Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate.

  • East Africa Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1915]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/82 (page 22)
    riague.—Another of the fortunate occurrences of the year was that the sole reminder of the existence of plague was the finding of the body of a native who had died of it near the native market in Nairobi. Last year there w^ere 10 cases with six deaths. Pneumonia.—This disease claimed about an average number of victims, 347 (13 Europeans), with 62 deaths (2 Europeans), as against 377 wdth 52 deaths in the previous year. Venereal.—A slight increase in the number of admissions for syphilis has to be recorded, while the number of cases of gonorrhoea remained the same :— Syphilis.—1915 ... ... ... 410 1914. 363 1913 . 471 Gonorrhoea.—1915 ... ... ... 316 1914 . 317 1913. 320 Scurry.—‘iS cases were admitted to the Native HosjDital, Nairobi. THE KENIA AND NYANZA PEG VINCES. Beri-Beri.—Last year two cases were recorded; this year there were nine all told. Cerebrospinal meningitis.-—In 1915, 21 admissions, all natives, and three deaths ; 1914, 45 cases and 28 deaths; 1913 was the year of the pandemic. Dysentery in these provinces showed a notable increase, and totalled, including two Europeans, 651 admissions, of whom 39 died. The two previous years recorded, respectively, 492 with 18 deaths, and 428 with nine deaths. The increase in the number of cases is not surprising wdien it is remembered wEat a reservoir these thickly populated native areas have been for the carrier corps to draw upon. Enteric.—Only one European and one native came under treatment during the year, as against three whites and six blacks the previous year, with one death. This improvement can only be. regarded as temporary. If movements of large bodies of men into congested districts adversely affect these areas the depletion of home centres may also sensibly improve local conditions. Leprosy.—Seven cases were treated at the Native Hospital, Kisumu; a similar number occurred in the province last year. Plague.—In Kisumu cases continued to recrudesce, as the following figures will show :— Total. Deaths. 1915 Europeans * • • • • • .. — — Natives • • • - • • 33 14 1914 Europeans « • • • • • 1 — Natives • • • * • • 41 38 1913 Europeans « • • • • • — — Natives • • « • * • 31 27 The Kenia Province was reported free. Small-pox.— In 1915 there were 24 admissions, of whom two died. As during the two previous years there had been only one admission, and that in the Nyeri district, this increase in the number of cases pointed to a recrudescence of the disease in the Nyanza Province, and at a time when it was least wanted.