'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎142r] (288/470)

(iii) A drainage scheme for the disposal of rain water and domestic sullage water
should be taken in hand.
(iv) Present methods of refuse disposal need replacing by combustion of refuse
in high temperature destructors, collected in one spot outside Basrah.
(v) Limitation of the number of burial grounds is desirable in order to procure
better control of infectious disease.
(vi) The provision of suitable Health Department offices in ‘Ashar and Basrah
is required.
(vii) A large extension of the present street lighting arrangements is desirable
from a sanitary point of view.
(63) Conclusion. —In concluding this, my third annual report on the sanitary
circumstances of Basrah, I desire to record my great indebtedness to the Military
Governor, the Municipal Commissioner, and the other officers of the civil admini
stration for the sympathetic reception accorded to my proposals in the past and
for the stimulating interest taken by them in the working of this Department;
and I take this opportunity of sincerely thanking the departmental staff, without
whose energy and ability no measure of sanitary progress would have been possible.
N. H. Wood, Captain, R.A.M.C.,
Health Officer, Basrah and ‘Ashar.
2nd January 1919.
Annual Report of the Port Health Officer, Basrah, 1918.
(1) Obituary. —The regretted death of Capt. G. Finch, R.A.M.C. (T.F.) occurred
at Bait Na‘mah Officers’ Hospital on the 8th October 1918. He had held the
appointment of Port Health Officer, Basrah, since 4th October 1916, and during
his two years’ tenure of the position had completed the reorganisation of the Health
Department of the port on its present basis.
During the influenza epidemic in September his duty exposed him to infection,
and, at the end of the month, he unfortunately contracted the disease himself, and
pneumonia supervened.
His professional ability and administrative capacity were held in much esteem,
and I desire to add a personal tribute of my admiration for them.
(2) Appointment. —My appointment as Port Health Officer, Basrah, by the
D.M.S., Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force, is dated as from 9th October 1918.
I had assisted in the work of the Department since 19th May 1918, and in June
had officiated as Port Health Officer during the absence on leave of the late Capt.
Finch.
(3) Introductory. —In compiling this report, I shall endeavour to present a
review of the complete year’s work, although my personal experience does not
extend over the whole period. My information with regard to the first four months
of the year has been derived from the office records. Capt. M. D. Mackenzie,
R.A.M.C., has also kindly assisted by placing his personal experience of the work
during this period at my disposal. I desire to acknowledge his collaboration,
especially in connection with the account of anti-plague measures adopted on the
H.T. “ Scottier ” during the earlier part of the year.
The amount of work accomplished by the Department had been steadily
increasing throughout 1917 until, during the second half of that year, a very high
standard had been attained. This has been more or less maintained during 1918.
The quarantine work has been greater during the year under review; but it is,
I think, very satisfactory to record that the amount of ordinary sickness on ships in
port has shown quite a substantial decrease on the figures for the previous year.
The amount of sickness prevailing on board ships in port can, I consider, be
roughly estimated by the number of vessels visited to afford medical attention in
response to “ D ” flags. This calculation is open to error, but, on the whole, my
impression is that, in spite of the influenza epidemic, the amount of ordinary illness
has been comparatively small. . j _ . „ . ^ x1
Outbreaks of influenza on several ships necessitated, in some lew instances, the
removal of most of the personnel on board to hospital. The sudden rise in the
number of patients removed to hospital in October, without a proportionate increase
in the number of ships visited, is explained by this fact. In the case of one store-ship
as many as 20 of the crew were removed to hospital during her five days’ stay in the
port.