'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1911-1914' [‎40v] (85/488)

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ADMINISTEATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
The disease reached its height in the middle of August, gradually lessen
ing in virulence and finally disappearing in October.
In August, Lieutenant James, Mobile Assistant to the Quaran
tine Officer, was deputed from Bombay to Mohammerah and assumed charge
of quarantine and cholera affairs, twice visiting Ahwaz.
No Europeans were attacked until September 28th when two died, one of
the cases being probably imported, a third case occurred at Abadan on the
S. S. " Griqua " and the patient, a Swede, was brought to the Quarantine
Station at Mohammerah; details of these are given under " Medical."
At Basrah Mrs'. Prioe, the wife of the Doctor, died, and also Mr. Blunt-
some of the Bahrah Trading Company, and, late in the year, in December,
Mr. Dods of Messrs. Lynch. In addition one or two European members of
the crews of the ships in harbour died during the summer.
The official return of deaths amounted to 240, but it is doubtful whether
treble this figure would be too large, if all the straggling villages adjoining
Mohammerah were included.
It was altogether the worst epidemic that has occurred for many years.
Various treatments were tried without any great success, and I think it may
be taken that the latest methods, while no doubt excellent when they can be
administered in a hospital with a trained staff, are quite useless for the
treatment of an epidemic en Uoc. On the other hand, the preventive value
of boiled water and general cleanliness in food were, I think, also clearly
demonstrated. Notices giving general instructions were posted in the town
and generally followed by the upper classes. A point of interest was that
all the Europeans who were attacked were suffering from some other illness
at the time or had been debilitated by previous sickness.
The dispensary is in charge of the Quarantine Assistant Surgeon, and
Medical the present arrangements under which
that official has been out of pocket over
the transaction have not been very satisfactory.
The number of patients treated have been 242 per mensem. I have been
supplied by Lieutenant James, I.M.S., with the following note regarding the
class of disease treated.
Cholera has already been mentioned.
Malaria which is epidemic in the town and bazaars show 11 per cent, of
the r
cases.
4? diseases are exceedingly prevalent throughout the town. Numbers
ii? 6 1 ^ bltants s uffer from corneal opacitus, etropion, cataract, etc. Many
o the children suffer from ophthalmia, 14 per cent, of the dispensary patients
were eye cases. (The lay obsierver would have expected an even greater
L^rromfdefeot^ufeeyeT ^ PerSOn ^ ^ ClaSSeS aPPearS t0
disea ® es to ^} led 1 5; P e F cent - of those treated, but this in all
tinn n re P res ? nts nothing like the true percentage amongst the popula
tion (50 per cent, is considered a fair estimate in most Persian towns)
Diseases of the skin account for 6 per cent.
5 peS.'oulsiXnding 08 ^ SUb ' aCUte ^ Chr0niC br0nchitis ' "
Rheumatic affections S per cent.
micrS^fe-^ 8 present ,, in 15 P er ce Pt- ^ tfe patients, but no
microscopical examinations were made.
ccrtaf^' chick ® n -Po x appeared attacking two adults. A
but WaS not commoB, ! most of the illness
as noted bein g due t0 dysentery and such like internal complaints.
for treatmpnt^toW r® eldest 8 i 0n of , the Shaikh was obliged to go to Basrah
dootof Z l T q™ 1 W6ek l he was Placed under the German
have obviated such an ^ed here would