69 institution to deal with the vast number of patients demanding operation. Moreover, such an institution would provide the best facilities for post-gradmate instruction.

The following brief statistics will indicate the work done daring the year: Hospitals in existence— Permanent ... ... ... ... ... 13 Travelling ... ... ... ... ... d New patients treated ... ... ... ... 7(3,525 Total attendances of ont-patients ... ... ... 906,901 Operations performed ... ... ... ... 40,974 In-patients ... ... ... • ... ... 3,613 Patients examined ... ... ... ... ... 83,577 Patients regularly treated ... ... ... ... 76,525 Incurable cases ... ... ... ... ... 4,467 Blind in one eye ... ... ... ... ,,, S,537 Blind in both eyes ... ... ... ... ... 4,278 Dispensaries.

Thirty-eight dispensaries were at work during the year, anrl afforded gratuitous medical aid to 34,105 out-patients.

(6.) Children's Dispensaries and. Maternity Schools. Children's Dispensaries, The children’s dispensaries or Child Welfare Bureaux, started in 1913, and since gradually extended until at the end of 1918 they numbered 13, were all working at the beginning of 1919, but in March, owing to political conditions, only those at ' Port Said, Zagazig, Damanhour and Wasta remained open, as it was not considered advisable to leave the matrons and nurses in the out-lying districts.

A disposition on the part of certain Provincial Councils to close down these children’s dispensaries has been recently evinced, generally on the plea of insufficient funds. This intention has been met bv general opposition on the part of the public as indicated by various protests in the native and- European press. It is quite necessary to point out that to close down these institutions in a country where the infant mortality is so high would be a very retrograde step, and the Provincial Councils concerned were officially expostulated with by the Central Government pointing out the retrograde nature of the step as proposed by them and emphasising the unfavourable light in which they would appear vis-a-vis other countries where this work, far from being reduced, is being extended and pressed forward with the greatest vigour. Stress was also laid on the educational influence exercised by those institutions on the mothers and children attend.ing them.

The Councils in question do not appear to appreciate the fact that these institutions are teaching centres for the poorest classes, upon whom the influence exercised through the sick children and their mothers is extremely valuable. There also appears to be a desire to convert the dispensaries into hospitals in the charge of Egyptian doctors and to introduce the system of collecting a small fee from each patient in the same way as is done at the out-patient sections of thd general hospitals. This innovation, if introduced, would entirely alter the function of the dispensaries and convert them from Infant Welfare Centres for teaching the clothing, feeding and general caring of children into out-patient treatment clinics. It should further be pointed out that this work as at present carried on is essentially women’s work, and should continue to be so if the maximum amount of benefit is to be obtained. It is not improbable that the presence of a male doctor in these places would have the clTect of frightening away a large number of mothers who now unhesitatingly accompany their children and thus obtain valuable lessons in cleanliness, personal hygiene, &c.

A generous gift of material and equipment was received from the British Red Cross Society from the ai'ticlcs wdiich remained at their disposal consequent on the termination of the w'ar. These articles were distributed equally to the different dispensaries and handed over to the women and children attending them by the president of the Provincial Council or the matron.

In addition to the matrons in charge of these dispensaries, four hospital trained midwifery nurses have been appointed for inspection duty and to replace matrons absent on leave or through sickness.

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