Turkish Prisoners in Egypt: A Report by the Delegates of the International Committee of the Red CrossInternational Committee of the Red Cross
History
Turkish Prisoners in Egypt: A Report by the Delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, British
Water for washing purposes is plentiful. Hot and cold shower-baths are
installed throughout the camp. The prisoners are obliged to use them
once a week, but may, if they choose, have a bath four times a day. In
summer especially the baths are never idle.
Prisoners get plenty of soap and wash their own linen on wooden tables
arranged under water taps.
Two high-pressure steam disinfecting chambers serve the camp, and once a
week all blankets are passed through them. The camp contains no fleas,
lice, or bugs.
The day latrines are 100 yards from the living quarters. They are of the
Turkish kind, with movable tubs--1 tub for every 10 men. Every tub
contains some cresol solution. The night-soil is removed daily by the
Cairo road authorities and converted into manure. Some latrines close to
the barracks are kept for night use and are locked up during the day.
_Medical Attention._--The medical service of Maadi Camp is in the hands
of head-doctor Captain Scrimgeour, who in time of peace practised in
Nazareth. He is assisted by an English doctor-adjutant, and 4 Arab
doctors, natives of Syria. All these doctors speak Turkish and Arabic.
Nine English orderlies and 12 Turkish orderlies carry out the sick
duties. A dentist comes to camp when required.
The infirmary included three well-appointed quarters built in masonry,
and able to hold 40 patients.
The infirmary bedding accommodation consists of iron bedsteads with
spring mattress and stuffed mattress. The blankets are warm and
unlimited in number.
_Illness._--Every morning 300-400 prisoners come on sick parade. This
number represents about 8 per cent. of the strength. Although these men
often come to be treated for trifling ailments, such as slight
constipation, or even a small boil, the doctors make it a rule not to
prevent anyone going sick, as this course enables them to keep the
closer watch upon the health of the camp.
On the occasion of our visit there were in the infirmary 7 men laid up:
1 with itch, 1 with diarrhoea, 1 with neuralgia, 1 with an abscess in
the neck, 1 with articular rheumatism, and 1 with gastritis. A prisoner
who had been trepanned by the doctors on account of damage done to his
skull before his capture, was gradually recovering the power of motion
and his normal sensibility.
Since the camp was opened there have been 35 cases of tertian ague, all
from the Hedjaz, Mecca, Taïf and Jeddah; but no case of aggravated
malaria. Eleven cases of tuberculosis were sent into the Egyptian Red
Cross hospitals and to that at Abbassiah. Six cases of trachoma are now
undergoing treatment with applications of protargol. In summer there
have been a few cases of ordinary diarrhoea. The camp has not suffered
from dysentery, typhoid, typhus, nor any other epidemic disease.
All prisoners are inoculated against smallpox, typhoid and cholera.
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