Annual report of the Director, Medical & Health Department / Colony of Mauritius.

  • Mauritius. Medical and Health Department
Date:
[1930]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Director, Medical & Health Department / Colony of Mauritius. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    55/72 (page 45)
    COMMUNICABLE DISEASES O d 947T]fei925°Wing giVeS tilG number of cases notifiecl of each disease falling under Diphtheria Typhoid Erysipelas Measles Puerperal Fever Tuberculosis District Cases Death Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases i 9 ■+J eS Jg Moka 2 22 5 1 * • * • • • • « • 4 4 38 30 Savanne Grand Port: • • • • • • 19 5 1 • • • • • • 1 1 46 37 Rose Belle • •» 21 6 2 • • • • • • • • • • • • 16 10 Mahebourg iii ■ ■ ■ ■ - — ■■ .——— • • • • • 15 3 2 . • • • • • • V • 2 2 23 13 Typhoid.—87 cases were notified against 45 the previous year, the great majority occurring towards the end of the Port Louis and Plaines Wilhems epidemics with which they were closely connected. Tuberculosis.—No great value need be attached to the figures given above. Dysentery—Diarrhoea and Enteritis.—128 deaths due to dysentery and 377 to diarrhoea and enteritis were declared at the Civil Status during the year. Although no epidemic focus existed, the prevalence of the complaints cannot but be attributed to defective water supply— Reference has been made above to the insufficient number of standpipes in the villages and hamlets provided with pipe supplies. To this should be added the dependance of most sugar estates and many a hamlet on either open canal supplies, or surface streams and wells. Ankylostomiasis.—There does not appear to be marked improvement in this respect. Neither is there any hope to be tendered for many years to come. Latrines have been provided but unfortunately the proportion of the labouring classes utilising them is very small. At the time oiling was performed by Government the inhabitants considered the care exercised as an indication of the importance of the latrine. It had far more educative value than lectures which are listened to by a few, understood by less and forgotten by all. Whooping Cough.—An epidemic at first benign but which later assumed a severe character prevailed during the second half of the year. The exact number of deaths due to it cannot be given as a large number were reported as due to the various lung diseases. This epidemic affecting more particularly the very young, was more fatal among the lower classes which suffering from the conditions mentioned in the first part of this report proved less resistant. MARKETS 10. There is only one market—that of Mahebourg—of the open type in the Southern Districts. Meat is sold in specially approved shops while fish and vegetables are either hawked or sold in open stalls under shop verandahs along the streets—It has not as yet been found possible to do away with the objectionable practice. SLAUGHTER HOUSES 11. Govt, abattoirs exist at Mahebourg and Souillac and private ones at Rose Belle, St. Pierre and Riv. des Anguilles. The Govt, institutions are in need of serious repairs. Heifers are only slaughtered on production of certificate from the Government Veterinary Surgeon authorising same. The slaughtering at the various abattoirs is carried out under the control of the Sanitary Inspector, doubtful cases being referred to the Government Veterinary Surgeon. CEMETERIES. 12. The Health Department is responsible for the burial of the dead and the unkeep of Cemeteries except where privately owned. 3,023 burials were effected in the public cemeteries and Rs. 5,868.00 cashed on account of fees. The fines imposed by the various Courts amounted to Rs. 1,352.15. One milk seller was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. The total number of visits paid by the staff to private premises in addition to the regular inspections made of the various Government institutions, slaughter houses, sugar estate camps amounts to 35.752. The number of disinfections on account of contagious disease amounts to 211. 18th April 1931. „ A. G. MASSON, Sanitary w arden South.