Page 295 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Heat Exhaustion.—This is never a menancc in Bahrain. Only the occasional patient is
treated usually from a ship. This year had a very marked hot weather, the severest for years and
a large influx of Europeans from ships and Arabs from the town were treated for this condition.
43 Europeans were admitted, all but three being from ships, and recovered. 28 Arabs were admitted
also, with five deaths. A special air-conditioned ward was set up to deal with all nationalities and was
very effective.
Air-conditioning units in houses played a very successful part in keeping all people fit who used
them and some were installed in Arab houses. The Arabs were greatly helped by the town water
points and hundreds resorted to the public bathing pools fed by natural spring water.

(b) Treatment of Disease.
Surgical.—Two unusual conditions were dealt with successfully. One a gun shot wound
of abdomen with perforations of five coils of small intestine the bullet being embedded in the posterior
abdominal wall. Areas of damage were sutured and the bullet left with no detrimental results. The
patient was a Trucial Coast arab brought by 'plane.

The other was a Myeloma of tibia which are seldom seen and which was excised without incident.
Fractures and injuries were a little less this year numbering 707 but they were of a severe type.
750 major operations were carried out with three deaths.
Medical.—The number of beds available for tuberculosis was doubled and although the
greater number of patients admitted are too advanced in this condition to warrant a hopeful prognosis
yet it is surprising how so many can be improved. General measures are still the predominating treat­
ment. Streptomycin and P.A.S. are used in selected cases as well as artificial pneuothorax and
phrenic avulsion. X-Rays are carried out once a month in chronic cases. An increasing number
of hopeful patients are being sent to the Miraj sanatorium in India aided by the State and at present
there are 30 Arabs there. Mental disease is treated largely symptomatically supplying more general
comforts. Beds for this purpose have also been doubled this year.
Ophthalmic.—The inter-seasonal condition of acute phlyctenular conjunctivities is very pre­
valent always for about six weeks twice a year. This seems to be a common feature of Middle East
countries especially Egypt.
(c) A Public Health Department.
The visit of Doctor C. A. Bozman, Medical Adviser in the British Middle East Office, was
timely in helping to crystallise a number of our ideas for the launching of this department. His
advice and support coming from a wide experience were extremely valuable. A public health unit
is being built which will control all preventative health measures. Doctor J. D. Grant well versed
in public health affairs will take this over as a special department, and one or two key staff are being
recruited.
(d) Buildings.
The T. B. block was enlarged by adding on a first floor of another seven beds making a total of
thirteen which is just adequate at present.

The Mental Asylum was pulled down and rebuilt on the same site double the original size with
one block for men and one for women. It now has a total of thirty beds.

(e) Staff.
It was very unfortunate that Miss Dowds had to relinquish her work on account of chronic
illness to return home in the Spring. She was the first Sister appointed for work in the girl's schools
with special training for this, and it is with great regret that we had to lose the services of such an
expert with children,