Page 644 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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CHAPTER VII. .
ADMINISTRATION REPORT Ol'^'nil^l'Obrr^AR AGENCY, MUSCAT,

J’aIIT I.
1. Agency Officials—
Political Agent Major It. I*. Watts, T.A., from 1st .Tauuarr
193.0 to 25th April 1939.
Captain T. Ilickinhot.luuu, 0.11. K., from
26th April 1939 to Hist December 1939.
Medical Officer .. Military Assistant Surgeon, C. E. Hynes,
I.M.D., throughout, the year.
Treasury Officer .. Khan Sahib Maqbool Hussain Khan,
throughout the year.
2. Medical.—(a) General—There was an epidemic of Typhoid Fever on
the Eatinali Coast during the hot season. Measles, Chicken-Pox and Whooping-
cough lmve been prevalent during the year in Muscat and Matrull. Without a
public health system it is not possible to isolate and control infectious diseases.
(b) Agency Hospital.—As an experiment it was decided to make all treat­
ment in the “ Out Patient ” department free and to appeal to the public at the
close of tlie year to meet the additional cost of drugs. An appeal was made by
the Political Agent in November and was generously responded to, lls. 2,(120
being subscribed.
Owing to the American Mission Hospital at Mat rah being closed for six
months the work at the Agency Hospital increased.
The Hospital has been thoroughly overhauled. Rc-inforeed concrete floors
have been laid in all the upstairs wards. The veranda along the north side lias
been provided with a roof and sun shades have been placed over the windows
in the west end of the building. The inside of the building has been repainted
and the stone work outside re-pointed.
Attendances and admittances during the year were as follows :—
“ Out Patient ” department .. 21,359 persons.
Admitted into the Hospital 116 persons.
Major or minor operations performed 352.
Maternity Cases 1.
Gynaecological Cases 1.
(c) Quarantine.—No quarantine restrictions were imposed at Muscat
during the year. No cases of infectious diseases were landed from ships.
Dhows however arrive without warning and are not inspected, and are a source
of danger. Extensive repairs have been carried out by the State to the Quaran­
tine Station. The two sheds have been improved and the wells cleaned and
repaired.
3. Political Situation.—(a) General.—The year has been one of the most
peaceful that the country has known for'some time. There have been no major
or minor outbreaks of disaffection. The tribes of Oman have been at peace
with each other and with the Sultan’s Government. The Bn ti nail Coast has
known no disorders and the usually disturbed area in the vicinity of Sur has,
thanks to the able administration of the Sultan’s Governor at Sur, Sand bin
Ali bin Badr, been unusually free from tribal disturbances.
(b) Oman.—The Sultan has continued his policy of endeavouring to re­
establish his control over Oman by peaceful means. It is difficult to measure
the success of his efforts hut it is clear that his relations with the two principal
tribal leaders of Oman, Sheikh fsa bin Saleh of the Shanpah and Sheikh
Suleiman bin Ilamiyar of Jcbol Akhdar, have much improved. Ho has had
amicable personal correspondence with both these Sheikhs, and in August the
latter extended an invitation to the Sultan’s half brother, Saiyid Tnriq bm
I aimur, to visit his area. This invitation was accepted hut unfortunately the*
outbreak of. (he war made it necessary to postpone the visit. Sheikh Taa bin
Saleh lias informed the Sultan that he accepts his invitation to visit Muscat
ior medical treatment and I have no doubt that, provided no complications
occur, this influential Sheikh will shortly come to Muscat. Some important