Page 350 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911_Neat

50 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY

A detailed statement of the attendance at the dispensary and the class
of cases treated is attached herewith. The majority of cases treated were
medical.
Malaria was prevalent throughout the year, excepting the winter months.
Microscopic examination was made in the majority of cases, which wero
found to be of the benign tertian variety. Mosquitos arc abundantly found
in the houses of the town owing to the insanitary habits of the people and
the universal custom of having a water tank in'the courtyard of the houso
which is used indiscriminately for cooking, drinking, and washing purposes.
This also accounts for the numerous stomach and bowel complaints.
The types of anopheles found were M. culici facies, M. funcsta and ill.
rossii.
Tuberculosis in most of its forms was frequently encountered. Amongst
children the type was mostly adenitis and bone disease, while the women,
owing to the pardahnaShin system, are frequent sufferers from lung affections.
Men, in spite of the open air life they lead, often catch the disease owing to
their insufficient dietary, venereal excess and habits of opium smoking.
Leprosy is not commonly seen, and when met with is mostly of the
tubercular type. No attempts at segregation are made and lepers for tho
most part make their living by begging.
Syphilis in all its forms is common. So far no case of primary syphilis
has been treated in the dispensary, as the disease in that stage is either
treated by a native doctor or, more commonly, neglected.
Gonorrhoea is infrequent. It is treated by the local talent. Most of the
cases so treated suiter from gleet which however is disregarded.
Ascarides is very frequently encountered. Most of the patients who come
to the dispensary ask for santonin and now it is almost a routine practice
to administer santonin in obscure stomach complaints. During the year 336
cases were seen.
Rheumatic affections are common and are largely due to insufficient
clothing and the exposed life the people lead.
Diseases of the nervous system are fairly numerous, consisting for the
most part, of sciatica, facial neuralgia, epilepsy and locomotor ataxy.
897 cases of eye complaints were treated during the year, the large
majority consisting of granular ophthalmia and its sequel®.
Respiratory diseases, laryngitis chiefly of syphlitic origin, chronic
bronchitis, bronchial asthma and emphysema.
Digestive complaints. Gastritis and enteritis accounted for 496 cases,
due to the unsuitable food of the poorer classes.
Skin affections were frequently seen, mostly tinea favosa and syphilitic
alfections.
Only 2 cases of opium poisoning were treated during the year, which is
surprising in face of the fact that opium smoking is practically universal.
This may be due to the low percentage of morphine in Persian opium.
Fifty-five operations were performed during the year, The more
important operations were :—
Removal of sequestrum of palatal process of upper jaw.
Two excisions of rodent ulcers, in both cases at the inner angle of the eye.
Fistula in ano.
Lateral lithotomy, child 6 years old: 1 calculus uric acid 10 grains, 1
phosphatic 12 grains.
Case of extensive phosphatic deposit on tubercular ulcer of the bladder
was operated on by a Persian doctor under the impression that it was vesical
calculus, unsuccessfully. Later 220 grains were removed piecemeal.