PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTTc.O. 8835
اس السياسي
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Lagos.
Central Province.
Govern-
4.
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5. Special notice has been taken of the printed copy of correspondence which was forwarded to me from the Colonial Office on the subject of the existence of contagious pleuro-pneumonia and rinderpest or cattle plague in Northern Nigeria. I had reason to expect that if these diseases existed in Northern Nigeria, traces of them would be found in this country. Nevertheless, I did not find them, and have not mentioned them in my report, although this fact cannot be taken as conclusive evidence that they do not exist at all in Southern Nigeria.
6. Apart from investigation or research work, whenever I have been called upon to attend or treat sick animals, whether by Government officials or others, I have willingly done so (gratis), as it seemed to me that such a course would be a politic one to pursue, and I trust that same will meet with your approval.
His Excellency
The Governor of Southern Nigeria,
Lagos
GENERAL.
I have, &c.,
G. GARDEN, M.R.C.V.S.
1. The following report is based upon investigations extending over a period of twelve months from June, 1907, to June, 1908, and confined to the Central and Western Provinces of Southern Nigeria. My instructions were to carry out a "Veterinary Survey" of the country, and this I have done, but I should here premise that exhaustive research must not be expected in the circumstances in which I have been working. Such work would necessitate extensive apparatus, as well as a fixed laboratory, and considering the size of the country and the ground to be covered would, if undertaken, probably yield little in the way of definite results in a single 12 months. I have interpreted my instructions in the only light which it seems to me they should be viewed in, viz., as a basis for future operations, and it is on this assumption alone that I have conducted my researches.
ITINERARY.
2. I arrived at Lagos on the 4th June, 1907, and remained in that town until the 19th of the same month. I at once reported my arrival to the Honourable Colonial Secretary, and the period of my stay in Lagos was occupied principally in arranging my plan of operations. I found opportunities, however, of examining various horses which were suffering from what locally known as "Lagos Horse Sickness" or "Mad Staggers," and although at that time I made no searching investigations, the cases which I attended afforded me a certain amount of material for later experiments on this obscure and little understood affection.
3. I left Lagos on the 19th June and arrived at Warri on the 22nd June. There I made blood examinations of domestic animals from the neighbouring native towns. I found scab in sheep and goats and also detected trypanosomiasis in horses, cattle, and sheep.
4. On the 20th July I arrived at Onitsha, which station I made my centre of operations during my stay in the Central Province. From here as my base I visited Asaba, Oka, Ijali. Illushi, Idah, and Newi. I conducted investigations at the Government farm at Akpaka, and, although not exactly within my province, I found an interest in visiting the Leper Settlement.
5. My attention was drawn to the veterinary pharmacy at Akpaka, which I ment farm, overhauled, with the result that a number of the medicines I considered it advis- Akpaka.
able to set aside for destruction, while others I had reserved and stored away for possible future use. Mr. Don was then in charge of the farm, and I understood from him that the pharmacy had not been used for some time. My reason for setting aside some of the medicines as useless was that the bottles were unlabelled. and, as their contents could not be definitely ascertained, there would be con- siderable risk in using them.
Attitude of natives.
6. During my stay in the Central Province I endeavoured by every means in my power, or from such information as I could gather from officers with experi- ence of the country, to gain the confidence of the natives, to induce them to bring
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such animals to my notice, and to inform me of the general circumstances inci- dental to stock farming in their country. I regret to say that in this respect my efforts were far from meeting with complete success. The native I found to be generally suspicious of me and my operations. This I gather was due largely to superstition, and a belief that I was concerned in some form of "Juju." The result of course was that not only was my work not furthered to the extent which it might have been, but, in many cases, where I had obtained definite promises of assist- ance, they resulted only in complete disappointment. Nevertheless, I persevered, and did sufficient work to satisfy myself as to the diseases prevailing in the Central Province.
7. While at Onitsha I found that the available accommodation, while no doubt Quarters. adequate as "Bush" residence, did not lend itself in any way to the requirements of scientific research.
8. Here I occupied quarters which were isolated and unguarded. Partly to this I attribute the fact that they were once broken into with the result that prac- tically all my belongings were stolen, and on this occasion a good deal of derange- the ment was caused to my scientific outfit, which undoubtedly had its effect upon efficacy of my work. The capture of the thief, resulting in the restoration of most native police and of my belongings, was effected with the assistance of some labourers whom the District Commissioner placed at my disposal.
animals.
9. While in the Central Province I took every opportunity of securing wild, Wild in addition to domestic, animals for examination. Every facility was afforded me as regards licences, as I was informed would be the case, and the Honourable Pro- vincial Commissioner, Central Province, gave me an open letter to all District Officers authorising them to issue to me any licence I required. In this direction, however, my efforts did not meet with much success, although I managed to secure a crocodile and a few of the larger birds. The pursuit of wild animals in this part requires much more time than I could afford, and, from the nature of the country, more local knowledge than I possessed or found available in the shape of guides or huntsmen.
10. On the 28th November, when on my way to the Cross River, telegraphic Western instructions to return to Lagos reached me at a point somewhere between Newi and Province. Oguta.
11. I arrived in Lagos on the 11th December, and from that date until my departure for the up-country districts of the Western Province, I occupied my time with investigation of "Lagos Horse Sickness," observation of the experimental animals brought with me from the Central Province, an examination of blood specimens already collected.
12. I toured the Western Province from 9th March, 1908, until the 7th May, visiting places advised by His Excellency the Governor, making examinations of blood smears, and taking notes on the conditions of the country as regards stock rearing, with a view to making recommendations which I shall deal with in a later stage of my report.
natives.
13. While on the subject of the Western Province, I cannot but express the Attitude of indebtedness I am under to the Resident and District Officers, who not only assisted me officiale in every possible material way; but also took the keenest interest in my work. I must and also mention that, in contradistinction to what I had previously experienced of the attitude of the natives and their chiefs in the Central Province, in the Western Province I was not only able to make my objects understood, but I found they met, in certain instances, with a marked degree of appreciation. Particularly I noticed the enlightened attitude taken up by the Alafin of Oyo and the Bale of Oshogbo. 14. I visited Abeokuta, having heard that the country was rich in cattle. called upon the Alake, whom I found favourably disposed towards my work, and who, besides receiving me courteously, afforded me facilities for obtaining blood specimens from domesticated animals in the vicinity of the town.
15. In treating of the attitude of the natives of West Africa towards any Post- attempt at veterinary research, I feel that it is necessary to mention one fact which mortems.
I found obtained everywhere, even in those spots where otherwise my efforts were assisted. This is the extreme difficulty I experienced in obtaining post-mortem examinations. Whatever the reason of this may be, and I am not sufficiently acquainted with the native to explain it, the resulting drawbacks and difficulties are very great indeed; as, for instance, when searching for a contagious disease. such as pleuro-pneumonia, where a post-mortem would be so essential for a sure diagnosis.
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