Cholera outbreak in traced to Sulu

Published on: Saturday, September 26, 2020

By: NORTH BORNEO HERALD

Text Size:

Credit: who.int

MARCH 1, 1883

IN presenting my report on the health of Elopura for the six months ending 31st December, 1882, I wish to draw attention more particularly to the following points:

- The report is incomplete as regards the amount of sickness in the town during the periods from 11th August to 23rd September, from 2nd to 7th October, and from 22nd October to 4th November, while I was visiting Kudat and Silam — the town had no regular medical officer, and no list of patients was kept during that time.

During the first period a large number of sick coolies arrived from Silam, and were most carefully and successfully attended to by Mr DeLissa, who kindly offered his services for that purpose.

- The cholera epidemic commenced on the 27th of June, and practically ended about the 8th of August, though there were several sporadic cases of a mild type after that date.

The infection was first brought direct from Sulu, but during the outbreak there were two distinct exacerbations caused by fresh infection, on the first occasion from Lincabo, and on the second from the Kinabatangan.

The Chinese practically escaped from the epidemic, the only exception being the dispensary attendant who had two attacks — with an interval of over a month — to the second of which he succumbed.

Two Europeans were attacked but the type of disease was very mild — in one case really choleric diarrhoea. The total result of the epidemic was sixty-five cases and nineteen deaths.

- Malarial fever — Over twenty of these cases came from Silam, and about ten were caused by previous residence in Kudat; the others came from the interior, none originated in the town.

The two deaths occurred during my absence among the Silam coolies, and both were cases of long standing, both died almost immediately on their arrival, and one of them even before he could be removed from the ship to the Hospital.

- Rheumatism, Cough, Weakness, and Paralysis — Most of these cases were the results of the long continued fever in the cases sent from Silam.

- Diarrhoea — Of this there were two mild out-breaks among the Europeans, especially those living at the Government Mess.

At first the cause was rather obscure; the water was clearly excluded; and I am now of opinion that the disease was to he attributed to the dirtiness of the cook. The two deaths noted as caused by diarrhoea occurred in the cases of confirmed opium smokers.

- Wounds, Ulcers, and Contusions —The increase in the number of these is due to the Chinese coolies recently brought from Hongkong, who are very subject to injuries on the feet and legs.

- Skin Diseases — A large proportion of the population suffer from chronic skin diseases — itch, ringworm, or ichthyosis (scaliness). So prevalent is it that they look on it as almost the normal condition, and do not think of asking for medicine except in the acute cases, or when their attention is specially drawn to it. Those cases I have had a chance of treating have proved fairly amenable to treatment, with the exception of the cases of ichthyosis.

- Deaths — As will he seen from the table nearly one half of these were caused by the outbreak of cholera.

At least five of the deaths occurred in the case of persons who arrived here mori and died within one or two days of their arrival, while several others were cases that came here for medical treatment and died after lingering here a short time.

In consequence of the uncertainty about the population, and the great increase of population during the six months, any attempt to estimate the death rate is impossible.

I can safely say, however, that, notwithstanding the large number of deaths from cholera, the death rate is low, and would compare favourable with that for the six months previous.

Altogether, I think I may safely say that, should nothing unforeseen occur, there is every reason to expect that Sandakan will continue to be one of the healthiest towns in the tropics.