Annual report / Medical Department, Fiji.

  • Fiji. Medical Department.
Date:
[1949]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report / Medical Department, Fiji. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/38 (page 9)
    80. As far as possible the policy of limiting admissions to tuberculosis cases in which quie¬ scence or cure can be expected was continued. Admission, discharges and deaths during 1949 were as follows:— In patients 1949:— Total number of patients in Hospital on 1st January, 1949 . 154 Admitted during 1949 for first time • • , , , , , , 248 Re-admissions of old cases (pre-1949) during 1949 .. 46 Total Tuberculosis patients 1949 448 Discharged 1949 .. • • • • •• •• 191 Died 1949 . • • •• •• •• 79 In hospital on 31st December, 1949 • • •• •• •• 178 Total number of admissions 1949 294 The daily average of patients was 166. 81. The work of the Tamavua Hospital X-ray department was greatly increased during the year. As early in the year there was only one Radiographer at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital who could not be made available for all the work required to be done, at Tamavua Hospital two Fijian nursing orderlies were successfully trained to take chest X-rays. Assistant Medical Practi¬ tioner Macu Salato, who was carrying out the mantoux testing of school children in Tailevu Province ’ as part of the tuberculosis survey, requested X-rays of many children. Suspicious chests were brought by bus for X-ray to Tamavua Hospital. When the mass miniature X-ray camera was brought into use at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital later in the year persons requiring large films as a result of the miniature X-ray were X-rayed at Tamavua Hospital. During the year 889 X-rays of in-patients, 1,320 of out-patients and 270 of staff, were taken, a total of 2,479. The work of the department was hampered towards the end of the year by a breakdown of the X-ray equipment necessitating the shipment of the part to New Zealand for repair. The difficulties experienced in maintaining a separate register of all tuberculosis cases in the Colony, begun in 1946, are gradually being overcome and an accurate register is in the process of compilation. To assist in the registration of new cases of tuberculosis and to try to ensure that only those patients who have a good chance of recovery are admitted to Tamavua Hospital, as well as to assist other Medical Officers, all X-ray films are sent to Tamavua Hospital for examination by the Medical Officer in Charge. A total of 3,260 films was examined of which 414 showed evidence of tuberculosis. The occupational therapy unit made sales valued at £117 15s. Od. and showed a gross profit of £86 18s. Od. for the year. Sales from the hospital canteen showed a profit of £40 12s. lOd. This amount with the net profit of £151 12s. Id. at the end of 1948 less £80 2s. 2d., the cost of comforts bought for patients, brought the total net profit at the end of 1949 to £108 Is. 5d. 82. Planting was carried out continually during the year, a larger area than previously being now under cultivation, but owing to the continued wet weather all food crops were very late in maturing. It is hoped to purchase a plough when the land, which has been under cultivation for several years, can be rejuvenated by ploughing and manuring. The Agricultural Department continued to give ready assistance and marked out the land for contouring. 83. Through the generosity of H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth two new movie projectors were presented to the hospital during the year and pictures are screened once every week for the benefit of patients and staff. Once a month Mr. W. B. Martin very kindly conducted concerts which were greatly appreciated by the patients. The band of the Fiji Military Forces gave four concerts during the year and played carols in each ward at Christmas. St. Andrew’s Guild visited the hospital at Christmas and distributed presents to all patients. 84. The following table shows the new cases of tuberculosis and the number of deaths registered in the years 1946-1949:— Race 1946— Fijian Indian Others 1947— Fijian Indian Others 1948— Fijian Indian Others 1949— Fijian Indian Others Total Total Total No. of new No. of deaths cases notified notified 246 117 95 40 33 11 374 168 284 209 87 17 65 42 436 268 334 148 148 35 75 26 557 209 288 128 118 30 57 35 463 193 Total