Annual report of the Department of Public Health of the Province of Saskatchewan.

  • Saskatchewan. Department of Public Health.
Date:
[1935]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Department of Public Health of the Province of Saskatchewan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    27/228 (page 25)
    TRACHOMA REPORT, 1935. There were 282 cases of trachoma, 140 male and 142 female, reported as being under treatment during 1935, and 251 cases at the end of 1935. At the end of 1934 there were 214 cases, or 37 fewer than in 1935. The number of families affected and being treated at clinics operated by the Department of Public Health was 113, as compared with 99 in 1934, an increase of 14 families affected. New cases discovered by the Department were 27. Cases showing an arrested condition—45, and recurrences—28. There were 219 cases under treat¬ ment at the regular department clinics in 1935 as compared with 199 in 1934, an increase of 20 cases. Cases reported by private physicians in 1935 were 15, the same as in 1934. Details respecting the above are found in Table No. 1. Number of pre-school age cases (5 years and under) Number of school age cases (5 years to 14). Number of cases over 14 years. Male Female Total 6 10 16 68 60 128 66 72 138 There are, therefore, 7% of the cases under school age, 45% of school age and 48% adults. In the age group 5 to 19 years, there were 176 cases, or 62%. For details see Table No. 2. Geographical distribution of cases by rural municipalities: 5, 1; 70, 31; 75, 1; 107, 5; 136, 8; 137, 18; 165, 3; 171, 3; 172, 1; 221, 1; 222, 7; 229, 5; 230, 4; 231, 2; 245, 1; 253, 2; 254, 5; 271, 1; 333, 3; 339, 1; 374, 80; 375, 4; 377, 4; 381, 1, 397, 1; 402, 8; 403, 7; 404, 16; 410, 1; 427, 1; 463, 1; 465, 2; 466, 8; 487, 5; 573, 5; 588, 4. Total, 36 municipalities. In array of number of cases they are as follows : Rural municipalities 5, 75, 172, 221, 245, 271, 339, 381, 397, 410, 427 and 463 have one case each; 231, 253 and 465 have two cases each; 165, 171 and 333 have three cases each; 230, 375, 377 and 588 have four cases each; 107, 229, 254, 487 and 573 have five cases each; 222 and 403 have seven cases each; 136, 402 and 466 have eight cases each; 404 has 16; 137 has 18; 70 has 31, and 374 has 80 cases. Three of the nurses of the Division of Public Health Nursing devote a considerable portion of their time in seeing that the cases are looking after their treatments regularly. They arrange to see the cases about once or some¬ times twice a week, at the schools usually, but in the winter months this is impossible on account of roads and weather. The details of their work will appear in the Public Health Nursing report. Saskatchewan has been grappling with trachoma now for over a quarter of a century, and, although progress has been made in reducing the number of cases, preventing its spread and preventing blindness, it would now appear that the solution of the trachoma problem lies in utilizing local hospitals and hospi¬ talizing the cases under an eye specialist, for intensive treatment, for possibly three weeks each. This would appear to be the only way to clear up the focus of the disease and would be much less expensive in the end than is our present system. Any suitable building for housing the cases while under treatment could be utilized as long as a qualified nurse was placed in charge under the specialist.