries on sick list was fairly large, but the nature of the disease was rarely serious. E. Average Strength. Died. Invalided. Entries on Sick List. Remarks. 15 Nil. Nil. 34 Comprises civil and enlisted native clerks.