"العراق والخليج الفارسي" [ظ‎‎٢‎٦‎٨] (٨٦٢/٥٣٩)

412 PUBLIC HEALTH AND DISEASE
the 1939 total, 19-1 per cent, were suffering from epidemic, endemic,
or infectious disease; 21-2 per cent, from eye diseases; 18-9 per cent,
from disease of the digestive system; io-8 per cent, from skin diseases;
7-3 per cent, from disease of the respiratory system. The number of
cases of communicable diseases treated are given in the table below,
but they differ considerably from the total numbers notified to the
Health Department. The total notified cases of the more important
of the notifiable diseases are given in
brackets.
Malaria.....
490,319
Measles
1,813
Trachoma ....
352,662
Typhoid and paratyphoid
Syphilis (1,382)
34,392
(1,256)
745
Soft chancre ....
5,237
Erysipelas
540
Gonorrhoea ....
20,054
Leprosy (179).
373
Dysentery (15,725)
32,039
Puerperal fever
260
Schistosomiasis
17,449
Plague ....
0
Tuberculosis, pulmonary (3,539)
9,024
Diphtheria
215
,, other forms
2,252
Tetanus....
157
Influenza ....
13,836
Anthrax....
102
Small-pox (in)
185
Typhus fever (45) .
27
Whooping-cough .
2,525
Cerebrospinal fever (112)
no
Ankylostomiasis
6,147
Scarlet fever .
H
Mumps ....
2,206
Cholera
0
Sandfly fever
165
Total
992,848
The small number of cases of syphilis notified compared with the
number of cases treated is most marked. On the other hand, there are
more cases of typhoid and paratyphoid notified than treated.
An analysis of the detailed figures by provinces shows that notifica
tions are most complete in those provinces where medical relief is best
organized. Moreover, annual increase in the number of cases treated
does not necessarily denote increase in disease incidence, but may
indicate increased hospital or dispensary services.
Diseases
The most important diseases affecting the public health of Iraq are:
malaria, trachoma and acute ophthalmia, tuberculosis, venereal
diseases, intestinal infections (notably dysentery, enteritis of infants,
and diseases of the typhoid group), and schistosomiasis. The pesti
lential diseases, cholera, plague, smallpox, and typhus, are a per
manent menace. For European troops operating or stationed in Iraq
heat-stroke is a serious danger. These diseases and a few others of
special interest or importance call for detailed consideration.