1921
HONG KONG
63
53898
FROM
Clark
DATE
26 Oct
31 CT 21
-
404 SEPT. 24, 1921]
WEST INDIAN MEDICAL CONFERENCE.
answer was in the negativo, then there was something wrong in the State.
From an administrative point of view one of the most interesting papers read during the Conference was that by Dr. Q. B. DE FREITAS on "Some difficulties of medical practice in British Galana." He referred to the large size of the districts, to the insanitary state of the villages, and to the fact that in cases requiring hospital treatment the patient's friends were often unwilling for him to go into hospital owing to prejudice, ignorance, the great distance to be covered, and lack of means. Frequently a doctor was called in too late, and the ignorance of the people of the means of spread of infection made many difficulties. There were myriads of flies, there were no latrines, and drains were often stopped up. Frequently in infectious cases the district medical officer was not called, and the first intimation be had was a telegram from the medical officer notifying the case. Sometimes contacts wore not inoculated owing to the delay in notifying the district medical officer of the diagnosis. Drinking water was of bad quality and in- sufficient gauntity. There was a lack of trained assistance nt childbirth, and there was difficulty in prosecuting un. registered midwives owing to lack of ovidence. The examination of meat exposed for sale, in which tubercle might be present, was neglected. There was a lack of control of venereal disease. Building sites were often unhealthy and the dwellings of the people overcrowded. There was insufficient control of cow-byres and swine; cow byres were frequently close to the houses and Bwarmed with flies, and thus food was contaminated. Ic uncontrolled arcas vegetation often blocked the public roads. In country districts deaths were often uncerti. died; the villages were visited once a week by the Government Medical Officer, and in his absence the police N.C.O. decided if the death should be reported to the coroner or not. The discussion revealed the fact that there was no registration of deaths in Barbados, and that the infantile mortality there was the highest in the West Indies.
Miss CLAPHAM subsequently read a valuable paper on "Nursing in the West Indies," and pointed out that the provision of a nursing home was essential, and the intro- duction of a few trained English nurses would be most beneficial. Dr. MINETT referred to the excellent beginning made in local teaching by the appointment of a board of examiners by the Royal Sanitary Institute in Barbados, Trinidad, and British Guiana; he considered that hygiene ought to be taught in the schools. The interesting state- ment was made that there was lilt'o tuberculosis or leprosy and no filariasis in Grenada, but there was malaria there, On the contrary, filariasis, tuberculosis, and pellagra were prevalent in Barbados, and leprosy was found Viers, but no malaria. The papers by Mrs, MINETT, M.D., and Dr. WISHART on infantilê mortality and child welfare were interesting and up-to-date, and Dr. Wishart also read a valuable paper on the sanitary and health problems of Georgetown. Dr. WOLFF said that the infantilo mortality was lower in Paramaribo than in British Guiana, althougli more organized work was done in the latter. He put it down to the fact that midwives had two years' training at the military hospital at Surinam.
At the conclusion of the discussions of the different subjects, the delegates to the Conference passed the following series of resolutions, which were forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Colonies:
1. The most modern methods of promoting infant welfare, personal and public sanitation, and hygiene should be intro- duced.
2. In the interests of the health of an immigrant population in the West Indies there were recommended: (a) the provlalon of a pure water supply, (b) efficient surface and soll drainage, c) properly organized system of disposal of refuse sad excreta, (d) effective control of mosquitos, and (e) the stringent enforce- ment of Public Health Ordinances Lad Regulation.
3. The West Indian Governmenta (i) should instruct their Agricultural Departments to promote the rearing of small live- abock by the labourers, to provide a suitable proportion of anima! pretein for their dally dietary; (ii) should Introduce educational propagands in the schools to promote a knowledge of food valuå; and (ii) should consider the question of sub- sidizing local food industries, such as febing, and the relaxation of duties on imported protein foodstuffs.
4. A survey of individuals In various districts of different colonies should be made to obtain information concerning local and racial factors which result in poor physique and industrial Inefficiency.
