Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎68r] (135/176)

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not altogether satisfactory, and the real solution of the difficulty must be found in
the provision of a higher grade of Egyptian attendant. In order that recruits may
be drawn from a more intelligent and educated source, it will be necessary to offer a
scale of pay considerably above that at present given. Experiments in this direction
are being made at the Government hospital at Abbassia, where a certain number of
high-class male and female attendants are engaged as probationers at an improved
rate of pay, which is further increased when they have passed examinations in
nursing.
465. The number of in-patients treated in Government hospitals in 1921 was
less than in the previous year, there having been only 57,901 admissions in 1921 as
compared with 62,493 in the previous year. The number of out-patients was,
however, greater, for 285,983 out-patients were treated in Government hospitals in
1921 as compared with 274,557 in 1920. The hospital returns show a progressively
increasing number of operations, there having been 17.370 in 1921 as against 12.797
in 1920 and 9,051 in 1919.
466. The cost of maintenance in 1921 was £E. 242,482 as compared with
£E. 230,612 in 1920. The average cost of upkeep for each bed during 1921 was
£E. 59 041 milliemes as against £E. 56-370 milliemes in 1920. Hospital receipts were
£E. 15,299 in 1921 as compared with £E. 15,983 in 1920 and £E. 18,097 in 1919.
467. A special anthelmintic annex to the Tanta General Hospital was opened
during the year, in addition to those previously established in connection with
Kasr-el-Aini, Kaliub, Benha and Mansura general hospitals, for the free treatment
of out-patients suffering from ankylostoma, bilharzia and other worm infections. In
these annexes, 142,492 cases received treatment during the year, 31,314 being cases
of ankylostoma infection and 111.030 of bilharzia. In addition, 3.581 ankylostoma
and 9,890 bilharzia cases were treated in the Government general hospitals during
the year. A travelling anthelmintic hospital has just been established at Shebin-el-
Kom by the Provincial Council of Menufia Province, and it is to be hoped that the
good example of this council will be followed by the institution of similar establish
ments in other provincial centres.
Children s Dispensaries.
468. Twelve provincial dispensaries worked steadily throughout the year, i.e.,
at Damanhour, Tanta, Mansura, Zagazig, Shebin-el-Kom, Port Said, Giza, Fayoum.
Beni Suef, Beba, Wasta and Minia. Their work as infant welfare centres is
bearing fruit, but progress is necessarily slow. In spite of adverse conditions, the
lack of proper water supply, the absence of any system of sanitation, and the mud-
brick homes of the fellaheen Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. , there is a noticeable improvement in the cleanliness of
both mothers and children attending the older dispensaries where daily teaching has-
been given over a long period of years, and the dispensaries are of great value from
this point of view. It is also a matter for satisfaction that the local medical
practitioners are taking an increasing interest in this work; at some dispensaries
they attend daily and give valuable help in the more difficult cases. The total
number of attendances at the children's dispensaries in 1921 was 379,955, and the
number of children receiving treatment 78,819.
469. In Cairo, useful work is carried out by charitable committees in the
Mohammed Ali Dispensary at Manshia and Madbuli. The latter is a large new
building finished this year and situated on the borders of the Bulac district.
Maternity Schools.
470. The maternity school for the training of the local mid wives, established
at Damanhour, Mansura, Zagazig, Shebin-el-Kom, Fayoum, Minia, Sohag and Tanta,
continued working during the year and steadily gained in popularity. At Zagazig,
an intern department (the first^to be instituted in connection with these schools) was
established during the year in an adjoining building. It comprises a large airy
ward of six beds, operation room and lecture room with the usual annexes. The
difficulty formerly experienced in obtaining pupils for training has greatly
diminished, and some schools have now even a waiting list. 1 he total number of
mid wives trained in the provincial maternity schools during the year was 160.
471. The higher efficiency taught in these schools is maintained by frequent
inspection of the work of the midwives in their villages. These inspections are
made by English inspecting sisters, who visited, during the year, 789 midwives in all
parts of the country.
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