Annual medical and sanitary report / Nigeria.

  • Nigeria. Medical Department
Date:
[1917]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    16/162 page 20
    17. Reservation Boards.—With the establishment of Townships the Reservation Boards will now cease to exist and their duties and interests together with their financial control will pass into the hands of the Local Authorities. The Medical Officer will continue in his capacity as adviser to the Local Authority in matters relative to Sanitation and Public Health. 18. Estimates.—The Estimates for the year for the expenditure directed by the Sanitary Office amounted to £21,234 an increase of <£4,162 on those of 1916. i II).—Preventive Measures. (1). —Mosquito and Insect-borne Diseases. 19. Malaria.—In Europeans 617 cases were treated as compared with 544 in 1916 and 498 cases in 1915. This shows a steady rise in the number treated. Of the 617 treated no less than 603 are of the Aestivo Autumnal type. In Natives 11,187 cases were treated as compared with 8,197 in 1916 and 5,018 in 1915. This figure also shows a steady rise. Of the cases treated in 1917 10,942 are returned as of Aestivo Autumnal type. The total cases treated for all causes in 1917 amount to 2,922 in Europeans with 23 deaths and in Natives 129,956 with 880 deaths. The total cases of Malaria in both Europeans and natives amount to 11,804 and the total cases treated for all causes amount to 132,878. Malaria therefore forms 8’8^ of the total cases that come under treat¬ ment for all causes. 20. Routine Anti-Mosquito Work is conducted at all stations. As stated in the annual report for 1916 many Medical Officers have now to supervise the sanitation of two or even three stations which does not advance sanitary interests by any means, knowing, as we do the necessity of having to exercise constant supervision over the subordinate staff. Lagos.—Here anti-mosquito work has been maintained at a high degree of efficiency and notwithstanding the exceptionally heavy rain fall. The Larvae Index was 2*08— the figure being practically the same as for 1916 which speaks well for the working of the Health Department of the Town Council. Closed rooms still prove a source of mosquito breeding though not so much as in previous years. All wells are inspected periodically for larvae. Oiling, draining and filling in of low lying swamp areas is carried out. Gutters have been removed from the roofs of nearly all Government buildings and a distinct reduction in mosquitoes is perceptible. A. special gang of anti-mosquito labourers is maintained to carry out the necessary measures : filling in of crab holes and dealing with trees and other sources of mosquito breeding. 21. Borroiu Pits.—With the judicious application of the Rules under the Public Health Ordinance there will be greater facility for dealing with this source of danger to public health. Prevention of the pits is what is required. Much can be done with a view to this but constant supervision is necessary especially in new and developing Townships where personal interests are subserved regardless of these relative to the health of the community.
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