ul vd
-
.
er
i atl te ae cee wT ey ceenena lnes de ae mle lk ell CT ome hem om melts sa ia em AN tt 5
HEALTH SURVEY IN PACIFIC
latrine, use of the beach was evident. Garbage was usuall y buried
in pits but on some islands it was burned or carried out to sea and
dumped. Tha most inadequate methods of ‘garbage disposal were
noted on Utirik Atoll] and Namorik Atoll] where the garbage was
°
allowed to accumulate over lone periods of time.
In general. the fresh-water supply for the islands was furnished
by rainfall. This was supplemented by wells wherever possible and,
on the high islands, springs, streams, ponds, and reservoirs were ulso
Le.
ae
meee ee eee
utilized.
Rainwater was collected in old 011 drums by means of spouts
The water was then stored
rnd drains on houses and coconut trees.
ee An the drums, often without covers or other safeguards against debris.
There were indications that the water supply on the following ishinds
or atolls was contaminated: Babelthuap. Elato, Lamotrek, Yap, Ta-
~
-
bal, Ebon, Kwajalein, Majuro, Mili, Maloelap, Namorik, and Ormed.
Most wells were contaminated and the natives were warned to boil
water before using it. On Saipan Island all water was chlorinated.
.
FINDINGS OF HEALTH SURVEY
Stool examinations.
Stoo] examinations were made for
2950
ay
in-
habitants of the Saipan district, $,584 of the Palauclistrict, and 3,495
of the Marshall Islands district, approximately 45 percent of the
combined populatioi. AS shownin table 3, 52.4 percent of all stools
examined were positive for intestinal parasites. One out of every
five positive stools showed evidence of multiple species. The highest
proportion of positives occurred among citildren from 5 to 14 years of
age.
Comparison of the three districts reveals that Saipan had the
highest proportion of positive examinations, 79.3 percent as.com#
.
oo.
.
-
.
.
*
Table 5.
Percentage of stools poxttire for intestinal
parasites by age group and sex
Perventace positive
Age group (ycars}
“
AU ages
Male
Under §
Stol4
13 10 24
25 to 44
45 and over
|
{|
,
(
Saipan
=|
districs
‘
$2.4
|
72.3
2
8.5
Female
|
Total
|
Palau
district
|
1}
O45 |
Marshal!
Islands
district
18.3
51,4
{
8;
TS
ne) Tagg
77
60.3
1&8
Se
|
74.6
wr
74
Tt
sL6
6fllgk
|
683
F648
51.5
}
7
0.1
641.2
a4:
|
GAT
|
19 5
61)
Oe
toms
!
Jot
16.0
T4
1207
OCTOBER 1959
as
5013259
Tee Ree ee
LAT
— ee we ee ney a et erie om ae wap eee oe
ee ee ke ak eg aftt