تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [و‎‎٢‎٢‎٧] (٦٠٢/٤٥٨)

KESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOE THE YEAR 1899-1900.
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that the localities most severely affected were those in which the most unfavourable
enic conditions both of the persons inhabiting them and their surroundinofs abounded,
if^selv -peopled huts with barely any ventilation in them and situated in the vicinity of
611 evards and mounds of rubbish and filth including human and other excreta in all stages
^composition, such as exist in the suburbs of Jabra and Tuyan and in the Aryaneh
0 rter of the town contributed the largest number of victims to the disease. It was most
nfe in the following four localities.
Names of localities.
Number of attacks.
Suburb of Tuyan
of Jabru
Aryaneh (a quarter of the town)
Baluchi quarter (a quarter of the town)
1 • • • •
i • • • •
• • • • •
• • •
306
)45
127
97
The total number of deaths in Maskat and Matrah together, as far as it has been
possible to ascertain, as due to cholera was 726,
Mortality. giving a ratio cfabout 54 per cent, to attacks and
one of 2*9 per cent, to the population. This ratio of deaths to attacked was slightly more
than the usually accepted average of 50 per cent, and appears, in my opinion, to have been
somewhat influenced by the nature of the treatment that was adopted m tbe majority of the
cases, for iudging from the result of the comparatively few cases for which medical relief was
sought either' at the hospital or with me in Matrah, which gives a ratio of only 28*8 per cent,
of deaths to attacked, there is reason to think that a more favourable result might have been
obtained had it been possible to induce the friends of many more of the attacked persons to
call for medical relief instead of their trusting to irrational remedies and measures. Even in
the case of such of the attacked persons as were treated by us, a further reduction in the ratio
of mortality might have been looked for had their friends been more prompt in calling for
medical relief and more persevering and regular in reporting the progress of fuc I i cases, for in
many instances it occurred that after the receipt of the first medicine or medicines no further
report was brought.
The number of deaths in Maskat was 274 giving a ratio of about 61 per cant, to the
attacked and one of 2'7 percent, to the general
Deaths in Maskat. population. The rates of mortality in proportion to
the attacked among all the three principal classes were very close to one another, the Arabs
having had it in the ratio of 63'1 per cent., the Baluchis 60-4 per cent., and the Africans 61*3
per cent. The slightly higher rate of mortality among the Arabs may have been to some
extent due to the practices of branding and bathing in cold water as remedial measures more
commonly resorted to by them than the other races. There were so few attacks among the
two Indian communities—the Muhammadans and Hindus—that it would not be fair to
compare the rates of mortality among them with those among tbe other races.
As regards age, the rates of mortality among the adults and children weiV3 much about
the same, having been in the ratio of 61 per cent, among the former and 60'4 per cent, among
tli3 latter. In a sexual point of view, however, the mortality among men (6o-4 per cent.)
was by far the largest, that among women having been only 56 % per cent.
Although the number of attacks in the village of Sadab, which is principally inhabited
by fishermen and lower classes of Arabs, was smaller than in some of the other localities, the
mortality in it was proportionately much higher, giving the highest ratio of 80 per cent, to
tbe attacked. Makalla, inhabited as it is by poor fishermen from Socotra, with only a few
attacks, gave also a high, rate of mortality, namely, 75 per cent,, whilst Takia and Tuyan
principally inhabited by Baluchis were nearly alike in the ratio per cent, of mortality,
the former havino-had 67-4 per cent, and the latter 65*3 per cent. The smallest rate of mor
tality in proportion to the attacked was in the town of Maskat itself, which may be accounted
for partly by the fact of more attacked persons there having had recourse to our treatment
than in any other locality and partly by the fact of the people living in it being or a class
in better circumstances and therefore better able to command the necessary attendance and
comfort.
The ratio per cent, of deaths to attacked in Matrah compares rather favourably with that
in Maskat and is as near tbe average rate ot
Deaths in Matrah. cholera mortality as it can be. There were in all
45^ deaths giving a ratio per cent, of 50*7 to attacked against 274 deaths and a ratio per cent,
of 61 in Maskat. It is not easy to account satisfactorily for this great difference in the rates
of mortality in the two places, situated as they are so close to each other, and I can only
suggest in explanation the circumstance of tbe epidemic taken as a whole having begun and
ended in Matrah. It is a well-known fact that during the commencement and decline of an
epidemic of cholera particularly the latter cases often recover even without any treatment.
Besides, although the hygienic conditions in some of the localities, particularly in the suburbs,
in both the places are very much alike, Matrah being much opener has the advantage over
Maskat of obtaining more benefit from two of nature's greatest disinfectants light and heai>.