'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎145v] (295/470)

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A threatened outbreak of smallpox was checked by vaccination. Two cases
occurred in the camp area. Four cases of smallpox were removed from the
surrounding Arab villages, and preventive measures taken.
. (2^ Harbour Masters, Sarraji .^—Medical attention and superintendence of the
sanitation of this Department have been carried out.
One case of smallpox occurred, but further spread was prevented by the usual
measures.
J. Mackenzie, Captain, R.A.M.C. (S.R.),
Port Health Officer, Basrah.
8b. Medical.— The remaining paragraphs of this chapter are contributed by
Capt. D. F. Borrie, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., O.B.E., Civil Surgeon, Basrah:—
Civil Hospital .—The hospital at the beginning of this year had grown till it
contained 150 beds. It has not since increased in size, and efforts have been con
centrated this year on improving and rendering it more efficient; these efforts have
been much hampered by the inability of the Civil Works Department to complete
estimates sanctioned early in the year. However, in spite of all difficulties, a real
advance has been made, more particularly in the training of people of this country
tor work in the Hospital and in attention to the actual nursing of patients. Two
thousand three hundred and eighty-three patients were treated in all departments.
Ihese are dealt with under the separate departments.
Medical Wards. 1,307 patients have been treated in this Department during
the past 12 months. These are classified as follows :—
Admission. Cured. Relieved. Deaths. Transfers.
1,307 1,070 37 119 47
The death-rate is large owing to the outbreak of influenza and pneumonia, in
which very many cases were admitted.
9. Police : (l) Introductory. —The following paragraphs of this chapter an
from the reports of the Deputy-Commissioner of Police and of the Criminal Investi-
gation Department. The police have made considerable progress during the yeai
m the face of difficulties of recruitment. The unfavourable nature of the geography
of this district and the employment by the Army of Indian Jail Corps and ex-convich
h r p ml ’ ltate a S alnst the P ublic peace, while a want of co-operation
with^ the detection of cS ° n ^ 6 ^ P ° liCe ° n the ^ Seri ° UsI y interferes
31st oXber^S9^8 ^ PUty " COmmiSSi ° ner ° f P ° liCe f ° r the period lst Januar y to
This year I have classified the whole body of crime under six heads viz
person 68 serious ‘ ff 6 State ’ a « ai f* P ublic i ustic e> &c.; serious offences against the
the person ^finofT 68 aS . 6 perS ° n and P ro P ert y; minor offences against
adrnZd off ™ COS agamst Property; other offences. The total number of
as aeaimst 385 in Tqi°7 her than cases . d ? alt witb summarily as “Petty” was 565,
represent tb! to+„i ® ’ “ lncr ® as ® of 68 P er cent. Even this probably does not
cognisabL offenceV tT 6 ’ ^ for last y ear included a number of non
property Viz honsAf KL \ 0f t} f commonest classes of offences against
(section 4541 theft /' .,,,1' ■Itci, li (section 457), house-breaking by day
property (section 4111 I0 !l i,' '+• ° ln a bu ilding (section 380), receiving stolen
LreaseCndt these iint” ch „ eat “g (sectmn 420), we find that there has been an
increase to crime for the nS ° f n cases, more than accounting for the whole
^ crease m crime for the year. On the face of it, this is distinctlv unsatisfactorv
suchas^his burSTfr^ 1 t ¥. ea f 1 y sta 8 e * of development of a police force
crime committed will n t '] S ° U i I l , ° K ' ver y r if e > and a great proportion of the
thk y” ound thst tL br0Ugh \ t0 aRcount - When I lame here in March of
primd facie disclosed the r6 W . as . a s c°Pg tendency to enquire into reports that
pnmajacie disclosed the commission of a cognisable offence before revisterinv the
same, and when this practice is current it is inevitable that «nrr>o + ^ v v to i ri
At the ontsjpl T i'«Qniri 4 - 4 - • 4 . i v IieA ltaDle som e true cases be burked.
was to cease fconlle, , f'f order* tha,t this investigation prior to registration
the amount of increase If er at preSent d 18 impossible to form a just estimate of
registratiom Generally speaking, an increase 5 waf o be L|r t el3rihrsuto
stxtution of Civil for Military Law and the removal of Sry Tlstriction on