PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PLC.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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reasons for commencing operations in East Africa on the same lines as Uganda when Dr. Hodges had stated that the good results obtained from segregation camps were incommensurate with the expense involved. He asked whether it would not be more practicable to clear the rivers of fly.
Dr. Milne, in his reply, stated that the camp was entirely a voluntary one, and that the eradication of the fly along these rivers was hopelessly impracticable owing to the labour and expenses involved.
The President pointed out that there was an additional reason for the erection of segregation camps, in that the Anglo-German Sleeping Sickness Agreement bound countries, East Africa Protectorate and German East Africa, to establish camps at the boundary as part of a mutual scheme of co-operation.
Mr. Ainsworth, Provincial Commissioner of the Kisumu Province, drew the attention of the conference to the fact that legislation would be necessary to remove natives from infected areas, though he did not think that force would be actually required.
Dr. Hodges pointed out how necessary it was, in applying such a drastic measure, to retain the confidence of the native.
As to what should be done with the depopulated areas and islands of the Lake, the President suggested that it might be possible to contract for the cutting down of timber for commercial purposes and clearing the shore, so as to destroy the fly's natural habitat and thus render the islands habitable.
Dr. Hodges, in agreeing with the President, laid special stress on the necessity, when entering into contract, of stipulating for the removal of all undergrowth as well as the commercial timber. If it were necessary to clear the areas immediately after depopulation, Dr. Hodges considered that the risk of infection would be much lessened if the labourers employed worked only in the morning before 8 a.m. and in the evening after 4 p.m., as Glossina palpalis is most active in the daytime between the hours mentioned.
On the question of the removal of the existing restriction preventing the engage- ment of Kavirondo labourers east of Nairobi, Lord Delamere pointed out the hard- ship the present rule entailed on large employers of labour, more particularly in the fibre districts and the cotton areas of the coast. The Kavirondo was one of the few East African tribes anxious for work. He pointed out that there were hundreds of miles east of Nairobi with neither shade nor water where the Glossina palpalis could not possibly exist.
Dr. Milne quite recognised the hardships entailed by the existing regulations, but was averse to their removal until such time as the district into which the Wa- Kavirondo might be drafted had been accurately surveyed for the presence or absence of Glossina palpalis. Up to date, practically the only known portion of the fly belts in East Africa were those through which the Uganda Railway ran. The introduc- tion of sleeping sickness to the coast would be most disastrous in view of the trade with India, Aden, and other foreign ports.
The Hon. Mr. Hollis proposed a modification of the existing regulations to allow the Bantu Kavirondo to proceed east of Nairobi, as distinct from the Nilotic tribes, whom he understood were those only infected with sleeping sickness.
Dr. Milne replied that there would be little difficulty in modifying the existing regulations were it not for the fact that it was sometimes impossible to certify that a person was free from the trypanosome, and there was always the difficulty of knowing whether the labourer had come from an infected area or not.
Dr. Hodges pointed out that by the examination of gland smears, in from 80 per cent. to 90 per cent. of the infected cases [? the presence] of trypanosomes could be demonstrated.
Both Mr. Ainsworth and Mr. Hollis agreed that there would be no difficulty in recognising whether labourers came from infected areas or not, as the word Kavi- rondo was a misnomer, the inhabitants of the province being composed of two distinct tribes, one of Nilotic stock and the other of Bantu. The Nilotic inhabited the lake shores and rivers-the infected zone-while the Bantu section were uninfected and could be easily recognised by their facial and tribal differences.
Dr. Milne agreed that if the engagement of labour was done under the super- vision of those competent to judge of their differences, a modification of the present regulations could be entertained
The President, in summing up the discussion, stated that he believed the Glossina palpatis was the only carrier of sleeping sickness, but that the opinions of some other scientists differed from him. He pointed out that in the laboratory
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trypanosome gambiense had been conveyed by stomxys and other flies, and also by simple inoculation. He did not think this occurred in nature, and gave various in- stances in support of his statement. He further instanced the fact that slaves imported from West Africa to West Indies and America a hundred years ago developed the disease there, but did not spread it. When asked by the Government
of India as to the safety of allowing infected Indians to return home, he did not hesitate to state that, in his opinion, there was no danger in their doing so.
Dr. Hodges agreed with the President, giving various instances in support. He added that, though some authorities maintain that sleeping sickness is carried by tsetses other than Glossina palpalis, he would not hesitate to sanction the employment of labour recruited from infected populations in areas free from Glossina palpalis, provided that the route by which the labour was imported into such areas was also free.
FIRST DAY.
Resolutions approved by Conference.
The Conference recommends
40719
SIR,
(1) That the native population should be removed from Glossina palpalis
areas.
(2) That the necessary legislative powers be obtained for this purpose.
(3) That steps be taken as soon as possible to accurately map out the distri
bution of the various tsetse flies and other biting flies and ticks, and the various diseases connected with them.
(4) That the Bantu-speaking tribes of those parts of the Kavirondo District which remain unaffected may be permitted to be engaged as labourers
east of Nairobi.
(5) That the population of the Islands of Victoria Nyanza be removed to fly-
free areas on the mainland.
(6) That in regard to medical treatment, as no drug is now known which will cure sleeping sickness, no large expenditure of money should be made in this direction at present.
(7) That it is advisable that one sleeping sickness camp be maintained in earl Protectorate for the purpose of studying the effects of experimental treatment on sleeping sickness, and that this camp should be adequately staffed for the purpose.
(8) That the Royal Society be approached to nominate a small Commission for the purpose of working out the distribution and investigating the causes of disease in man and stock in this Protectorate.
No. 24.
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE. ROYAL SOCIETY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 17 December, 1909.)
[Copy to Governor, 6 January, 1910. No. 6. L.F.] [Answered 4 January, 1910; (40719) in Miscellaneous No. 254.]
The Royal Society, Burlington House,
London, W., 16 December, 1909. ADVERTING to your communication of the 2nd instant (No. 38653/09),* enclosing a despatcht from the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate relating to a Conference held at Nairobi in the earlier part of this year to discuss sleeping sickness and stock diseases prevalent in the country, I am directed to call attention to the last paragraph in the minutes of the first day's proceedingst of the Conference, and to enquire whether it is desired that the Royal Society should forthwith take. action upon the recommendation therein contained, or await a further communica- tion from the Colonial Office on the subject.
• L.F.
↑ No. 23.
Enclosure in No. 23.