Page 29 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

19

Special Notes.

Tho death of His Highness Sheikh Sir Hamad bin Easa A1 Khalifa, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.—At
4-0 p.m. on February 17th, 1942 (30th Moharrain 1361) 1 paid my last medical visit to His
Highness at Romaitha, when he was exceptionally cheerful and glad to relax there after his recent
accession day duties in Manama. I left him after an hour, serene and contented, and very much as
he always was. During his prayers at 8-0 o'clock he fell down with a stroke from which he never
regained consciousness. After two hours some of his sons, Sheikh Sulman and I had arrived. It
was evident that he was in coma due to a cerebral haemorrhage, and a consultation took place at
midnight when Dr. Holmes and Dr. Harrison had arrived. Knowing his age to be about 70 and
that he was a chronic diabetic with myocarditis only partly compensated, the outlook was considered
very serious. It was decided to treat him symptomatically there for at least three days, the three
doctors taking turns day and night using his compounder and a trained nurse. The following day
a right hemiplegia developed, and the coma continued. Dr. Kennedy of Awali Hospital also came
and confirmed the prognosis. The next day passed with no change except a rising pyrexia pulse and
respiration rate which eventually rose to 103°, 114°, and 40 respectively. At 12-15 midday on
February 20th (3rd Safar 1361), after twenty minutes warning, ho passed peacefully to his end.

The Administration Block.—This was finished on May 1st, 1942 (14th Rabi/Thani 1361).
The ground floor contains all essential offices, a well equipped laboratory with annexe, an air-condi­
tioned X-Ray room of ample size and a large air conditioned drug store, and the Matron’s store with
adjoining sewing room. The first floor is solely a surgical unit and the most successfully
planned section of the whole hospital, it is reputed to be the best of its kind between Karachi and
Basra. The main theatre is air-conditioned with walls and floor of green chipped marble, and a
spacious large panelled frosted glass window facing north. Opening into it on all sides are the essential
rooms—sterilising, anaesthetic, and " scrub-up.” Off the main passage on the other two sides are I
surgeons' and nurses’ changing rooms equipped with bathrooms, the Theatre Sister’s office, a nurses’
utility room with linen store, and another large theatre facing south with most of the attributes of
the other, and reserved for septic operations. The whole block is the centre piece between the men’s
and women’s hospitals, united by passages on both floors, allowing surgical cases to be wheeled through
with ease, and preserving a certain degree of purdah.
The Services.—25 beds have been put at their disposal. These were obtained from one
existing ward of 12 beds, supplemented by a new ward built similarly, but facing the sea and mosquito
proofed. One private ward air-conditioned was also handed over. The total aggregate could be
expanded to 28 beds if necessary. Two wards, one private ward, Sister’s office, sterilising room, a
modem sanitary annexe, kitchen and pantry, comprise now the whole European section of the Hospital
mainly on the first floor. Permanent hot and cold water, a full number of fans, and some
air-conditioning units are also included. Inpatients came in from June onwards, increasing rapidly
during August and September, and on October 1st when all was complete, it became a settled regime
that beds should be allotted in the ratio of 10. 10. and 5. for the R.A.F. Army, & Navy respectively.
Inpatients were also admitted from Sharjah, Jask, Masirah, and Kor Kawai. 120 were admitted
by the end of the year, the chief diseases being, malaria, prickly heat, ulcers and heat exhaustion,
jaundice, and amoebic dysentery. Two deaths occurred—one from heat hyperpyrexia from H.M.’s
" Alaunia ” and the other from acute cerebral malaria in a gunner from the refinery camps. Sub- ii
tertian malignant malaria was seen in its extreme forms there ; 14% were affected out of about 350
with several cerebral cases, only saved by heroic doses of intravenous and intramuscular quinine.
The camp sites arc close to highly malarial breeding date gardens, which can only be partially
controlled. This outbreak constituted the only serious medical problem.
Anti-Malarial Work.—About Rs. 30,000 was spent using 25-30 Jamedars, and 80-120 coolies
according to the work. All existing work was maintained except that of Sitra which was closed
in March, due to the slackness of the people there.