LEPROSY SURVEY OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN BRITISH GUIANA

It is generally accepted that the incidence of leprosy in children gives a fairly accurate picture of the leprosy problem of that country .In presenting the first report of a general leprosy survey of school children to be made in this Colony it will be necessary to give a short account of the topographical, climatic, sanitary, economic and general health conditions of the Colony, together with racial distribution of its peoples, so that the reader be able to have a comprehensive view of the problem.The only British possession on the continent of South Ameri�a Latitude 2-8, British Guiana has an area of 89,000 sq.miles, with a mixed population of approximately 360,000, giving an area density of 3 persons to the sq.mile.About 45% of the population is East Indian, 45% African, and 10% other races consisting malllly of Portuguese, Chinese, Aboriginal Indians and Europeans.Approximately 90'% of the population live on the Atlantic coast land of the Colony, in a strip of land 5 miles wide and 280 miles long.The Colony is bordered by Venezeula, Dutch Guiana and Brazil, all countries with a high leprosy incidence, so that there can be no complacency in leprosy control.The people are mainly agriculturalists although some mining is done.Economically the average person is poor; housing apart