Page 309 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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(b) Dispensaries.
The above list of details explains itself.
Eye disease again is the most prevalent disease.
Malaria is of a higher incidence in Muharraq as compared to Manama. It is hoped that
this will be lowered next year. The Sakhir malaria figures are highest of all proportionately,
but the figures may not be accurate there, because a compounder runs the dispensary. Venereal
disease is most prevalent in Suk Al-Khamis and Sitra. Minor operations are usually for boils,
abscesses, and teeth; and quinine and emetine the commonest injections given.
Dr. Lakra was in-charge of Suk Al-Khamis up to November, when he look over from Dr.
Bhandarkar at Muharraq. This dispensary had had a set back in the summer because of Dr.
Bhandarkar’s holiday. It was visited from Manama weekly, and run by orderlies who administered
only the simplest forms of treatment. Abdul Majid, the compounder to II. II. The Shaikh of
Bahrain, has held small daily clinics in Sakhir throughout most of the year.
The other dispensaries now come under a regular visiting scheme by doctors from Manama,
with the exception of Karazakhan, which has been closed. Sitra, Uadaya, and Rifa'a were visited
three limes weekly in the hot weather instead of once a week. After a short hiatus during
Ramadan the scheme was renewed, but reduced to twice weekly because of the increase of work
in Manama. The clinics arc held in the natur posts of Budaya and Sitra and in Sheikh Ali bin
Ahmad's majlis in Rifa'a. The Budaya patients are not many, and some of them come from
Bani.Jamra and Draz. In Rifa’a it is the school children who attend well and very regularly.
Sitra has proved the most promising field of work. Anti-malaria work is also being done there,
and this has been appreciated and has attracted patients to the clinic. Forty to fifty are very
often seen and their complaints are various, chiefly eye disease, coughs and colds, worms,
rheumatism and malaria. The latter is ‘not common, but most malaria patients are too weak
or ill to come, according to report. Round worms are always complained of here, due to faulty
methods of preparing their fish for eating. Patients come from all the six villages ami beyond.
Jill ah has been a difficult place to visit regularly, because of the journey. It is usually now
seen once a month. Serious complaints are rare, because the climate is good, and dryer. Lately
several cases of dysentery were brought over to the Hospital. These were nearly all amoebic
and it is thought that the eating of a certain green herb on the island, which grows in the winter
months, was responsible for inciting an already chronic latent dysentery. The prisoners there
usually number between twelve and eighteen. Their quarters have been enlarged and are adequate
and healthy.

Bahrain Government Police
Patients 1359 (1941)

I.—Total No. of out-patients attending the daily sick parade 5,162
II.—Total No. of in-patients in Police Hospital up to the time of closure 14-6-40. 45
Grand Total ... 5,207

Summary of the chief diseases rendering them unfit for duty.—
Malaria 235
Eve Affections.—
Trachoma \
Conjunctivitis • 60
Others )
Syhphilis iS
Gonorrhoea 16
Dysentery (amoebic) 4
Mumps 3

Total ... 336

Note.—The above police pulieills include nil the personnel of the borl, and prisoners.