6. A system of control of midwives should be inaugurated,
Tax Burmes
MEDICAL JURE LA
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lucluding methods of training, registration, and supervision by a central authority,
6. The registration of stillbirths should be instituted, with confidential notification of miscarriages, In connexion with measures for infant welfare.
7. The West Indian Governments should adopt school medical inspection as a routine procedure.
3. Restrictive measures for veuereal diseases were required, to include educational propaganda and the provision of free and confidential treatment at existing institutions.
9. Alastrim (recently spidemic in Jamaica) should be regarded as small-pox, and researçlı as to its nature should be undertaken. 10. Kevaccination of the population should be brought into force.
11. For the control of malaria there were recommended: (a) Strlet observation of the autimosquito ordinances, (b) special attention should be given to the value of screeuing houses and institutions, and (c) mosquito netting should be generally used.
12. The diagnosis of yellow fever should be based on clinical signa and symptoms until an accurate diagnosis by laboratory methods was discovered, but there should be no relaxation of antimosquito measures.
13. The isolation of lepers after notification should be Insti tuted, and arrested cases of leprosy aliould not be discharged from leper asylume under any conditions.
14. A supply of antitetanic, antidysenteric, and other serume and vaccines should be provided.
the
15. A united West Indian medical service should be estab lished for the following reasons: (a) To provide for the granting of leave to medical officers at regular stated intervalo. and for definite periods for considerations of health and for post- graduate study, thereby increasing the efficiency of the service; (by to provide a recognized procedure for effecting promotion. which under present conditions, especially in the case of smaller colonies, does not exist, thereby supplying inducements to good work and securing contentment; (c) to provide for the easy transfer of medical officers from one colony to another for limited periods for the interchange of ideas, and for enabling anch officers to become acquainted with the varying conditiona of practice in colonies other than their own, to the mutual beneft of the colonies concerned; and (d) to provide means to secure for the benefit of all the colonies the advice of officers specially qualified in all matters relating to medicat and sanitary organizations.
16. The other colonies should adopt the recent leave regulations of British GuiaUK.
17. The early appointment of a sanitary commissioner for the West Indies was neco sary, to be goder the Imperia
Governmont, and independent of local control.
18. The provision of an adequate whole-time staff for the Government Bacteriological Laboratory was necessary.
19. The training of the molical staffa in the Schools of Tropical Medicine should be compulsory for all officers before
entry into the service.
20. All officers already in the service should take such n course, and be provided with free unsport, full pay while taking the course, and the time so spent should not be regarde.
as leave of absence.
21. A West Indian medical magazine should be publishe and circulated.
22. The Colonial Office should approach the Loudon School of Tropical Medicine to undertake research in the West Indies. And the Colonial Governments should secure local support for the specialista sept.
23. A West Indian medical conference should be held every three years.
The Acting Governor congratulated the delegates on their resolutions, and welcomed especially those recom mending improved drainage and the provision of a supply of pure drinking water in British Guiana. Ho announced that a local loan of five million dollars for a permanent sca defence scheme was about to be raised, and said that be regarded it aa au insurance, and the necessary preliminary to any effort to drain adequately the coast lands. He pointed out that the area now colonized in British Guiana was partially a reclaimed swamp, 4 ft. below the level of high spring tides.
On the one hundred and sixteenth commencement day of Bowdoin College the Bowdoin Medical School, U.8.A.. closed its doors after an existence of more than one hundred years. The reason is that the college officials feel that they are no longer properly able to maintain the medical school with the financial support available. The degree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred on the last commenci ment day upon only eight students.
ACCORDING to the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, California, which has just added Anaesthesiology. Hours 32" to the "minimum requirements for a physician and surgeon certificate," Is the first State in the Unite! States of America to place anaesthesia on the list of required subjects in the medical curriculum. The hope s expressed that it will shortly be transferred from the "elective" to the "required list in every Stato in the Union.
FOR CIRCULATION :-
Mr.
Buchett TORCHER MINUTE.
Jir. Bucket?!!! Fift Det!
Mr.
Mr. Grindle ws. I. Dept.
X
Sir II Lambert
Sir II. Read
Bi-Sir G. Faldes
Mr. Wood
Mr. Churchill
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