A.—4

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Infectious Diseases. The figures given in the table below cannot be taken as an accurate return of the prevalence in Western Samoa of the diseases listed. They are the figures compiled from notification of cases which have applied for treatment to the, Hospital at Apia or the medical out-station in Savai'i. During the first half of the year notification was unsatisfactory, but has now improved. The extension of the medical service throughout the Territory, as outlined in the answers to the questionnaire of the League of Nations, will result in more satisfactory control of infectious diseases.

Medical Report.-Public health Division.

At'iA Hospital and Tuasivi District Hospital. The numbers of in-patients, as indicated in the attached return, show a slight increase over the numbers of last year, and it is gratifying to note that more cases have remained in hospital until the completion of their treatment. It is the exception nowadays for a patient to be removed by relatives before a cure is completed. The increase is really greater than is shown by the figures. Formerly it was the custom to admit many cases of ankylostomiasis for treatment, which necessarily lessened the percentage of serious cases. These cases were admitted primarily because thymol was the treatment of choice, and this drug is too dangerous for domiciliary treatment. Recently the practice of admitting hookworm cases has been discontinued, and, with the introduction of carbon tetra-chloride, they are now treated as out-patients. Consequently this year's figures include a greater proportion of serious cases. Apia Hospital. Tuasivi District Hospital. General attendance .. .. .. 5,093 Attendance, .. .. .. .. 1,509 European in-patients.. .. .. 196 Samoan in-patients .. .. .. 231 Samoan in-patients .. .. .. 569 Samoan out-patients .. .. .. 922 Chinese in-patients .. .. .. 569 Operations .. .. .. .. 45 Chinese out-patients .. .. .. 4,504 Operations* .. .. .. 144 * Under the heading of " Operations " at the Apia Hospital are included only major operations requiring a general ansesthetic. The records of minor operations are incomplete, but would average about twenty-five per month. Lepers. —As indicated in last year's report, the lepers in Samoa were safely transferred to the excellent leper hospital at the island of Makogai, in the Fiji Group, where they are maintained and medically treated under an agreement between the Government of Fiji and the Government of New Zealand at the cost of the Samoan Administration. TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND DANGEROUS DRUGS. The following information has been included in the annual report at the special request of the League of Nations (vide letter received from the Secretary-General dated Genoa, 30th May, 1922) and in t he form drawn up by the Advisory Committee on Traffic in Opium and other Dangerous Drugs. 1. General. —On the 31st July. 1922, new regulations made under the New Zealand Opium Act became law in Western Samoa. These regulations are in furtherance of the terms of the Opium Convention, and in particular provide for the introduction of the " imports certificate " system, and this system is now in operation.

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