PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
c.o. 885
23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
|ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Disposal of Excreta.
7. The towns and larger villages throughout the Island are situated on the coast, opening on to large bays. The excreta are removed on the pail system and carried out to sea, or disposed of in the surf at the seashore. Every such town or village is also provided with one or more latrines hanging over the sea.
On the plantations, and throughout the parts of the Island away from the sea, there is no system of disposal. There are no latrines or pits attached to any planta- tion. The calls of nature are attended to wherever they occur, in the neighbourhood of houses, roads, byeways, in the canefields and under the cacao, where a few days later the same individual may have to work bare-footed. Even in the outskirts of the larger towns the native is only too glad to dispose of his dejecta in a ravine or among the bush of his backyard.
Among the early troubles in the process of infection are the skin eruptions, The native varying from a tingling and itching erythema to a pustular eczema. has learnt that if he works in dirty ground he will assuredly contract “ échofie,” i.e., ground itch. Often I have wondered why people do not make gardens around their houses but prefer to go away to more distant parts. The cause, I am sure, is, as the native thinks, to avoid ground-itch; in his ignorance he cannot associate the ground- itch as a contamination of his own direct causation. Even the sands of the seashore are recklessly contaminated. The Vigie sands, the pleasure resort of the sea-bathers and children from Castries, have been traced as the focus of infection in one of the most acute cases of the disease that I have seen in a white child.
Prophylaxis.
8. The Medical Officers of the Colony, individually and unitedly, have made The disease is now easily recognised; every effort to cope with the condition. medicinal treatment for the eradication of the parasite in infected cases is carried out both in institutions and as a part of dispensary routine. For years powerful and nauseating drugs have been administered, and the reasons of the treatment carefully explained; all patients are advised as to the disposal of all excreta. It is thought that during the past couple of years there have been fewer non-imported cases in the extreme degree of infection.
In 1907 the Medical Board suggested as follows:-
(1) An Ordinance to compel employers of labour to have convenient latrine accommodation, and that this be kept in good sanitary order, and subject to inspection by a properly authorised officer;
(2) Every scholar in the Colony to be taught simple sanitary laws, and each
school provided with latrine and lavatory;
(3) Persons found suffering with the disease should be encouraged to undergo treatment, and it should be pointed out to them the danger of infecting others.
In 1909 the Medical Board drew up a pamphlet for distribution. A copy of The Government circularised all that pamphlet is attached as an appendix. employers of labour asking them :-
(1) To provide simple latrines with a hole or trench cut in the ground for the use of labourers, the contents of the trench being covered from time to time with earth.
(2) To turn over the earth to a depth of six-eight inches in any place hitherto used for the deposit of excreta on the surface of the ground so as to effectually bury any ova or worms which may be thereon.
A second circular was sent later in the year to employers of labour, asking for their general co-operation, it being pointed out that the authorities would rather rely on social co-operation than coercive measures.
In 1907 in the primary schools of the Colony compulsory elementary hygiene was added to the syllabus. From the yearly reports of the Inspector of Schools there is a distinct and decided improvement in this branch of the elementary éducation. All schools are now provided with suitable latrine accommodation.
St. Lucia,
10th October, 1913.
STANLEY BRANCH.
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RETURN SHOWING NUMBER OF Admissions TO HOSPITAL and the number of Cases FOUND TO BE Infected.
Locality.
Castries Town
Castries suburbs
Gros Islet and its neighbourhood Babonneau, including Marquis Cul-de-Sac
Roseau Ange-la-Raye Canaries... Soufrière
Choiseul
Laborie
...
Vieux Fort Micond Dennery Mabouya
¿
Total
1910,
Number of Admissions Infected.
1909.
Admissions to
Number of Admissions
Admissions
Hospital.
Infected
to Hospital.
311
148
250
129
...
217
111
232
149
37
28
42
25
102
68
63
46
...
233
167
144
112
...
149
118
129
108
53
39
74
56
7
6
9
48
41
23
24
17
18
3
2
4
3
6
2
1
11
7
7
6
41
37
23
19
1,243
781
1,047
702
EXAMINATION OF FECAL SPECIMENS AT THE DISPENSARY.
1908,
1910.
1909.
Showing Necator and Ascaris
85
65
45
Showing Necator only
201
120
69
28
18
15
Showing Ascaris only
Negative (chiefly patients previously treated)
108
43
26
422
246
155
Totals...
...
PREVENTION OF ANKYLOSTOMA ANÆMIA,
The disease, which usually gives people" palpitation " or " beating of the heart," 'giddiness," ""shortness of breadth," and sometimes
caused by a kind of worm, and can be prevented.
"
sour stomach," is very often
The worm (which is very small) lives in a person's bowels, and the eggs pass when the bowels move. In wet earth the eggs are hatched to very small worms-too small
to be seen-which enter the skin of the feet of any one who walks on the soiled earth or enter by the mouth of a person who eats with fingers which have touched soiled earth. They reach the bowels, suck blood from them, and cause sickness.
If a person who has the sickness eases his bowels where others may walk, he may spread the disease. Many people who do not feel very sick have these worms, so nobody should ease his bowels in a place where other people may walk.
To prevent this disease
(1) Always wear boots if you can.
(2) Never eat without first washing your hands: never let your children eat
without first washing their hands.
(3) Never ease your bowels where any person may walk: always use a latrine
or bucket when possible.
(4) Be careful with latrine buckets. Empty them at the proper place: never
spill them in the street.
(5) Train your children carefully in these matters. Never let them ease their
bowels about the yards of the houses. Children often have the disease. (6) All excreta should be buried at least six inches below the ground.
4931
D
Г.
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