Passenger Control.

Ordinary passenger traffic throughouit 1919 continued to be limited. The sme system of passenger control enforced as in passed years, that is, address-taking at the port of arrival, transmission of address to the medical officer at the town or * district of destination, where the person concerned is kept under medical observation for a definite period. The results were that in Cairo 86 per cent, of arrivals were traced and medically observed; at Alexandria 92 per cent., at Port Said 99 per cent,, and in the interior of the country 97 per cent. Of the total of 4,961 arrivals only 161 passengers were not traced; thus the percentage of the total arrivals traced was over 96 per cent.

’Ankylostomiasis and Bilharziasis.

Steps have been taken to reopen the campaign against these two diseases, which cause so much suffering and loss of efficiency amongst the population of Egypt, especially the fellaheen. An Anglo-Egyptian committee has the matter in hand, and is drawing up a comprehensive scheme, including the organisation of an experimental district in the province of Qaliubia (Lower Egypt), which is considered to be a suitable field, in order to test the practicability of various proposals put forward.

This opportunity is taken of expressing the appreciation of the Egyptian Government and the liealth authorities for the very substantial assistance which the Rockefeller Foundation, International Health Commission, afforded in the past for the combating of these diseases, and it is hopei that now the work is to be again undertaken, further assistance will be afforded.

Venereal Diseases.

Under the system at present in vogue for controlling venereal diseases in Egypt, 171,243 examinations of prostitutes were carried out tnroughout the country, with tlie result that 6,192 women were found to be infected either with syphilis or gonorrhoea. Of coui’se it is unneessary to state that these figures do not by any means represent the amount of venereal disease existing in the country, as they only refer to the notorious class of “ femmes publiques ” registered by the police.

Of late years there has been, even in those continental countries where the system originated, a movement to reconsider the efficacy of the medical inspection of prostitutes, or card system, with compulsory hospitalisation of such as were found to be diseased, and to adopt a more civilised system, which consists briefly in propaganda, prophylaxis, and gratuitous treatment centres run on confidential lines, for the benefit of any person contracting venereal disease. Such treatment centres have, with the help of judicious .propaganda, been established and are working with marked success in many places.

It is hoped to st’ai;t on these lines in Egypt, and a committee is at present engaged in working out the details of the scheme.

(5.) Hospitals and Medical Aid. General Hospitals.

The number of Government hospitals remains the same as last year, 24. As above noted, the hospital service was considerably interfered with owing to the circumstances which arose in the early part of the year.

No new building operations in connection with hospitals were undertaken during the year.

The original building programme for general hospitals will be completed with the construction of modern hospitals at Esna and Damietta. The sites, plans, &c., are now ready, and it is'expected that the work will be begun on both of them early The time has almost arrived when the provision of further hospital accommodation by the Central Government cannot reasonably be expected. Further hospital extension or provision must be met voluntary subscription and local effort, and it IS to be hoped that the Provincial Cfouncils will in future endeavour to make such provision.

Messre. Thos. Cook and Son have generously offered to present their hospital at Luxor—freehold site, building and equipment—to the Government on certain conditions of upkeep, &c. This hospital, when repaired and opened, will serve the needs of a large district with a population of some 50,000 people.

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