248
Of all the precautions that you can take the wearing of shoes is the most useful.
I should be glad to hear at an early date whether you can see your way to the efficient carrying out of these two points. The whole matter is a most serious and, therefore, urgent one.
With regard to the coolies who were treated last week-end, their treatment must be repeated this week-end and next week-end, either at the estate or at the hospital- if at the estate the Hospital Superintendent must go out to see it satisfactorily done.
Please so inform the Hospital Superintendent.
210
In conclusion, I would, therefore, suggest that, should you desire further action to be taken in this matter, reference should first be made to the Chief Medical Officer and Agent-General of Immigration, my view, of course, being submitted to these gentlemen.
Yours faithfully,
THE VANCOUVER-FIJI SUGAR COMPANY, LIMITED,
E. DUNCAN,
Manager.
I have, &c.,
Dr. Harper,
PHILIP HARPER, Acting District Medical Officer, Navua.
Acting District Medical Officer,
Navua.
Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company, Limited.
DEAR SIR,
Tamanua, 13th June, 1913. In reply to your letter of the 5th instant, in regard to ankylostomiasis, I have to say that provision will be made at Lobau for temporary latrines in the fields.
In connection with the protection of labourers' feet, the cost of obtaining the necessary boots in Fiji would be too excessive, and we are instructing our Sydney Agents to obtain quotations.
Yours faithfully,
THE VANCOUVER-FIJI SUGAR COMPANY, LIMITED,
The Acting District Medical Officer,
SIR,
Navua, 14th July, 1913. I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated to-day, dealing with the advisability of providing your coolies with boots and putties or leggings.
2. I beg to state that the matter shall be at once referred to the Chief Medical
Officer.
3. I beg to thank you for your courteous attention to the various points I have raised with regard to the sanitary condition of your coolie lines, hospital and nursery.
I have, &c.,
PHILIP HARPER,
Acting District Medical Officer, Navua.
R. H. FARRAR,
Deputy Manager.
To the Manager,
Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company, Limited.
To the Manager,
Navua.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
TC.O.885
| | | | / | | | | | | | | | | |ITI
SIR,
Navua, 14th March, 1913.
I CLASSIFIED your Batinikia labour to-day. The labour were, on the whole, in good health, except that the ankylostomiasis rate was high. The ankylostome ratio was as follows:-
Men, 88 out of 203, or 43 per cent. Women, 53 out of 92, or 57 6 per cent.
Total, 141 out of 295, or 47.7 per cent.
In the case of the men the anæmia was for the most part not very severe. however, were, as a whole, badly infected.
The women,
These 141 persons must be treated on the week-end system with the exception of those I ordered straight into hospital.
I have, &c.,
PHILIP HARper, Acting District Medical Officer, Navua.
The Manager,
Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company.
DEAR SIR,
Tamanua, 14th July, 1913. SINCE my return to the estate I have carefully perused your several letters in regard to ankylostomiasis amongst the Indian immigrants indentured to this Company, and more particularly your remarks as to the advisability of them all wearing boots and putties.
In reply, I would say that in my long experience of coloured labourers I am of opinion that, in such a wet district as this, the wearing of wet foot and leg coverings would work considerably more harm to the general health of the people, through colds and their resultant diseases, than is now experienced from ankylostomiasis.
In this connection I might add that some years ago a regulation was issued compelling all Polynesian labourers to wear clothes, the result being much illness of the nature above alluded to,
Enclosure 2 in No. 150.
REPORT ON WEEK-END THYMOL TREATMENT FOR ANKYLOSTOMIASIS.
On the first day of treatment (Saturday afternoon) each patient has mist. alba,
1 oz., in the afternoon and in the evening. They are on a light diet containing very little fat, no milk: boiled rice may be given."
On the second day of treatment, at 6 a.m., a dose of grs. 20 of thymol is given; at 7 a.m. a second dose of 20 grains of thymol is given; at 8 a.m. a third dose of 20 grains of thymol is given; two or four hours later (i.e., at 10 or 12 noon) a large dose of salts or two ounces of mist. alba are given. Hitherto on this day no food has been given. Directly the bowels have moved, after the mid-day purgative, food may be given (for choice not butter, milk, ghi, or other very fatty food).
The doses above mentioned are never toxic. If they were, any further thymol would be stopped, and large doses of mist. alba given at once.
22
The thymol is given in gelatine capsules (three of the "No. 0 size hold about 20 grains). It may also be given in suspension or in cigarette papers. I have always
used the gelatine capsules, which keep excellently anywhere.
Such
This week-end treatment is repeated three or four times in average cases. patients are discharged on the Mondays and work on the Tuesdays. They are given a mist. ferri arsenicalis 1 oz. t.d.s. at the estate.
ment,
Any very bad cases are, of course, kept in hospital. I have always left the care of these patients to the Hospital Superintendents once I have decided on the treat- In only one case that I know of did a patient show any signs of poisoning. He recovered at once when his purgative acted. This was over 24 years ago, at Nadi, and I have used the above routine ever since (though not necessarily giving the drug at the week-end).
9th August, 1913.
38891
P. HARPER, District Medical Officer, Navua.
R4
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO