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(b) Yellow Fever; etc.
Yellow fever is fortunately unknown in these territories and filariasis is relatively uncommon and may be quite symptomless and so need not invite special mention. Other diseases capable of being insect-borne are dealt with under separate heads.
(ii) Epidemic diseases. (a) Plague.
Systematic trapping of rats was carried out throughout the year, some 221,652 being trapped of which 16,375 were caught alive. It is not suggested that this has any influence on the rat population. On the other hand, a portion of each daily catch was taken to the public mortuaries where a morbid examination is made. Up to the present no staff has been available for taking and examining spleen smears, hence it is scarcely legitimate to affirm the presence or absence of P. pestis; although, in the absence of human cases, there is a certain amount of presumptive evidence in its favour.
Periodical cleansing of dwellings was undertaken and the community was encouraged to abolish rat-harbourages as far as possible and to render their premises unattractive to rats by protecting food-stuffs. Some 1313 rat holes on premises were sealed up during the year as compared with 1811 in 1936.
Measures aimed at preventing the introduction of plague by sea are referred to in the section dealing with Port Health Work and Administration.
(b) Cholera.
Reference has been made earlier in this Report to the serious outbreak of cholera which visited these territories in 1937. Preventive measures included the following:
(a) Inspection and examination of all arrivals by train and boat, especially those coming from Canton and Macao;
(b) Isolation and treatment of sick;
(c) Mass inoculation;
(d) Legislation to minimise infection by food;
(e) Propaganda in press;
(f) Intensive house-to-house inspection and disinfection of infected dwellings.
With regard to (a), all arrivals of river steamers at night were prohibited; vessels were examined under Police guard at the wharves; special measures were taken by the Port Health Authorities to ensure the effective cleansing of passenger decks, kitchens and lavatories after the passengers had disembarked; and passengers were examined on alighting from trains.
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(b) Yellow Fever; etc.
Yellow fever is fortunately unknown in these territories and filariasis is relatively uncoininon and may be quite symptomless and so need not invite special mention. Other diseases capable of being insect-borne are dealt with under separate heads.
(ii) Epidemic diseases. (a) Plague.
Systematic trapping of rats was carried out throughout the year, some 221,652 being trapped of which 16,375 were caught alive. It is not suggested that this has any influence on the rat population. On the other hand, a portion of each daily catch was taken to the public mortuaries where a morbid examination is made. Up to the present no staff has been available for tuking and examining spleen smears, hence it is scarcely legitimate to affirin the presence or absence of P. pestis; although, in the absence of human cases, there is a certain amount of presumptive evidence in its favour.
Periodical cleansing of dwellings was undertaken and the community was encouraged to abolish rat-harbourages as far as possible and to render their premises unattractive to rats by protecting food-stuffs. Some 1313 rat holes on premises were sealed up during the year as compared with 1811 in 1936.
Measures aimed at preventing the introduction of plague by sea are referred to in the section dealing with Port Healtlı Work and Administration.
(b) Cholera.
Reference has been made earlier in this Report to the serious outbreak of cholera which visited these territories in 1937. Preventive measures included the following:
(a) Inspection and examination of all arrivals by train and boat, especially those coming from Canton and Macao;
(b) Isolation and treatment of sick;
(c) Mass inoculation;
(d) Legislation to minimise infection by food;
(e) Propaganda in press;
(f) Intensive house-to-house inspection and disinfection of
infected dwellings.
With regard to (a), all arrivals of river steamers at night were prohibited; vessels were examined under Police guard at the wharves; special measures were taken by the Port Health Authorities to ensure the effective cleansing of passenger decks, kitchens and lavatories after the passengers had disembarked; and passengers were examined on alighting from trains.
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