'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎26r] (56/470)

Sanitation m -he town is improving, but still leaves much to be desired.
Prejudices ot the people have still to be overcome, and the town has still to be put
into a decent state of repair before good results can be achieved.
In the meantime public latrine accommodation is being extended and improved,
and cleanliness in the bazaar and streets is being instilled into the inhabitants.
Difficulties are largely increased owing to the floating population which continually
passes through Khaniqin. '
Mandali. Such advantages as Mandali has gained by being isolated from
the scenes of war have been modified by the fact that it has not been found possible
to detach a qualified doctor for the benefit of the civil population. Mandali and
Qazani number over 10,000 inhabitants, and the total population with the tribes
is about 20,000. There is abundant work for a fully qualified doctor.
There is in the town one hakim, Amin Effendi, who is a Cabuli, and was
employed by the Baladiyah in Turkish times. He worked for a few months in the
hospital at Baghdad since the Occupation, and was then sent back here.
Some half dozen cases of typhus occurred in Mandali in March, but the disease
did not become epidemic.
Owing to bad water, Mandali is very unhealthy in autumn. This year
especially fever and influenza have been prevalent.
On 22 nd September a serious epidemic of cholera broke out, and by the end
of the month 61 cases and 56 deaths had occurred. A segregation camp for the
sick and the contacts was formed at once, and at the beginning of October the
epidemic had died out. The total cases were 68 and deaths 56. On the outbreak,
Capt Balkrishna, I.M.S., was sent there to superintend the necessary arrangements,
and did everything that was required to cope with the epidemic.
Town sanitation is outwardly excellent and the streets and the bazaar are kept
clean. But the house sanitation, as is usual everywhere, leaves much to be desired.
Public latrines are in use, but more are required. Only the very poor people use
them and householders continue to use the private cesspit system.
Mandali has no hospital, but only a dispensary, and improvement will not be
effected until a qualified doctor is available.
Qizil Robat .—A dispensary was opened at the beginning of April with a Sub-Asst.
Surgeon in charge, and attendance soon reached 60 a day. Shortly afterwards a
hospital was also started.
In June fever was prevalent, and the hospital was crowded out. There was
one case of typhus.
In July Capt. Stock, I.M.S., malarial expert visited the town and examined
about 100 children. Only one wdth malarial spleen was found.
State of health throughout the year has been normal, and the town, by dint of
constant effort, has been kept clean.
Latterly admissions to hospital have been very few, but the dispensa^ is well
attended. Hospital work will never become constant until a good surgeon is
available who Can undertake major operations.
8. Police.— The police in the several towns in the Division are really
municipal watchmen and their duties do not extend outside the towns.
Crime in the towns is very rare, and mostly confined to petty thefts. Until
the Blockade restrictions were removed the chief duty of the police was to prevent
evasion of the Blockade. Under the stimulus of a reward for any goods captured
they performed Blockade duties satisfactorily. For the proper performance of
police duties in general they are not yet properly trained, and do not possess the
required authority. It is a matter of great difficulty to find suitable men as
Police Officers.
At Mandali, Capt. Hay was able to arrange early morning parades for the
police, most of whom had been gendarmes or soldiers, and they have now acquired
quite a soldierly appearance.
Up to the present one of the most important of police duties, namety, the
guarding of the bazaar at night, has been taken off the shoulders of the police.
The system in vogue is that known as the paswaniyab, whereby a group of men
undertake the guarding of the bazaar for a monthly sum, on the understanding
that they make good any loss that occurs. The system has the obvious defect,
that men of any means will not undertake such work, and if. as sometimes happens,