308
+191
AV L
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COPY.
Enclosure 3.
307
Di Frezen beru....1 87a yiyer
*
(18)
porelleova Biä
KİT-JBir tatha 10 i110 enf
•
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
I have visited Gin Drinkers Bay. As to the healthi-
-ness of the area in question as a site for European occupation, the consideracle acreage under paddy ensures that mosquitoes will be found in fair quantity at certain times of the year. I found ten days ago a considerable number of mosquito larvae in a small natural collection of water. Then there are several small villages in the vicinity of the site, and this means that there is almost certainly a small percentage of people at hand who are infected with malaria. It may therefore be taken as tolerably certain that Europeans living in this place will contract Lalaria, although preventive measures will lessen te liability.
Supply of potable water:-
A river of good size runs through or near to the area under consideration, but the water in it is practically sure to be fouled by the overflow from the surrounding paddy fields and villages, some of which are well above the level of the river. This water can, of course, be boiled and filtered for domestic use, but in practice only the most rigid supervision vill ensure that this will be done as it should be. However, the supply for domes- -tic purposes could be obtained by intercepting the water in some of the streams from the hills but even this water should be boiled
and filtered before it is drunk.
To prevent iblaria;-
The houses and offices should be rendered "Mosquito-, -proof" - properly designed Losquito nets should be used on the bedsteads, and quinine should be taken at regular intervals. But, in spite of all this, there would occur opportunities in which infection would take place, although to a much less extent than would happen if these precautions were not taken.
The cost of carrying out the measures indicated would not be great. It would be found in practice that the health of the staff would entail much expenditure, however, unless a
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