The annual report of the Medical and Health Departments, Kedah and Perlis.

  • Kedah. Medical Department
Date:
[1930]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The annual report of the Medical and Health Departments, Kedah and Perlis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Health Branch. Personal Emoluments .. Other Charges Total 1348 A.H. $18,419.39 18,108.62 $36,528.01 1347 A.H. $21,356.80 17,431.99 $38,788.79 The actual expenditure on the whole Medical Department, after deductine- revenue, was $407,786 or 6.19% of the State Revenue. ORDINANCES. An amendment to the Sanitary Board Enactment of 1334 A.H. was passed giving powers to the Sanitary Boards to impose rates within their limits, subject to* the approval of the State Council. A Poisons Enactment was passed giving powers for the control of traffic in poisons. II. PUBLIC HEALTH. GENERAL. As the Gregorian Calendar, for the purposes of Statistics, was adopted only fiom 1st January, 1930 A.D., it is not possible to compare the figures with those of 1929 A.D., comparisons are therefore made with the year 1347 A.H., which is the last period approximating 12 months for which figures are available. During the year the health of the State was generally good, the death rate being lower and the birth rate higher than in 1347 A.H. The death rate was the lowest lecorded since 1343 A.H. and the birth rate the highest ever recorded in Kedah. Appendices A—I refer to Births and Deaths. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. Malaria: Malaria and fevers unspecified accounted for 2,446 deaths, which is much less than the number for 1347 A.H. when the figure was 3,328. Infantile Convulsions: 2,707 deaths were recorded under this head, being the largest number due to any one disease. The figure for 1347 A.H. was 2,034. Many of these deaths from Convulsions were probably caused by Malaria, Ascaris, and digestive troubles. Cholera: There was no cholera during the year. Small-pox: The first case was reported in Central Kedah on 28-5-30. This case came from Penang. On 1-6-30 the second case was reported in another locality. In this instance it was discovered that a Sister had recently arrived from Malacca with the disease and died. As was to be expected, the disease was spread around the locality. 26 cases in all occurred in Central Kedah. The disease was then carried from Central Kedah to North Kedah, where 3 cases occurred. In October 4 cases occurred in South Kedah. These were introduced in all probability from the Province Wellesley. In all there were 34 cases with 5 deaths. Considering the fact that there has been small-pox in Penang and Province Wellesley during the whole year, and the people are continually moving from place to place, also that there had been a death from Small-pox in Central Kedah with the usual collection of friends, as is the native custom on these occasions, some days before the disease was notified, it is surprising that the outbreak was not more serious than it was. The reason for this is largely on account of the Enactment in Kedah, providing for compulsory vaccinations in any gazetted area, of every one who has not been successfully vaccinated within 5 years. This enabled us to form an immune area along the border adjoining the Province Wellesley and around any case that occurred, and so effectively to isolate the infected area. Tropical Typhus: Four cases were reported, including two from Dublin Estate. The diagnosis was confirmed by serological tests.