Abridged annual report of the Medical Department / Nyasaland Protectorate.

  • Nyasaland. Medical Department.
Date:
[1943]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Abridged annual report of the Medical Department / Nyasaland Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    INTESTINAL AND EXCREMENTAL GROUP II. Helminthic Diseases. 26. There was a marked decrease in the total number of cases of ankylosto¬ miasis and schistosomiasis treated at hospitals but this cannot be ascribed to improved sanitation or better water supplies. 8,065 cases of ankylostomiasis were reported, compared with 11,078 in 1942 but admissions to hospitals for this disease increased from 2,274 to 2,802. Out of a total of 4,879 cases of schistosomiasis reported, 999 were treated as in-patients, compared with 971 the previous year. Ankylostomiasis and schistosomiasis are important causes of morbidity in some districts. V SURFACE INOCULATION AND DROPLET INFECTION GROUP III. Diphtheria. 27. Very few cases of this disease have been recorded in previous Annual Reports. In 1948 there were 60 cases with 26 deaths.; one fatal case occurred in an elderly European. During the year under review, diphtheria made its first appearance in Kasungu District. The hospital assistant in medical charge of the district reported the occurrence of deaths which he suspected were due to this disease and investigations carried out by qualified staff confirmed that the diagnosis was correct. Ample supplies of serum were available and the outbreak sub¬ sided after 42 cases with 16 deaths had occurred. Delay in bringing cases for treatment contributed towards the high case mortality. At a later date sporadic cases appeared in other districts. Native Authorities wTere advised of the importance of notifying, with the least possible delay, the occurrence of cases of a disease of the throat with which the people were not familiar and steps were taken to give the rural dispensary staff instruction on the signs and symptoms of diphtheria. Private medical practitioners and the staffs of mission medical centres were informed that sporadic cases of the disease were occurring. Smallpox. 28. 13 cases were notified; there were no deaths. Twelve of the cases occurred in one village in Mlanje District. The disease was mild and owing to the steps taken to isolate cases and contacts the outbreak was localised. The number of vaccinations performed during the year was 120,005 of which 68,483 were recorded as successful. Leprosy. 29. At the close of the year there w7ere approximately 950 persons suffering from leprosy in the various settlements maintained by Missions. In addition, 266 cases of leprosy were treated at Government hospitals, including 55 cases admitted as in-patients.