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Malaria.—Twenty-eight cases occurred with no deaths. Nineteen of these were of a very mild type and only required out-patient treatment. In 1916 there were also nine cases of this disease treated in hospital with three prisoners in the out-patient list.
Dengue. As in 1916 during July and August an epidemic of this disease occurred. The condition was similar in mildness and lack of complications to that of last year and numerically less important (107 as against 145).
Skin diseases.—There were 225 admissions. No cases were treated in hospital. As in former years disease of the skin forms by far the largest individual figure in the out-patient list. Forms 22.5 per cent. of the total out-patient admissions.
Opium habit.—Fifty-eight persons required medicinal treatment as a result of indulgence in this drug. In 1916 fifty-three cases were admitted but the number in 1915 was 154. The harm done by the drug, which is a rough gauge of the amount taken, may be judged by the fact that in 1916 23 patients (i.e., 43.3 per cent. of the total) had to be detained in hospital but this year 10 (i.e., 17.2 per cent. of the total) required such treatment. In addition 78 (71 in 1916) prisoners on admission to gaol showed sufficient symptoms to necessitate a reduction of labour.
(4) Condition of prisoners on admission to gaol.
The following facts show the physical condition of prisoners on their admission. They are of interest as compared with the figures of actual disease and as an indication of the bodily state of the criminal class.
It was found that 1,105 were physically unfit, i.e., 33.6 per cent. of the total admissions to gaol. In 1916 the percentage was practically the same, namely, 33.5 per cent.
Of these 1,105 it was found that:
(a) 367 were under weight, i.e., their weight was much below the standard weight for each individual height. These men were graded into two classes. The first class (297) was able to perform light work and the second (70) was unfit for labour which required any serious effort.
(b) 208 were incapacitated owing to age, i.e., they were above fifty years of age. All of these were unfit for any form of laborious toil.
(c) 493 were suffering from disease or the results of disease. It was necessary to admit 59 of these to hospital at the time of or within a few days of their entry into gaol.
(d) 37 were on reduced labour by reason of juvenility.
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