72 'Antirabic Institute.

One thousand and ten persons were treated at the institute. Of these, four ceased to attend before completion of the treatment. In 136 cases treatment was discontinued, as observation of the animals inflicting the bites showed them to benon-rabid. In ten cases, the jjersons bitten completed the course of treatment, though it was discovered, too late to avoid treatment, that the animal which inflicted the bite was healthy.

Serum Institute.

The manufacture, centrifugalisation. bottling and issue of cattle plague serum, w'hich was formerly in the hands of the Public Health Laboratories, has now been transferred to the Serum Institute at Abbassia, and the work undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture.

(8.) Pilgrimage.

Owing largely to the continuance of war conditions, coupled with the difficulty of procuring shipping, the total pilgrimage to the Hedjaz comprised less than 1,000 people. Of these, 444 were ordinary pilgrims, and 420 were members of the Mahmal escort and staff. All these pilgrims were inoculated against cholera. No deaths occurred, and on return to Suez only four pilgrims w'ere found to be ill. The route of the pilgrimage was curtailed; the visit to Medina was not made.

(9.) Dangerous and Uoxious Trades.

The inspection and control of dangerous and noxious trades has been facilitated by the publication in book form of the conditions to be laid down by licensing bodies for different types of establishments. This book has been found to be of great help to the medical, police, and other authorities whose duty it may be to deal with these trades.

Registers liave been instituted in health offices of districts and provinces containing particulars of all licensed establishmets, and special inspectors appointed to carry out the supervision of the establishments concerned; it is believed that this extra control will have the effect of raising the standard of cleanliness and hygienic conditions generally.

(10.) Sanitation of Mosgues.

Steady progress has been made with the work of modernisation and repair of the ablutionary and latrine accommodation in both public and private mosques. At the end of the year, 231 mosque latrines, &c., were under repair, and the number closed on account of not coming up to the requirements was 254.

(11.) Birkas.

During 1919 a total of 26 “ bii’kas ” (stagnant ponds) was filled in, representing an area of nearly 5 feddans.

(12.) Pharmacies and Narcotic Drugs. In the past jmar authorisations to practise their trade were given to nineteen pharmacists; of these, only two were holders o the diploma from the medical school of Kasr-el-Aini. It would appear necessary to afford facilities for the obtaining of local phaj'maceutical diplomas in larger numbers, as there is a great shortage of properly qualified pharmacists; in fact, seven such posts are vacant in this Department and it seems impossible to find candidates to fill them.

Torty-nine new apprentice assistants have been registered, bringing the total up to 137.

The total number of pharmicies in existence at the end of 1919 was 374; of these, 152 are in Cairo, 78 in Alexandria, and 144 are distributed throughout other parts of the country.

Attention is drawn to the traffic in and smuggling of narcotic drugs which exist on a very large scale. The law at present seems powerless to stop it. The control exercised by this Administration in conjunction with the Customs Administration House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.