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C.O. 882
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(No. 273.) SIR,
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No. 7.
GOVERNOR SER C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received August 28, 1902.)
[Answered by No. 11.]
Government House, Mauritius, July 22, 1902. In continuation of my despatch, No. 265, of the 16th instant,* on the subject of the epizootic disease known as surra, I have the honour to inform you that Dr. Edington has not yet reached Mauritius, but is expected on the 26th instant.
This
2. In the meantime I enclose, for convenient reference, a copy of a memorandum I have prepared on the action taken, for the information of Dr. Edington. memorandum deals with the treatment of the disease, curative and prophylactic.
3. I enclose, at the same time, a memorandum of the action taken, with a view to secure facilities for the carrying of the sugar crop by mechanical in substitution for animal draught.
I have, &c.,
CHAS. BRUCE,
Governor.
Enclosure 1 in No. 7.
MEMORANDUM on the action of the Government in respect of the outbreak of the disease of Surra, for the information of Dr. Edington.
On the 13th March the Director of the Medical and Health Department reported an unusual mortality among bullocks and the possible existence of rinderpest. On his suggestion the Government, by the first opportunity, addressed letters to the Government of the Cape of Good Hope and to His Majesty's Consul at Tamatave, requesting information on the subject of the measures (prophylactic and curative) adopted in South Africa and Madagascar respectively in dealing with cattle plague.
On the 1st of April a deputation waited on me and drew my attention to the alarming extension of the disease, and a few days later a committee was appointed to enquire into and report on the disease. On the 14th of April the districts of Pamplemousses, Rivière du Rempart and Flacq were declared to be infected areas, under the provisions of Ordinance 39 of 1881.
It must be borne in mind that at this time the Department and the veterinary surgeons of the Colony had been unable to diagnose the disease, and on the 12th of April a telegram was sent to the Government of Bombay describing the symptoms, enquiring whether a specialist could be sent, and what treatment should be applied in the meantime. On the 17th April a reply was received to the effect that the symptoms described did not enable a definite opinion to be given, but that the disease might be anthrax. This telegram was subsequently confirmed by a letter of the Government of Bombay of 25th April, in which it was advised that the symptoms most nearly resembled " anthrax," but might be mistaken for enteritis. It was advised that in any case the disease should be treated as infectious and contagious. A copy of this lettert is annexed. It was received on the 16th of May. bacteriological experiments had been carried on by Dr. Aimé Lesur, who succeeded In the meantime in discovering what he believed to be the effective agent in the causation of the disease, and the treatment advised by him was, on the 25th of April, notified in the daily newspapers. Dr. Lesur's experiments, aided by the Medical Inspector, led to the diagnosis of the disease as surra. On the 9th of May a telegram was addressed to the Governor of the Cape Colony asking for information as to the treatment of diseases due to trypanosoma in South Africa. On the same day a telegram was despatched to the Government of Bombay stating that the disease which had formed
• No. 5.
↑ In enclosure 2 in No. 2.
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the subject of previous communications was now discovered to be surra, and asking for telegraphic advice as to treatment and prophylaxis. The following telegram was received, in reply, on the 15th May:-
"Your telegram of 9th May last. Surra uncommon among cattle, and not fatal in India. Five to six grains liquor arsenicalis given twice daily in drinking water with good feeding and gruel after medicine generally effective. Keep cattle to well drained land, where water pure. Avoid grass grown in marshy land. Clean grain of excrements of rats and mice."
In connection with this telegram, I may observe that the disease, which seemed to have originated among cattle, had extended to mules and horses, and with much more fatal consequences. Detailed information, in reply, was received on the 12th of June, and published in the Government Gazette.
On the next day, June 13th, a telegram was addressed to the Governor of the Cape asking if the services of Dr. Edington, Director of the Bacteriological Museum, could be placed at the disposal of this Government, a request which was at once acceded to; and on the 12th July I received a further telegram informing me that Dr. Edington was on the point of departure from Durban for Mauritius.
In the meantime the information asked for from the Cape had been received, as well as the exhaustive report on surra of Dr. Lingard, of the Civil Veterinary Depart- ment of India; and the question of the compulsory slaughter of infected animals had been anxiously considered by the Government. The necessity for such a measure was indicated by a private telegram communicated to the Government, received from Dr. Laveran, and confirmed by the following telegraphic correspondence with the Government of Bombay :-
"From COLONIAL SECRETARY, Mauritius, to SECRETARY, Bombay." "June 13, 1902. Do you advise slaughter of all mules and horses attacked with surra. Please telegraph reply."
"Reply from SECRETARY, Bombay, to COLONIAL SECRETARY, Mauritius.
June 17, 1902. Your telegram of 13th June last. Slaughter of marked cases recommended; equines rarely recover. Flies carry infection.' The subsequent action of the Government in respect of this question is explained in my Minute to the Council of the 15th instant and the correspondence attached.
For convenient reference I annex to this memorandum my despatches to the Secretary of State, No. 192 of 27th May, No. 238 of 28th June, No. 244 of 1st July and No. 265 of 18th July, with enclosures.
CHAS. BRUCE,
July 21, 1902.
Enclosure 2 in No. 7.
Governor.
Construction of Railway Sidings and Purchase of Automobiles.
1. Owing to the outbreak of surra and the mortality amongst mules, it was considered expedient that immediate steps should be taken to facilitate the conveyance of canes to sugar factories.
2. A telegram was, in consequence, sent on the 13th June to the High Commis- sioner at Pretoria enquiring whether the Military Authorities could sell second-hand automobile waggons in good working order, and at what price.
The High Commissioner replied, on the 9th July, that four traction engines, in good repair, eight to ten horse-power each, could be placed at Durban, possibly in
a month, and that the price for each was £2,000, including four trucks per engine.
He was informed, in reply, that the Government could not avail itself of his 11th July. offer.
The Governor of Ceylon was also asked whether he could spare any railway rails, 12th July. and his reply was that he could not do so.
4. The same request was made to the Viceroy of India, but up to now no reply 15th July. has been received.
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