PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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ST. KITTS-NEVIS.
Negroes and Portuguese immigrants principally affected; the latter exist largely on salted (imported) fish.
TRINIDAD.
Distribution of Cases.
1. It is difficult to make a definite statement, for the following reasons :—
(a) The majority of cases on record have occurred among the unskilled labouring and vagrant classes-classes of the population who have no fixed residences.
(b) Even when districts or villages are situated on the coast the people
chiefly engage in agricultural work.
(c) A large number of cases come under notice in Port of Spain (the chief town and port of the Island), but in most instances these were vagrants or mendicants, and not residents. It is of interest to note that in regard to the following four districts, viz., Toco, Mayaro, Bocas, and Cedros-Erin which may be classed as strictly "littoral," cases have been returned as occurring in the last-mentioned districts only. In view of the above facts it would appear the cases of the disease must be classed almost entirely as inland." Race.-Among natives cases occurred more frequently in black and coloured people. East Indians, i.e., natives of India, contribute about 40 to 50 per cent. of the admissions to the Leper Asylum. It must be noted, however, that cases of the disease occurring among this class of the population from poverty and other causes are more liable to come under notice.
Soil. No relation has been discovered.
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Food. The native labouring population in all parts of the Colony live chiefly on salted fish and meat (beef and pork) and vegetables; East Indians live on rice chiefly and are very fond of fresh fish (river or sea fish), but their opportunities of obtaining this class of food are limited.
In reply to a general circular,
note that cases which come under observation had largely subsisted on cured fish. per cent. only of the District Medical Officers It would appear, therefore, that local experience does not attribute any causal relation to any special kind of food.
Segregation. This is effected by detention in the Leper Asylum until dis- charged by the order of the Governor.
BRITISH NORTH BORNEO.
Leprosy appears to be almost entirely confined to the Chinese coolie class immigrants, whose main diet consists of rice, dried shark, fish, and vegetables.
Type of leprosy both "mixed" and "nodular."
SIR,
CEYLON.
Second International Leprosy Conference.
Medical Department, Colombo, Ceylon, 26th May, 1909.
WITH reference to your letter. No. 337, of the 6th ultimo, I have the honour
to submit the following report:
2. There are two leper establishments in Ceylon-
(a) The Leper Asylum at Hendela, situated a few miles from Colombo on
the bank of the River Kelaniya, and
(b) a portion of the Kalmunai Hospital in the Eastern Province.
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Hendela Leper Asylum dates from the time of the Dutch occupation of this Island and has 382 beds. At Kalmunai there are 30 beds.
3. List of questions respecting Leprosy.-As figures are not available for all the years mentioned in Question A, information by provinces as furnished by the Provincial "Surgeons, omitting a attach, as an appendix, copies of this "nil" return for the North Central Province.
Some indication of the number of new cases from 1897 to 1908 may be obtained from a perusal of the admissions and deaths at Hendela and Kalmunai, although these figures do not represent all the cases known.
New Cases.
48
No. of Deaths.
Year.
Total.
Rendela
Total,
Kalmunai.
Hendela Asylum.
Kalmunai Asylum.
1897
75
1898
14
89
68
29
3
22
1899
90
65
0
18
1900
83
78
3
17
1901
95
79
18
1902
97
59
20
1903
79
41
72
22
1904
9+
105
83
26
1905
131
91
32
1906
123
90
74
21
1907
111
84
7
1908
91
66
101
18
119
62
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A Leper Ordinance was brought into force in the year 1901, and regulations on this ordinance were published in July, 1902 (copies attached). The increase
in the number of new cases during the last six years of the above return is likely
to be the result of the working of this ordinance.
4. Answers to Question B:-
(a) The majority of the indigenous cases certainly come from Southern India. Those cases that occur inland are mostly on the estates and originally come from India with a history of having lived on the sea coast of the Madras Presidency.
(b) All the patients have been Orientals and they all have lived on the staple food, viz., rice made into curry, with meat, vegetables, or fresh or cured fish. The majority of the patients have been Singhalese; this race is predominant-but all races of Ceylon are represented among the lepers.
There has been nothing noted with regard to the incidence of the disease and soil, or other conditions.
5. Answers to Question C:-
(a) Yes.
(b) Cases are usually notified only when the symptoms are fairly well
marked.
6. Answers to Question D:
(a) There is no disinfection carried out.
(b) There is some attempt at segregation of the leper until he is removed to
the Leper Asylum.
(c) In the event of the leper not being removed to the asylum and allowed home isolation under the conditions set out in Regulation 3, the leper is allowed to remain in his own house.
7. Answers to Question E:-
Segregation is carried out at the asylums and where lepers have permission
to live in their own homes but it is by no means complete; it is only now after
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