Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate.

  • East Africa Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    19/138 (page 19)
    II-PUBLIC HEALTH. (a.) GENERAL REMARKS. (i.) GENERAL DISEASES. THE PROTECTORATE. Were it possible to eliminate the disastrous effects of the epidemic dis¬ eases which so seriously affected the Protectorate during the year 1913, it could be said that a better standard of health was maintained than has yet been recorded. The grand total of those who presented themselves for treat¬ ment was 108,520 as against 93,408 in 1912, and 85,958 in 1911. The increase is an index of the expansion of the country. It is attributable to the extension of medical activity, and to the augmentation of the European population, bringing in its train (together with the normal development to be expected in a new country) a yearly increasing number of natives under civilising influences. The mortality rate has been undoubtedly affected by the severe epidemics which swept certain portions of the country. The admission rate would have been higher if science had possessed a remedy as simple and as efficacious as vaccination against small-pox, to satisfy the almost immediate demands of the A-Kikuyu against the terrible—and to them unknown—scourge of epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis. It being useless to appeal to European science for help against this disease, innumerable cases were not reported, and the cases recorded do not indicate the true incidence or severity of the epidemic. Of the diseases shown in the statistical tables the predominating ones affecting all the zones in almost equal proportions were diseases of the diges¬ tive, respiratory and loeomotory organs and affections of the skin. Of the more preventable diseases malaria easily comes first, very few parts of the country escaping this infection. It is not surprising that dysentery prevails unduly, considering the conditions of the land and the habits of the native. The diagnosis of this trouble is too often unsatisfactory, being chiefly deter¬ mined by the presence or absence of blood and mucus in an attack of diarrhoea. Very little has been done to determine the extent to which it is bacillary or amoebic in origin. Roth in this and malaria there has been an increasing reliance placed on the use of hypodermic injections of emetin and quinine in place of less certain, older-fashioned methods of administration. If the established hold that enteric has on the country calls for no particular com¬ ment this year, at any rate it can be said that a commencement has been made with the inauguration of anti-typhoid inoculation. This should ultimately afford the means to everybody in the Protectorate of obtaining protection. More particular remarks on these and other diseases will be found under the appropriate headings. THE COAST ZONE. Anaemia was fairly common, generally ascribed to malaria; ankylosto¬ miasis may also have contributed. Diabetes, noticed amongst the Indians, has not so far been recorded amongst the Africans. There were two cases of pemphigus as against 12 last year. The curious point about these cases was the extent of the body surface affected, and the invariable history given of a recent preceding vaccination. One case of exophthalmic goitre presented itself at Lamu. o • >