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HEALTH OF BRITISH GUIANA IN 1888.
566 their wants.
In the train
was
Dr.
Milne,
of
Accrington,
Lancashire, whose wife stood beside the telescoped carriageq, not knowing whether her husband was among the living or the dead. Dr. Milne escaped without a scratch, and after
A DIET OF LEAN MEAT AND WATER.
MR. EDWIN C. ASPINALL, general superintendent of the his liberation did all he could to assist. One of the slightly American Mission to Tierra del Fuego, in a letter dated injured passengers who continued his journey was powdered Ooshooia, Tierra del Fuego, Dec. 28th, 1889, writes to us on with sawdust, the result of the process of excavation, but the above subject as follows :his niece was amongst the dead. The dark morning, and " In my copy of THE LANCET for Nov. 9th I see a paper the numerous rails, wires, and signal rods retarded the removal of the injured. There can be no doubt that rail- written by Dr. George Herschell entitledEffect upon the Human Body of a Diet composed entirely of Lean Meat way stations should be supplied with not only a wheeled and Water,’ which draws some conclusions from the litter and a hand stretcher, but a supply of light stretchers, abnormal conditions under which a poor unfortunate party as much time would be saved by such provision, and the of Ona natives from Tierra del Fuego are suffering, which removal of the injured would become an easy matter. are so contrary to the natural habits of the Onas that I venture to write and contradict them. I am at present a missionary to these people. Before leaving England I studied medicineat one of our largest London hospitals. Dr. Herschell HEALTH OF BRITISH GUIANA IN 1888. says: 1. These peoplehave lived all their lives on nothing except lean meat, fish, and water.’ I beg to say that all THE report of the Surgeon-General of British Guiana for the Onas living in Tierra del Fuego, although their chief 1888 treats chiefly of the sickness and mortality as shown diet is theguanaco’ (which, by the way, at certain seasons of the year is fat), also feed largely on berries of the berberis by the returns of the various hospitals in the colony, but and balsam, wild celery, dandelion roots, and fungi; does not give any particulars as to the general population. also enormous quantities of the mussel and other shell-fish, In the beginning of the year a few cases of yellow fever and fish from which they express much oil, which they occurred, but the disease did not spread. Measles was very drink and also anoint their bodies with; also birds of kinds-the goose, duck, teal, and their eggs. prevalent during part of the year, but was of a mild type. different As usual, malarial fevers were the chief cause of admissions 2. They are a ’family of cannibals.’ They are not, and never have been. My predecessor, the Rev. T. Bridgesto the hospitals, but the death-rate from them was very who has lived with the Yahgan tribe over twenty years and iow. Vaccination appears to be very much neglected. The knows their language perfectly, has made many and strict report of Mr. Castor, medical superintendent of the General inquiries among the four tribes who inhabit Tierra del Leper Asylum, Mahaica, furnishes some interesting informa- Fuego, and speak different languages (viz., Yahgan, Ona, tion respecting the prevalence of the disease in the colony, Alaculoof, and Chonas) by means of native interpreters, and has moved freely among them-can find no trace of and the unsatisfactory arrangements connected with it, both cannibalism, not even by tradition. 3. They take little as regards the unfortunate patients and the means authorised or no exercise.’ They are most active, running with great for the repression of the disease. At the beginning of the year speed, constantly hunting, using the bow and arrow and sling there were 365 inmates in the asylum-268 males and 77 skill, rarely stopping long in one place, and females; and during the year 66 males and 16 females were travel long distances. 4. They spend most of their time admitted. The daily average number was 363, of whom in sleep. I have slept in the wigwam with members 290 were males; and of these 31 males and 11 females died, of the Yahgan tribe-whose habits are very similar making a total of 42, or 11’57 per cent. Compared with to the Onas, only that they have canoes and live more the numbers in 1877, there is an increase of the inmates on the water-and can testify that they sleep less than amounting to 63 per cent., and a decrease in the death- we do, constantly rising in the night to cook and rate of about 2 per cent. The asylum appears to be much eat mussels. 5. ’Amongst these man-eaters gout is unovercrowded, badly constructed, and some parts of it known.’ Possibly so ; but no one with any medical traingreatly in need of repairs. But the point on which reform ing, except casual visitors, before I came to this country Mr. three seems most imperatively demanded is discipline. years ago has ever studied them, and so far I have Castor complains that he has no means of enforcing this ; only had opportunity with the Yahgan tribe." that while there are stringent orders against the inmates leaving the grounds without written permission, there is no punishment attached to a breach of these orders. The result naturallyis that "the inmates leave the institution whenever they feel inclined, stay out and return to suit their pleasure. No punishment that I can inflict will meet cases such as these, and when one does this with impunity, others are LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT. tempted to follow the example....... I cannot see why it should be imagined possible that these people here can be REPORTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH. managed without practically any means of doing so, while in the sister colony of Trinidad means are adopted, such Caxton and St. Neots Districts.