Annual report of the Superintending Medical Officer / Jamaica.
- Jamaica. Medical Department
- Date:
- [1920]
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: Annual report of the Superintending Medical Officer / Jamaica. Source: Wellcome Collection.
14/78
![10. There are not many Lepers in Kingston. Those affected are kept properly isolated, as far as I know. 11. Dysentery has been fairly prevalent. Of the exact number of cases I am not certain, but the deaths registered under this head amount to 85. 12. As regards Pellagra, I personally saw only 5 cases, but this is no .correct indication of the extent to which the disease prevails. I think the records of the Lunatic Asylum would tell a different tale. 13. No case of Ackee Poisoning came under my notice. 15 & 16. Venereal Diseases were, so far as I am able to judge, as prevalent as ever; and, while I am not prepared to assert that they are increasing (I am without any definite statistics on the point) I think I am quite safe in venturing an expression of the opinion that they are not decreasing; nor can this be reasonably expected, until a more thorough and comprehensive method, than that which now obtains, of dealing with them is initiated and vigorously prosecuted. The usual statistical returns are forwarded herewith. I have the honour to be, Sir, The Suptg. Medical Officer. Kingston. Your obedient Servant, Lawson Gtfford, D.M.O. Port Antonio, . 25th April, 1921. Sir, I beg to Submit the following Report relative to the health conditions, that obtained in my District, during the past Calendar Year, called for by Circular No. 1092 dated 1st ultimo. As regards the prevalence of sickness in the different seasons of the year, the only noticeable feature in this connection, was the increase in the number of malarial cases during the Summer months. The disease generally was mild but now and then a severe case came under my observation. Relative to Paragraph 2 the Sanitary Conditions of the Chief Towns, &c., in the District, this has. been exhaustively dealt with in submitting this Report in other years and there is nothing new to add No new works have been carried out, that would tend to improve Public Health Conditions. Under the sub-heading of Water Supply, attention was directed to this important matter during the last 9 months of 1920 by the severe drought that prevailed. The necessity for an additional supply was recognised, and I am not aware that any steps have been taken to meet another such occurrence. The same primitive system, of disposing of night soil is still in vogue. The persons engaged in this unpleasant work, are supposed to empty the buckets in certain places but I question whether the regula¬ tions are followed very strictly, nor are they followed as regards the use of covered retainers. The town is comparatively free, one might almost say singularly free, from mosquitoes, this is to be wondered at, considering the low-lying nature of much of the land in its neighbourhood and of a con¬ siderable portion of the town itself. I mentioned above, that no new works have been carried out with a view to improving Sanitary Matters, -this had reference to the Governing Authorities. The United Fruit Co. has not been idle, much has been done at Bound Brook, to get rid of mosquito breeding areas, for low-lying lands have been filled in and concrete gutters constructed to carry off storm and other waters. The deal h rate was fairly uniform throughout the year, during the summer months there may have been a slight increase, but hardly a sufficient increase to call for remark. The unprecedented drought was the only unusual meteorological feature that requires comment. It began in February 1920 and lasted practically a year. There was an increase in the number of intes¬ tinal cases in the Hospital and Poor House, otherwise, I do not think the sick rate was affected by it. The Alastrim Epidmic began in July—that is—the first cases that came under my observation ^reiTt6/? tr,lr^n® month; ^ is stiff going on, although there is every indication it is on the wane. The M.O.H. informs me that 351 cases have occurred in this District. One death only has resulted, this happened in the case of an unvaccinated young woman, who was admitted to the Hospital suffering from the vomiting of pregnancy, her symptoms being so severe in this connection, that an abortion had to be produced; she subsequently developed Alastrim involving the mouth, throat, nose, etc., in- terfering with, hei taking nourishment which brought about a fatal result. This case was fully reported at the time it happened. ] have always been opposed to making so much of Alastrim, it kills no one , and to my mind except for the longer duration, is no worse than a bad attack of coryza, and yet this parish has been let in for a matter of £2,000 (so far) m connection with it. This by no means represents the total loss to the com¬ munity, many tourists have been kept away by the publicity given to the epidemic, I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say that each visitor is good for £5 to the people of the town (for bus hire, purchases made m the stores, etc.) apart from the large amount spent in the Hotel, this has all been in abeyance owing to the small number who came here. J Had the publicity done anything towards lessening the incidence of the disease, the Public could ice? been congratulated; 351 cases in this District is the-record. During the Small Pox Epidemic of 1887-88 with a much more virulently infective disease, there was a total of 28 deaths in the same area There is one redeeming feature m connection with the Epidemic, that is, the impetus given to vacci- P™ ^h° were strenuous objectors, to this simple protective measure, came forward and acutely beggpd for it; the result is the district is protected now, as it never was before against Small Pox. A very considerable number of the persons operated on were adults. *](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31481863_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
