Page 703 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

3T
(Hi) State Medical Hospital.—Dr. R. H. B. Snow took over charge on the
24th April 1940 from Dr. M. M. McDowell, who was acting in the absence of a State
Medical Officer. Tho work of those two, the latest recruits to State Employ, is
praisod by all communities in Bahrain.
Men's Section. 1940. 1939.
Qutpationte 61,266 59,638
I u patient* 664 3,326
Operations 1,784 1,200
Women’s Section.
Outpatients 34,067
Inpatients 246
Operations 407
(ii) There were no major epidemics on the island during 1940, though the
number of cases of mumps (in May and June) and Dysentery (in September and
December) showed an increase.
Malaria, Venereal Disease and Trachoma (eye disease) continue to be the main
forms of disease. Trachoma is undoubtedly the most deadly disease in Bahrain.
The anti-Malarial campaign accounts for the decrease in malaria but the incidence
of venereal disease is, if anything, on the increase.
In the Government Hospital, the. women’s section was opened at the end of
May and the men’s side on June 15th. The Police Hospital, originally closed to
in-patients, was opened in December as an Isolation Hospital for venereal disease
and tuberculosis.
(Hi) Among other steps being taken to reduce malaria in Manama, the Anti-
Malaria Committee had decided to arrange for the closing of all shallow wells
in compounds within 200 yards of public artesian water supplies. These shallow
wells have been used solely for washing purposes and their numbers have grown
enormously in recent years. They have been a prolific source of mosquito breeding.
The closing of these shallow wells caused a great deal of agitation among the inha­
bitants. Meetings were accordingly held and, in order to fit in with a scheme for a
real public water supply and for proper drainage, the six circles in which surface
wells were to be filled in were reduced to a radius of 200 feet, while constant care
was taken to ensure the supply of larvicidal fish in shallow wells in the rest of the
town.
(iv) The women’s section of the State Hospital was opened by Her Highness
Shaikha Ayesha on the 25th May in the presence of a large gathering of Arab and
European ladies.
17. Judicial, (a) Bahrain Government.—No change in composition of Courts
was experienced. There was a decline in the number of important cases, due
partly, to the few diving cases.
The Shia Shara Court, unlike previous years, continues to run smoothly,
mainly due to the work of the Shia Appeal Kadi.
(6) Agency Courts.
Civil Suite .. 1,186
Criminal Cases 294
18. Visits of British Notables.—(i) His Excellency Sir Basil Newton, K.C.M.G.,
His Majesty’s Ambassador, Baghdad, arrived here from Muscat with his Secretary
Mr. M. Man on the 10th March and stayed at the Agency. He lunched informally
with His Highness Shaikh Sir Hamad bin ’Isa al Khalifah at Sakhir on the 11th,
and visited the Oil Field and Refinery on the following day.
Accompanied by the Political Agent, the Ambassador made an inspection of
the activities of the California Arabian Standard Oil Company at Dhahran. He
visited Ras Tanura, Safwa and Qatif before returning to Bahrain on the 14th,
He returned to Basra by air on the 16th March.
(it) The Hon’ble P. C. Spender, K.C., Minister for Army, Commonwealth of
Australia and party passed through Bahrain on the 31st December 1940 en-
route to Egypt. They were met on the landing pier by the Political Agent.
VS153BAD