125
T TABLE 102
Percentage of types of dysentery bacilli isolated in the Commands during 1939 and
percentage of positive results to E. histolytica
Command.
T o t a l .
G r o u p A - I B - F l e x n e r A n d - r e w s s t r a i n s V . W . X . Y . Z .
G r o u p A - B o y d s s t r a i n s 1 0 3 , 1 7 0 a n d 1 1 9 .
G r o u p s B B o y d s s t r a i n s 8 8 , 2 8 8 , D . 1 , 2 7 4 .
G r o u p s C B - S o n n e .
B - S h i g a .
B -Śc
h m i t z .
P o s t i v e E n t a - mo e b a h y s t o - l y t i c s .
Northern . . . 1,109
54.5
4.7
6.6
12.2
12.9
6.1
2.9
Southern . . .
756
42.2
6.2
12.2
17.7
10.8
7.0
3.8
Western (I.) District . . .
209
33.4
14.4
16.7
24.4
4.3
5.7
0.9
Eastern . . .
871
46.2
7.6
8.4
17.7
7.2
5.5
7.5
Average all India . . .
47.3
16.1
10.1
6.1
4.3
. . .
6.6
9.2
In Table No. 102 it will be seen that there is really little difference between
Commands in the percentages of the various infections to the total in the
Command. Western (I.) District, however, had for the third year in succes
- s i o n t h e h i g h e s t p e r c e n t a g e o f B . s o n n e i n f e c t i o n . T h e s e f i g u r e s r e p r e s e n t
careful work in 26 laboratories situated in different parts of India. No figures
are as yet available from civil sources but it is considered that they represent
accurately the various types of dysentery among the civil population.
Routine examination of menials prior to employment.— A total of 14,366
menials were examined during the year prior to employment. This represents
a total of 44,247 actual examinations, an increase of over 5,000 compared
with last year. As a result of these examinations organisms of the dysentery
group were isolated on 26 occasions which is a slight decrease from last year;
organisms of the Enteric group were isolated on 4 occasions only.
Microscopical examinations for the presence of Entamoeba histolytica
cysts are not carried out as a routine measure, but in many laboratories are
voluntarily undertaken for instructional purposes. Thirty-one thousand
examinations of this nature were carried out and cysts demonstrated on 60
occasions only.
All the above stools were also examined for helminth infection. The
following table illustrates the findings in each Command.
TABLE 103
Commands.
T a e n i i d e a .
H . N a n a .
A s c a r i s l u m b r i - c o i d e s .
A n k y l o s t o m a t y p e .
T r i c h u r i s t r i c h i u r a .
E n t e r o b i u s v e r m i c u l a r i s .
S t r o n g y l o i d e s s t e r c o r a l i s .
Southern . . .
6
33
165
290
65
15
. . .
12
39
130
280
63
12
47
Eastern . . .
Northern . . .
15
43
67
636
51
10
. . .
Western (I.) District . . .
. . .
. . .
6
16
3
1
. . .
Testing for the presence of Vi antigen in the serum was undertaken by
certain laboratories in order to help in the detection of carriers of B. typhosum
but the results obtained were disappointing. In one laboratory a total of 117
individuals was examined but only in twelve cases were Vi antibodies present
to any degree; viz., a titre of 1—20, eight cases, 1—40, two cases and 1—160
two cases. Particular attention was given to the examination of the stools
of these individuals but in no case was any pathogenic organism isolated.