73 c > O J in connection with the importation of narcotics has merely resulted in a decrease of imports used in legitimate medicine; but the illicit traffic still exists to a very large extent. Althou a decree was, published in 1915 to prohibit the cultivation of poppies, there can be no doubt that a considerable amount of opium is regularly cultivated, and the cultivators openly apply for permission to transport it for disposal in the towns. The penalties inflicted by the Courts on offenders against the law on narcotics and soporifics are ridiculously inadequate. One example will serve to illustrate this assertion. The Inspectorate of Pharmacies proved conclusively that a certain pharmacist in Cairo had disposed of a considerable quantity of cocaine and morphine illegally, and had attempted to justify his action by altering and forging doctors’ prescriptions by converting grains into grammes and by altering the figure 1 into 10. After a lapse of nearly two years, a final judgment of P.T. 100 fine and costs was obtained against the delinquent.

A complete redrafting of the law dealing with pharmaceutical, chemical and analytical laboratories is now in hand, and it is hoped the new law will be promulgated without delay. The laboratories referred to constitute a danger to the public, its at present they are practising under no control, nor is there any means of guaranteeing the capability and qualifications of their owners. These Laboratories perform chemical and bacteriological analyses, and frequently doctors base their treatment on the reports they furnish. Moreover, they constitute a danger, for the reason that a certain number of them exist for the sole purpose of extracting alkaloids from crude drugs, such as morphine from opium, and cocaine from coca leaves, for sale. Indeed, this may be one of the reasons for the decrease in the importation of these drugs as above noted.

(13.) Central Medical Commission.

The work of the Central Medical Commission, which deals with the examination of candidates for admission to Government service, for the granting of sick leave, and foT invaliding from the service, steadily increases, as the following figures indicate: 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Examinations.

4,684 5,033 6,773 8,430 9,028 The Branch, or Provincial Medical Commissions, dealt with 9,765 medical certificates.

(14.) Practice of Medicine.

Permits to practise their profession in Egypt were issued during 1919 to 79 doctors, 19 pharmacists, 5 assistant pharmacists, 3 veterinary surgeons, 9 midwives, and 10 dentists.

According to the present register, the statistics of the various professions are as follows:— Doctors ... ... ... ... ... 2,617 Pharmacists ... ... ... ... ... '929 Assistant pharmacists ... ... ... • ... 283 Veterinary surgeons ... ... ... ... 153 Midwives ... ... ... ... ... 621 Dentists ... ... ... ... ... 135 These figures can only be considered as approximately representing the real state of affairs, and by no means as representing the correct number of persons engaged in the various professions, as the Administration is rarely notified of the decease, departTure, or retirement from practice of persons on the register.

The law, as it at present stands, allows the Public Health Administration to license the holders of diplomas from any recognised faculty or university to practise in Egypt, but the appreciation of the value of certain of the diplomas presented is found to be exceedingly difficult, and in some cases deliberate fraud has been brought to light. In this respect it may be of interest to quote one or two cases which have presented peculiar features.

[3437 y-2] L House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.