NAVY’S IMPROVED HEALTH

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 105, 28 January 1938, Page 3

NAVY’S IMPROVED HEALTH

Smallest Number Of Invalids On Record

1 A belated report on the health of the navy in 1935, issued as a Blue Book, shows that year to have established a record for fitness. The average number of men on the daily sick list was the lowest ever recorded.

There was a decrease in the incidence of disease and injury compared with 1934 and with the five years’ average for 1930-34. The invaliding ratio showed an increase over the proportion for 1934, but a decrease in comparison with the average for the five years 1930-34.

In .1935 the death ratio rose by 0.3 S per 1000, the increase being solely due to disease. The ratio for injury, 0.56 per 1000. remained unchanged. The death ratios for 193-1 and 1935 were the lowest on record.

In 1935 the total personnel covered by the return was 86,345. During the year 37,963 cases of disease and in jury were noted on the sick list, giving a ratio of 439.66 per 1000. This was u decrease of 31.75 compared with the five years’ average, and a decline of 24.68 in relation to 1934. Only in 1930 was a lower ratio recorded

The average number of men sick daily was 18.17 per 1000, This represented a decrease of 0.44 per 1009 compared with 1934. and of 1.24 in relation to the five years’ average. Do sailors eat too quickly? The report -mentions that the incidence 'of diseases of the stomach and intestines has increased in recent years, and ‘‘several medical officers are of the opinion that the tendency to ’bolt’ meals may be one contributory factor.”

There was a marked fall in cases of malaria, only 180 being recorded during the year, against 255 in 1934. The largest number of cases in a single ship was 22, in 11.M.5. Endeavour, all contracted during two months’ survey work among islands north of Penang, where parties frequently had to spend the night ashore in camp. The number of suicides in 1935 was 13, the same as in 1934.