3
engagement of additional medical men and staff until we have a more complete knowledge of the exact conditions which in Nyasaland may affect sleeping sickness. I accordingly telegraphed to your Lordship on the 27th of October* cancelling for the present my request for the engagement of more doctors.
11. Dr. Spillane's view is: (1) that the only basis on which any really effective preventive measures can be taken is that Glossina palpalis is the sole means of infection; (2) that if this is assumed the line of action is fairly clear, and (provided the assumption is correct) will be successful in its objects; and (3) that if the assumption is incorrect, and if other flies, such as Glossina morsitans, act as conveyers of sleeping sickness trypanosomes, there are no means at present available by which the ravages of this disease can be effectively checked (as Glossina morsitans covers enormous portions of Africa).
12. As your Lordship is aware a Sleeping Sickness Commission, under Dr. Allan Kinghorn, was sent out to this part of South Central Africa in May, 1907, to investigate the southern spread of the disease and devise means for safe- guarding Nyasaland and adjoining British territory. This Commission has so far found it necessary to carry on its work in the western and northern districts of North-Eastern Rhodesia, and has therefore not been in a position to assist me with advice based on local knowledge of the Protectorate. It was Dr. Kinghorn's intention to move his headquarters to Nyasaland in the course of the next few months, but I have now received a telegram from him informing me that his Commission is summoned home.
13. From Dr. Norris's report and scheme, with which I entirely occur, your Lordship will observe the steps which are being taken and the general course which will be followed in this Protectorate with a view to keeping sleeping sickness outside our borders. We cannot hope to be without imported cases, and doubtless as time goes on many more of these will be discovered, but should it prove, as I am inclined to believe, that Glossina palpalis does not exist in any part of Nyasaland, we may hope (in the absence of other distributing agents) that the disease will never become endemic. Cases as discovered will be moved to a segregation camp or camps in high-lying country free from blood-sucking flies, and every possible means will be taken to prevent communication with German territory and with the sleeping sickness areas of North-Eastern Rhodesia.
14. Should there prove to be districts in which Glossina palpalis exists, they will be as speedily as possible entirely depopulated, and the inhabitants removed into country free from this fly. It is, however, already certain that even if Glossina palpalis is eventually located it can only be in very restricted areas.
15. The Epidemic and Contagious Diseases Ordinance, 1903, gives powers under which all necessary steps can be taken, but the penalty for breach of its provisions being too small to act as a real deterrent I have, on the advice of the Acting Attorney-General, placed before the Legislative Council a short amending Ordinance increasing the maximum penalty. This amending Ordinance, together with an explanatory despatch, will in due course be forwarded by me to your Lordship. Rulest under Clause 2 of the Principal Ordinance, of which I enclose a copy, have been drawn, and are about to be published. They deal chiefly with the prevention of communication between Nyasaland and sleeping sickness countries, and apply for the present to the northern portion of the Protectorate— our chief danger being the entry into the North Nyasa district of cases from Tanganyika Mweru, and Gerinan territory.
16. District Residents throughout Nyasaland have been for long past aware of the danger of imported sleeping sickness cases, have received detailed instruc- tions on the subject, and are on the watch.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED SHARPE,
Governor.
Enclosure 3 in No. 2.
Dr. J. C. SPILLANE'S SLEEPING SICKNESS REPORT ON NORTH EASTERN Rhodesia,
OCTOBER, 1908.
[See Enclosure in No. 18 in Miscellaneous No. 224.]
39258; not printed.
16996
† Printed in No. 6.
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