"تقرير إداري عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج العربي والوكالة السياسية في مسقط عن الفترة ١٨٩٩-١٩٠٠" [و‎‎٢‎٨‎١] (١٥٠/٣٥)

RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY EOE THE TEAR 1899-2900.
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fact that the localities most severely afieeted were those in which the most unfavourable
hygienic conditions hoth of the persons inhabiting them and their smroundioo-s abounded
Densely-peopled huts with barely any ventilation in them and situated in the vicinitv of
graveyards and mounds of rubb.sh and filth including human and other J
of decomposition, such as ^ 1" the suburbs of Jahru and Tnyau and the Arvaneh
quarter of the town contributed the largest number of victims to the disease. It was mo=t
rife in the tollowmg rotir loeiilities.
Names of localities.
Suburb of Tuyan . . . ,
„ of Jabiu . . . .
Aryaneh (a quarter of the town)
Baluchi quarter (a quarter of the town)
Number of attacks.
306
145
127
97
The total number of deaths in Maskat and Matrah together, as far as it hag been
Mortality. possible to ascertain, as due to cholera was 726,
giving a ratio of about 54 per cent, to attacks and
one of 2-9 per cent, to the population. This ratio of deaths to attacked was slio-htly 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 in the majority of the
cases, for judging 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 2S , 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 poi sons a^ were treated by us^ a further reduction in the ratio
of mortality might have be< j n looked for had their friends been more prompt in calling for
medical relief and more persevering and regular in reporting the progress of such 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 cent, to the
Deaths in Maskat. attacked and one of 2 7 per cent, to the general
population, ihe rates ot 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 Africanj 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 indiau communities—the Muharnmadans and Hindus—that it would not be fair to
compare the rates of mortality among them with those among the other races.
As regards age, the rates of mortality among the gdults and children were much about
the same, having been in the ratio of 61 per cent, among the former and 60^ per cent, among
ths latter. In a sexual point of view, however, the mortality among men (65*4 per cent.)
was by far the largest, that among women having been only 56 , 2 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 ot 80 per cent, to
the 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 Bciluchis were nearly alike in the ratio per cent, of mortality,
the former having 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 tbe people living in it being of 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 the average rate of
Deaths in Matrah. cholera mortality as it can be. There were in all
452 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 the 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 li^ht and heat.
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