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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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Enclosure 1 in No. 14.
Jabba Kunda, L. Baddibu, January 2, 1906. SIR,
I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th December, enclosing a copy of correspondence on the suspected existence of anthrax in the
Gambia.
As regards this district there has been no disease among the cattle for some time. Should I hear of any sickness or unusual number of deaths, I will at once report the matter to headquarters.
The Honourable
Colonial Secretary.
I have, &c.,
H. LLOYD PRYCE.
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among them, for I am of an opinion that the ordinary bush Fullah would be alarmed at the idea, and would likely move his cattle away as soon as he could.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
J. K. MCCALLUM,
Travelling Commissioner.
Enclosure 2 in No. 14.
Lamin Koto, January 16, 1906. SIR,
I HAVE the honour to state, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that I have made careful enquiries in the Nianija district, where cattle are very plentiful, regarding the suspected existence of anthrax in the Colony, and the information I have obtained from the Fullahs I hereby quote, hoping it may be of some assistance in solving the question:
The last time there was an unusual number of deaths among the cattle in this district was about twelve years ago. The Fullahs then told me that the cause of Fitti Goodi." The literal the cattle dying was what is known among them as translation of this in English is an unknown and sudden disease." Regarding the condition of the body of the animal after death, it is considerably swollen, and on several occasions the Fullahs cut the animals up, and examined the organs. On examination, the liver and heart were considerably swollen, and also the spleen. This sickness among the animals took place shortly after the rainy season was over. Being long ago, the number of deaths I am unable to get, but I understand from them that a great number died, and out of the large number of herds that roam the district, only about five animals survived. Since this time no sudden deaths have taken place, and the cattle have been exceedingly healthy.
Regarding the skinning of these animals after death, I asked some of the Fullahs whether those who actually handled the skins were infected in any way afterwards, and from what they say, it appears that none of the Fullahs were in the least affected, or were in any way ill. The bodies of the animals were not These birds live either buried, so that the vultures, of course, eat the carcases.
in the town on a tree, or else just outside the town, and if the vultures had died from the effects of eating these animals, it would certainly have been noticed. They did not, however, do so.
The Fullahs are, of course, almost worshippers of cattle, and when one speaks to them about their cattle, or anything connected with them, they at once become very suspicious, and are very unwilling to give much information.
I have asked others in the different districts about the sickness, if the same answer has been given me as what I have already written above.
any, and
During the past few years, I have taken notice of the cattle as I pass through the districts, and I must say that the appearance of the animals makes one believe that nothing can be wrong with them. They are in remarkably good condition for a tropical country, many of them being very fine specimens.
The cattle belonging to the Fullahs are bunched together at night, the numbers in each herd numbering anything from two hundred and upwards, and the herdsmen sleep among them keeping watch. In the event of any cattle dying, these herdsmen would be the people who would handle the animals. I have never heard anything to make one believe that these herders have ever died from the effects of touching any dead animals.
The above information is about all one can get from the Fullahs in this district. With regard to a veterinary surgeon, skilled in the tropical diseases of animals, going among the cattle belonging to Fullahs, I would venture to remark that if this is going to be done, it would be well if some caution were used before proceeding
Enclosure 3 in No. 14.
TRAVELLING COMMISSIONER, Upper River, to COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Bantonding, February 12, 1906. WITH reference to your letter, No. 1636/1905, dated 13th December, 1905, I have the honour to inform you that after making numerous enquiries I have come to the conclusion that there is an epidemic disease amongst cattle here, which certainly might be anthrax.
I have been acquainted with the disease I refer to for some years; the most serious outbreak which I can recollect occurred in July and August, 1903, when over three hundred cattle died in Sandu, the majority of deaths occurring amongst the herds of two villages. During the month of August of that year I spent several days at Kanube, and heard all about it, although the outbreak was then dying out.
It would be useless for me to attempt to describe the symptoms of the disease, as I have never yet personally watched an infected animal; and the statements I have heard vary greatly, probably through people trying to describe other com- plaints to which their cattle are liable. I would mention, however, that cattle owners are extremely afraid of the disease which occurred amongst the cattle of Sandu in August, 1903, and that I have sometimes heard them refer to it as "firo," After a few cases occur the herd is isolated which means a thing that stabs."
at once, and all uninfected herds are driven off to new ground. If fresh cases occur amongst a herd that has been driven away it is isolated, and the remaining herds proceed still further.
In 1903 many Sandu herds reached Wuli, and a few cows in Wuli were infected.
I was informed by many cattle owners at the time that the outbreak would have been much more serious but for the fact that the wet season had commenced and grass was plentiful everywhere, thereby enabling herds to scatter about the country.
The infected animal invariably dies in two or three days; it has one or more fits before it dies; many state that there is a bloody discharge from the anus, others from the nostrils, and others, again, state that there is a bloody discharge from both anus and nostrils.
It is extremely difficult to form an opinion from evidence which often conflicts, but I am quite certain on one point, viz., that infected animals are killed and that their skins are sold, and that on occasions the flesh is eaten.
On the other hand, I do not believe that animals which have died from the disease are even skinned.
If an expert is sent out to study the diseases cattle are subject to, I would recommend that he be in the Protectorate during the rains, and at the close of the dry season, as diseases amongst cattle, horses, sheep and goats appear to me to be most prevalent then.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
W. B. STANLEY,
Travelling Commissioner.
Enclosure 4 in No. 14.
Soma, February 21, 1906. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 1636/1905, dated 15th February, 1906, with reference to the existence of South Bank district and, in reply, beg to report as follows:-
*
anthrax" in the
2. At all district ineetings I have questioned the chiefs, alkalis, and people as to whether during the last few years they have had any sickness amongst the cattle; in all cases the answer has been "No"; however, I have elicited that about
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