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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
15494
(No. 147.) MY LORD,
18
No. 28.
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.
COMMISSIONER SADLER to THE EARL OF ELGIN.
(Received May 2, 1906.)
[Answered by No. 30.]
Commissioner's Office, Nairobi, March 28, 1906. WITH reference to previous correspondence, ending with Your Lordship's despatch, No. 34, of January 26th,* regarding the outbreak of African coast fever at Nairobi, I regret to have to report that several cases of this disease have occurred during the past two weeks outside the quarantine area. As I am of opinion that immediate and energetic measures are necessary to cope with this fresh outbreak, I have telegraphed to Your Lordship (vide my No. 47),† asking for sanction to expend the sum of £2,000 on the measures which it is deemed necessary to take. I enclose herewith a copy of a letter which I have received from the Chief Veterinary Officer, submitting a scheme for fencing, &c. I also forward a statement of the approximate cost thereof, a map of the area to be fenced, and a copy of a proclama- tion under the Diseases of Cattle Ordinance, 1906, which I am publishing in the next number of the " Official Gazette."
2. I venture to hope that Your Lordship will sanction the required expendi- ture, which can be met from savings made during the present year. As pointed out by Mr. Stordy, we are face to face with a disease which, if it obtains a hold in the Protectorate, will retard the progress of the country for years to come, and I agree with him in thinking that it is imperative to stamp it out, if possible, at once.
I have, &c.,
J. HAYES SADLER.
(No. 18/V.0.) SIR,
Enclosure 1 in No. 28.
Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, Nairobi, March 28, 1906. I HAVE the honour to inform you that during the past two weeks several cases of African coast fever have occurred outside our original quarantine area.
This extension of the disease is due to an inadequate police force.
Time and again cattle have been permitted to roam about within the fenced area and then allowed to leave the area, carrying with them infected ticks, with the result that several deaths have occurred along the banks of the Nairobi River, and two deaths have taken place among Mr. Baker's herd on the Homestead Farm.
In order to endeavour to prevent the further spread of this disease no cattle should be allowed to leave the now infected area, i.e., a three mile radius from the Government Offices at Nairobi, and no cattle should be allowed to enter the said arca unless for slaughtering purposes.
To enable this quarantine to be rigidly enforced I beg to place before you the following scheme, for your consideration:-
1. Fence in the entire area enclosed in a three mile radius from the Govern-
ment Offices, Nairobi, with an eight strand barbed wire fence.
2. Place gates at the principal entrances, i.e., Fort Hall Road, Kikuyu Road, Machakos Road, and Dagoretti Road. Each of these gates to be in charge of a responsible person.
3. Erect godowns at the above-mentioned gates for the reception of goods
going from or entering Nairobi.
I cannot urge too strongly the necessity of placing this matter in hand at once! African coast fever is probably the greatest menace to the live stock industry of this country with which we have to deal, destroying as it does 95 per cent. of the affected.
The scheme I lay before you will cost a considerable sum, but should this disease be allowed to get further afield it would not only be impossible to estimate the cost of its eradication, but it would practically ruin the stock industry, thus retarding for years the advancement of this pastoral country.
• No. 5.
† No. 17.
Not reproduced.
19
Had it been possible to use mules or donkeys for transport purposes, the stamp- ing out of this disease would have been greatly facilitated, but as we have neither mules nor donkeys nor mechanical transport, to stop the ox transport, even in the small centre of Nairobi, would mean the suspension of trade.
As all endeavours to suppress this disease require immediate action, and as the fencing scheme, if entered upon, will take several months to complete, I beg to suggest the adoption of the following Regulations to be applied at once :-
1. Declare a three mile radius around Nairobi an infected area.
2. Brand every head of cattle within this area with a numeral and keep a
record of same.
3. Allow no branded animal to leave the area nor an unbranded one to enter
without a permit signed by the Chief Veterinary Officer.
4. Any branded animal found outside the area to be immediately destroyed
without compensation and the owner prosecuted.
5. Erect bomas within the area for the housing of trek oxen to enable the
Veterinary Authorities to daily inspect them.
6. Issue notices to all concerned giving a brief resumé of the disease and the regulations framed for its suppression. These notices to be printed in different languages.
7. Erection of godowns on the principal thoroughfares for the reception of goods leaving or entering the infected area. Each godown to be placed in charge of a responsible clerk.
8. Graze a large flock of sheep or goats over the infected area to cleanse infected ticks. Suggest bartering two hundred head of Nandi cattle for sheep for this purpose.
9. Spray cattle within the area at stated intervals.
10. Summon all native chiefs in and around Nairobi and explain to them the
disease and the regulations.
11. Detail an European Inspector of Police, whose sole duty would be to
see the regulations carried out.
12. The failing to report a sick animal or a death be punished by a heavy
penalty.
to you
I enclose a statement of the approximate cost of the proposed scheme. In this scheme I have not included any addition to the Veterinary Staff, but would ask consider the advisability of strengthening my Department.
We are face to face with a disease the suppression of which in South Africa has defied the best endeavours of a large Veterinary Staff, aided by a well-equipped white police force, and I consider the only chance of dealing with African coast fever is to adopt now the strongest possible measure.
His Majesty's Commissioner,
wire
Nairobi.
I have, &c.,
ROBT. J. STORDY,
Chief Veterinary Officer.
Enclosure 2 in No. 28.
0
0
Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, Nairobi. Fencing three mile radius, 18.84 miles, with eight strands of barbed
£952 0 0 60 200 0 0
288
European Superintendent for six months at £10 month
per Erection of four godowns at £50 each
Four clerks in charge of same at Rs. 90 per mensem each for twelve
months
Extra native labour
European Inspector, extra police, oil for spraying and other
contingencies
2331
0 0
100 0 0
400 0 0
£2,000 0 0
ROBT. J. STORDY,
Chief Veterinary Officer.
C 2