Annual medical and sanitary report / Swaziland.

  • Swaziland. Medical Department.
Date:
[1931]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report / Swaziland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/24 (page 7)
    WATER SUPPLIES. The main source of the Mbabane supply is an open furrow four and a half miles long, which feeds a dam from which the unfiltered water is conveyed in pipes to part of the village. It is the common supply of drinking water for resident and visiting natives, and why there has been no epidemic of water-borne diseases amongst them is a mystery. The drinking supply of the European residents comes from springs which are suitably protected and cemented. These are bacteriologically tested at intervals. During the year one was found to be below the necessary standard and was closed. The water in the others is of excellent quality. The condition of Bremersdorp in the matter of water supply is very serious. Medical Officers have reported most adversely on it on several occasions, public meetings have been held and all sorts of schemes for improvement suggested, but so far nothing has eventuated. The series of abnormally dry seasons caused the complete drying up of the small reservoir wdiich was constructed about ten years ago. For some years it was adequate for the few households which then comprised the village, but now, even if continually full, it would be inadequate for the needs of this greatly increased township. With the drying up of the reservoir the people have had to draw their water from the Umzimnene river, which is utterly unsuitable bacteriologically and, in addition, is probably more infested by Bilharzia than any other stream in the country. It is no wonder that epidemics of water-borne diseases are frequent and that practically all the children suffer from Schistosomiasis. When we consider that Bremersdorp is now the largest town in the Territory, that it is the commercial capital, and that it is situated in the centre of a dense native population, the condition of its water supply is extremely unsatisfactory W Hlatikulu and Goedgegun are supplied from springs, and Medical Officer reports that the supply is good in quality but inadequate in quantity. (3) School Hygiene. It was unfortunate for progress in this line that Dr. Pilot died so soon after his appointment. It was his intention to attempt to introduce into the native schools some instruction on elementary hygiene, and to give the native school teachers a much better knowledge of the subject than they now possess and so enable them to impart this knowledge with greater authority to the children. At present all that is attempted along this line by the Medical Department is a short series of lectures to the native school teachers assembled in conference. In the large schools, specially many of those conducted bv the Missionary Societies, the sanitary conditions are quite good and the authorities in charge of the schools are most solicitous concerning the general health and bodly welfare of the children. Unfortunately, this applies to practically none of the smaller schools. The additional Medical Officer appointed during the year had considered it as part of his duty to attempt to remedy this, and his death was most unfortunate, as it is impossible for the present staff to attempt to carry on this wmrk. The establishment of the Swazi National School at Matapa has given the whole Territory an example of the general lines on which schools should be planned from the health as well as from the educational point of view, and the influence of this example cannot fail to expand from year. It is hoped that next year it may be possible to have a course of lectures on elementary physiology, hygiene, etc., at this institution. (4) Labour Conditions. Swaziland is essentially a pastoral and agricultural country; the only working mines are the tin mines, and other local employers of native labour are the ranches, a couple of cotton plantations, the European farmers and the Administration, w7hile a few are employed by storekeepers, small building contractors, garage proprietors, blacksmith^, etc., and a fair number are employed in domestic service. (1) A scheme for providing a satisfactory water supply at Bremersdorp is at present receiving consideration.