15
REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
5. The formation of a clearing bacteriological laboratory at Cannanore Central
Jail.—As a result of the success achieved by the laboratory at the Alipuram jail it
was decided to establish a central clearing bacteriological laboratory at the
Cannanore Central Jail. This jail was at that time acting as the central jail where
all the Mappilla prisoners were incarcerated while under trial.
It was hoped that the detection and treatment of unhealthy prisoners in this
j a i l b e f o r e t r a n s f e r w o u l d p r e v e n t t h e d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f d i s e a s e a m o n g s t t h e
prisoners in other jails and that this measure would react beneficially upon the
general health of the prisoners throughout the Madras Presidency.
This laboratory was despatched to the Cannanore jail in charge of
Temporary Assistant Surgeon Krishnan. The work carried out by this
unit consisted in the examination of all prisoners for signs of latent
dysentery and any other communicable disease. A few cases of cerebrospinal
meningitis occurred in this jail. Here again a very large number of naso
- p h a r y n g e a l s w a b s w e r e e x a m i n e d i n t h e h o p e s o f f i n d i n g c a r r i e r s o f t h e d i s e a s e .
Once more the results were entirely negative although every organism
obtained in many of the cultures was subjected to very close scrutiny.
A card index system was introduced whereby the results of the examination
of each prisoner were entered on a card which accompanied him on transfer to
other jails. By this means the jail authorities were made aware of the state of
health of the prisoners on arrival at their jails and could if necessary admit them
direct into the appropriate isolation gangs. These cards, which are to be kept
for one year, are to be returned to the King Institute so that the value of these
preventive measures can be estimated. While at Cannanore the unit was inspected
twice, once by the Director and once by the Assistant Director. The unit was
recalled from Cannanore after all the Mappilla prisoners had passed through the
jail.
The Inspector-General of Prisons in his letter No. 2892, dated 5th April 1923
once more expressed his appreciation of the work done by the unit "in reducing
the sickness and mortality not only in Cannanore Central Jail but in those other
jails to which Mappilla prisoners had been transferred." Assistant Surgeon
Krishnan's full report is given in Appendix VI.
6. Investigation into the cause of the fever amongst the officials belonging to the
Forest Department at Olavakote .—At the request of the Conservator of Forests a
unit was sent to Olavakote on 20th March 1923 to investigate the causes and
means of prevention of a severe fever which had attacked the forest officials
during the preceding cold weather. Temporary Civil Surgeon Sithapathi Ayyar
was placed in charge of this unit. This investigation was in progress at the
termination of the year under report. The fever was found to be malarial in
origin. The cause of the heavy infection is being investigated and when complete,
a report will be forwarded to Government.
The above record of the investigation units sent out from the King Institute
during the year proves the great value of such investigations in assisting the
Public Health and other departments in combating disease and lessening morta
- l i t y i n t h e f i e l d . T h e y a l s o s u p p l y a b u n d a n t e v i d e n c e o f t h e f e a s i b i l i t y o f a r a p i d
concentration of expert assistance where such assistance is urgently called for.
Investigation units of this kind have a great future before them in any scheme of
preventive medicine. Special units for Bacteriology, Protozoology, Entomology,
Helminthology, etc., should be created with experts in these special subjects in
charge of each so that investigations involving these particular branches of
medicine could be undertaken with success. The great demand which has been
made in the past year for the services of such units shows that the single unit
sanctioned by Government is not sufficient for the needs of the Presidency.
Proposals for a second unit have already been forwarded to the Surgeon
- G e n e r a l i n m y l e t t e r R . C . N o . 3 0 2 - 1 / B . , d a t e d 2 1 s t A p r i l 1 9 2 3 .
(v) WATER FILTRATION COMMITTEE.
The Water Filtration Committee of which the Director of the King Institute
is the Secretary and the Assistant Director and the Senior Bacteriological Assistant
are members met repeatedly throughout the year.