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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
C.O.885
19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
SIR,
170.
Port Maris, 24 February, 1908. In reply to your circular, dated 31st January, 1908, re circular from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, I have the honour to say that from time to time I have a few cases, mostly coolies.
The majority of them who follow up the treatment get better on thymol and iron. Several of them after a few weeks disappear.
SIR,
The cases are usually found in crowded, ill-ventilated localities.
Your, &c..
C. H. C. FARQUHARSON,
District Medical Officer.
Enclosure 2 in No. 76.
The PROTECTOR OF IMMIGRANTS to the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
(830/785.)
Immigration Office, Jamaica, 19 June, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 5648/6029, dated the 3rd instant, forwarding copy of a letter from the Superintending Medical Officer on the subject of a disease called ankylostomiasis, together with reports from District Medical Officers, and calling for my remarks thereon.
2. I presume it is intended that my remarks should apply more chiefly to the recommendations made for preventing the spread of the disease among inden- tured immigrants. After reading the correspondence carefully, it appears that the following are the points on which I am competent to express an opinion :-
(a) The barracks provided for indentured immigrants.
At present when a house is to be erected for the reception of immigrants, the proposed site is inspected by the Protector or Inspector, with the District Medical Officer. If this is approved the building is put up in strict accor- dance with the regulations in force.
Dr. Calder, in his very interesting report, makes certain suggestions as to the choice of sites with a view to prevent the water supply being contaminated. I think that his views might be communicated to Medical Officers when any new building is to be erected, and it could then be left to them to choose such a site as seems suitable.
Dr. Calder also recommends that mud floors should be disallowed in barracks and advises that wooden floors be used. Under present regula- tions the choice between the two is optional to employers, and only in very few instances are wooden floors used.
The coolies themselves much prefer the mud floors, which they always cover with a thick coating of cow-dung, and this is renewed from time to time. I am not in a position to say which of the two is the more sanitary, but I have always encouraged the hard mud floors, so long as it is regu- larly coated with dung, for the houses made thus always look so much cleaner and. I understand, are more free from insects.
Of course, if our medical men advise that the wooden floors are more sanitary and desirable, the Regulations could be amended, and these could be insisted on in all future cases.
As regards the space around the barracks which should be kept clean and free from pools and undergrowth, Dr. Calder thinks there should be a radius of 100 yards. This seems rather a large compound, but I am of opinion that employers might well be required to keep a reasonable space around the coolies' houses clean and in good sanitary condition. The law now only requires that twenty feet round about the dwelling shall be kept clean. This space is very small and could well be increased.
(b) Sanitary measures on estates.
It appears that to prevent the spread of this disease it is absolutely necessary that proper latrine accommodation should be provided, and that the use of these should be strictly enforced.
171
At present, it is the universal custom among coolies to obey the calls of nature at the nearest convenient spot, as I believe it is among creole labourers. In 1905 I issued a circular to employers, copy of which is attached to this correspondence, calling their attention to the spread of this disease, and suggesting that suitable privy accommodation should be provided for the use of coolies. The matter was taken up in a half-hearted way by a few employers and trenches were dug, but I don't think that any serious effort was made to induce the coolies to use them.
The large majority of overseers simply satisfied themselves by stating that it would be waste of time and money, for the coolies would not use the latrines. I am very much afraid that if the suggestion were made again it would be treated in the same spirit unless the regulations were amended so as to make it compulsory for suitable latrine accommodation to be pro- vided near to the barracks of indentured immigrants.
It is undoubtedly true that great difficulty would be experienced in inducing the coolies to use the latrines provided, but the law could be amended so as to make it an offence to defecate at any other spot around their houses.
Of course, the difficulty here presents itself-what about when they are working in the fields? As a rule the labourers leave their houses early in the morning and do not return until the late afternoon.
It strikes me that we must lose sight of this difficulty and be satisfied with the knowledge that by the provision of latrines at the barracks the risk of infection will be considerably minimised. With regard to the latrines themselves, it seems to me, speaking as a layman, that it would be quite sufficient for a trench to be dug, over which a portable covering could be erected. This should be disinfected regularly, filled up with earth, and a fresh one dug from time to time. I think it should be the duty of the Medical Officers to show where these trenches should be dug, so as not to contaminate the water supply; and to see, on their quarterly visits of inspection, that they were being kept in proper sanitary condition.
It is provided by Law 23 of 1879, Section 61, that "Persons in charge of estates shall follow the reasonable directions of the Medical Officers for
the purpose of maintaining the immigrants generally in good health.”
(c) Lectures to immigrants as to personal cleanliness.
I shall make it my business when I visit the estates to point out to the coolies the evil consequences likely to result from dirty habits, and endeavour to persuade them to be more cleanly.
(d) Notification by employers of cases of anamia or debility.
A circular could be issued asking employers to carefully watch for the appearance of such cases and send them to hospital, but I do not think it would be reasonable to attempt to subject them to a fine for failing to report these, as is suggested by the Superintending Medical Officer.
When indentured immigrants are ill they report the fact to the overseer
or book-keeper and are sent to hospital. It would be very hard lines for the overseer to be punished because he failed to discover that a coolie was anæmic or suffering from debility.
The recommendation made by Dr. Gifford is without doubt a good one, and, if followed up, would serve a useful purpose, namely, that District Medical Officers on their official visits to estates should inspect all the inden- tured immigrants, and those suffering from anæmic conditions, particularly in localities where the disease is prevalent, should be treated as suspects. 3. I attach copy of the Building Regulations at present in force.
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary, Kingston.
I have, &c.
CHAS. M. DOORLY,
Acting Protector of Immigrants.
32655
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