-The special characteristics as light and dark cells, and troublesome inmates disof these three rural and urban districts are dealt with for the charged." It seems very clear that the medical superin- year 1889 both collectively and separately. As regards the tendent should have power to order suitable punishment in area as a whole, improvements in water-supply have been all cases of disobedience or insubordination, a record being effected, but in many of the more sparsely populated kept of these for the information of the colonial authorities. localities the supply is still deplorable both as to Certain alterations would be necessary to enable him to and quantity, and it seems clear that the subsoil is in check the practice of the inmates going out at night, but places too polluted properly to admit of the retention of this would be more than compensated by the improved surface wells. Efforts are being made towards the abolition -discipline. Mr. Castor also complains of the laxity of the of the common midden-privies, various forms of pails and dry police in taking no notice of the lepers when seen out of closets being substituted as occasion offers. The deathbounds; a little strictness on their part would tend to rates per thousand from all causes during 1887 were-for reduce the offence. St. Neots rural district, 13’52 ; Caxton and Arrington rural Although every remedy reported successful elsewhere has district, 12’18; and for St. Neots urban district, 12-05. been tried, no beneficial result has been obtained. Mr. These rates are low, but having regard to the many causes Castor holds the opinion that the most that can be done in of danger to health which still prevail in the combined area, the way either of cure or prevention is "by proper diet, Mr. Poyntz Wright urges the sanitary authorities to dwellings, and sanitary surroundings to ameliorate the remember that such rates by no means necessarily imply symptoms, and often thereby control them." The unsatis- satisfactory sanitary circumstances. Adverting to the factory condition of the lepers in British Guiana will, we adoption by two of the sanitary bodies of the Infectious trust, meet with attention irom the medical adviser of the Diseases (Notification) Act, Mr. Wright points out that, Colonial Office and from the Committee of the Father even in the absence of an isolation hospital, the provision Damien Fund. of which he has consistently maintained, there is some
with great
Public Health
and
Poor Law.
quality
In the train
was
Dr.
Milne,
of
Accrington,
Lancashire, whose wife stood beside the telescoped carriageq, not knowing whether her husband was among the living or the dead. Dr. Milne escaped without a scratch, and after
A DIET OF LEAN MEAT AND WATER.
MR. EDWIN C. ASPINALL, general superintendent of the his liberation did all he could to assist. One of the slightly American Mission to Tierra del Fuego, in a letter dated injured passengers who continued his journey was powdered Ooshooia, Tierra del Fuego, Dec. 28th, 1889, writes to us on with sawdust, the result of the process of excavation, but the above subject as follows :his niece was amongst the dead. The dark morning, and " In my copy of THE LANCET for Nov. 9th I see a paper the numerous rails, wires, and signal rods retarded the removal of the injured. There can be no doubt that rail- written by Dr. George Herschell entitledEffect upon the Human Body of a Diet composed entirely of Lean Meat way stations should be supplied with not only a wheeled and Water,’ which draws some conclusions from the litter and a hand stretcher, but a supply of light stretchers, abnormal conditions under which a poor unfortunate party as much time would be saved by such provision, and the of Ona natives from Tierra del Fuego are suffering, which removal of the injured would become an easy matter. are so contrary to the natural habits of the Onas that I venture to write and contradict them. I am at present a missionary to these people. Before leaving England I studied medicineat one of our largest London hospitals. Dr. Herschell HEALTH OF BRITISH GUIANA IN 1888. says: 1. These peoplehave lived all their lives on nothing except lean meat, fish, and water.’ I beg to say that all THE report of the Surgeon-General of British Guiana for the Onas living in Tierra del Fuego, although their chief 1888 treats chiefly of the sickness and mortality as shown diet is theguanaco’ (which, by the way, at certain seasons of the year is fat), also feed largely on berries of the berberis by the returns of the various hospitals in the colony, but and balsam, wild celery, dandelion roots, and fungi; does not give any particulars as to the general population. also enormous quantities of the mussel and other shell-fish, In the beginning of the year a few cases of yellow fever and fish from which they express much oil, which they occurred, but the disease did not spread. Measles was very drink and also anoint their bodies with; also birds of kinds-the goose, duck, teal, and their eggs. prevalent during part of the year, but was of a mild type. different As usual, malarial fevers were the chief cause of admissions 2. They are a ’family of cannibals.’ They are not, and never have been. My predecessor, the Rev. T. Bridgesto the hospitals, but the death-rate from them was very who has lived with the Yahgan tribe over twenty years and iow. Vaccination appears to be very much neglected. The knows their language perfectly, has made many and strict report of Mr. Castor, medical superintendent of the General inquiries among the four tribes who inhabit Tierra del Leper Asylum, Mahaica, furnishes some interesting informa- Fuego, and speak different languages (viz., Yahgan, Ona, tion respecting the prevalence of the disease in the colony, Alaculoof, and Chonas) by means of native interpreters, and has moved freely among them-can find no trace of and the unsatisfactory arrangements connected with it, both cannibalism, not even by tradition. 3. They take little as regards the unfortunate patients and the means authorised or no exercise.’ They are most active, running with great for the repression of the disease. At the beginning of the year speed, constantly hunting, using the bow and arrow and sling there were 365 inmates in the asylum-268 males and 77 skill, rarely stopping long in one place, and females; and during the year 66 males and 16 females were travel long distances. 4. They spend most of their time admitted. The daily average number was 363, of whom in sleep. I have slept in the wigwam with members 290 were males; and of these 31 males and 11 females died, of the Yahgan tribe-whose habits are very similar making a total of 42, or 11’57 per cent. Compared with to the Onas, only that they have canoes and live more the numbers in 1877, there is an increase of the inmates on the water-and can testify that they sleep less than amounting to 63 per cent., and a decrease in the death- we do, constantly rising in the night to cook and rate of about 2 per cent. The asylum appears to be much eat mussels. 5. ’Amongst these man-eaters gout is unovercrowded, badly constructed, and some parts of it known.’ Possibly so ; but no one with any medical traingreatly in need of repairs. But the point on which reform ing, except casual visitors, before I came to this country Mr. three seems most imperatively demanded is discipline. years ago has ever studied them, and so far I have Castor complains that he has no means of enforcing this ; only had opportunity with the Yahgan tribe." that while there are stringent orders against the inmates leaving the grounds without written permission, there is no punishment attached to a breach of these orders. The result naturallyis that "the inmates leave the institution whenever they feel inclined, stay out and return to suit their pleasure. No punishment that I can inflict will meet cases such as these, and when one does this with impunity, others are LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT. tempted to follow the example....... I cannot see why it should be imagined possible that these people here can be REPORTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH. managed without practically any means of doing so, while in the sister colony of Trinidad means are adopted, such Caxton and St. Neots Districts.-The special characteristics as light and dark cells, and troublesome inmates disof these three rural and urban districts are dealt with for the charged." It seems very clear that the medical superin- year 1889 both collectively and separately. As regards the tendent should have power to order suitable punishment in area as a whole, improvements in water-supply have been all cases of disobedience or insubordination, a record being effected, but in many of the more sparsely populated kept of these for the information of the colonial authorities. localities the supply is still deplorable both as to Certain alterations would be necessary to enable him to and quantity, and it seems clear that the subsoil is in check the practice of the inmates going out at night, but places too polluted properly to admit of the retention of this would be more than compensated by the improved surface wells. Efforts are being made towards the abolition -discipline. Mr. Castor also complains of the laxity of the of the common midden-privies, various forms of pails and dry police in taking no notice of the lepers when seen out of closets being substituted as occasion offers. The deathbounds; a little strictness on their part would tend to rates per thousand from all causes during 1887 were-for reduce the offence. St. Neots rural district, 13’52 ; Caxton and Arrington rural Although every remedy reported successful elsewhere has district, 12’18; and for St. Neots urban district, 12-05. been tried, no beneficial result has been obtained. Mr. These rates are low, but having regard to the many causes Castor holds the opinion that the most that can be done in of danger to health which still prevail in the combined area, the way either of cure or prevention is "by proper diet, Mr. Poyntz Wright urges the sanitary authorities to dwellings, and sanitary surroundings to ameliorate the remember that such rates by no means necessarily imply symptoms, and often thereby control them." The unsatis- satisfactory sanitary circumstances. Adverting to the factory condition of the lepers in British Guiana will, we adoption by two of the sanitary bodies of the Infectious trust, meet with attention irom the medical adviser of the Diseases (Notification) Act, Mr. Wright points out that, Colonial Office and from the Committee of the Father even in the absence of an isolation hospital, the provision Damien Fund. of which he has consistently maintained, there is some
with great
Public Health
and
Poor Law.
quality