REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GU1NDY
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9. An epidemiological and bacteriological inquiry into the health of the
Todas :—
The Todas appear to be decreasing in number and medical help was asked
for them by the Collector of the Nilgiris. It was decided to investigate first.
Accordingly a bacteriological unit under Assistant Surgeon S. R. Pandit began
work in March 1927. A summary of the work done will be given in next year's
report.
10. A bacteriological investigation of cases of severe gastro enteritis in
Pollachi Taluk :—
The Director of.Public Health reported that cases of severe gastro enteritis
appeared annually among coolies gathering the groundnut harvest in September
and October in the Pollachi Taluk of Coimbatore District. A unit under Sub-
Assistant Surgeon K. S. Ranganathan carried out an investigation in October.
Cases of severe gastro enteritis some of which were fatal began to occur. The
stools were examined and vibrios were isolated from all severe fresh cases seen.
By culture and serum reactions these vibrios were found to be the vibrios of
cholera. Vibrios could not be recovered from the stools of recovered cases except
in one instance, but the sera of some convalescents agglutinated V. cholerae.
So the cases this year were undoubtedly cholera. The epidemiology was also
i n v e s t i g a t e d . a n d a f u l l r e p o r t wi t h r e c o mme n d a t i o n s ma d e , t h e c h i e f o f wh i c h wa s
to prevent the dismissal and. dispersal of coolies as soon as any infectious disease
appeared because it was found that infection was being spread to the villages in
this way.
11. A bacteriological investigation of cases of enteric diseases at the
Rayapuram Medical Students' Hostel, Madras :
—
In September several cases of diarrhæa, dysentery and typhoid fever occurred,
so an investigation was made by a Unit under Assistant Surgeon N. Seshadri-
nathan. The stools of all cooks were examined and it was found that several
cooks of the non-vegetarian messes had diarrhæa and hookworm infection
and that some had. dysentery and that the sera of a few reacted suspiciously
(agglutination with 1/50) with B. Typhosus . One cook in a vegetarian mess
also showed signs of dysentery. Apparently the students manage their own
messes and the non-vegetarian .messes tend engage cheap cooks among whom
changes are frequent. It was recommended that the appointment of cooks be
made only under the supervision of the Warden of the Hostel.
12. A bacteriological investigation of streptococci in cases of puerperal
sepsis :—
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Military Assistant Surgeon J. H. Theodore, I.M.D., has continued to visit
the Government Hospital for Women and Children and to deal with all swabs and
material from these cases.
Conclusions drawn from the first two hundred cases are :
—
(1) that S. pyogenes is the most important species and that the proportion
of cases associated with it increases with the clinical severity of the case.
(2) that S. subacidus is the next most important species.
(3) that S. anginosus plays some part in puerperal sepsis and seems to be a
common habitant of the vagina.
(4) that the non-hæmolytic varieties probably play some part in puerperal
sepsis but that more evidence is needed.
(5) that for a general streptococcal prophylactic vaccine S. pyogenes,
S. anginosus, S. subacidus should be used in equal quantities.
(6) that in sapræmia not only streptococci but also other organisms such as
B. coli, staphylococci, diphteriods, B. vaginalis and some others were present in the
discharge—whereas in septiceamea the only organisms isolated were streptococci
and B. coli.
(7) that the healthy vagina of healthy pregnant woman usually does not
contain pathogenic organisms.
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