PUBLIC
RECORD
OFFICE.
Reference :-
C.O.885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
216
Tropic Medicine were established. In addition, we have opportunities of attending many general hospitals in tropical countries.
*
27. As bearing on this point (age), we would point out that Dr. Welsh, the Senior Member of the staff, treated on s.s. Indus to Jamaica, 1913, a large number of people with thymol, and was warmly complimented by the Medical Board of Jamaica for the care which he devoted to the immigrants at sea."
..
Dr. Fonceca was next in seniority when he worked out the scheme for treating ankylostomes which earned for him, from the Surgeon-General of British Guiana, the very warm praise to which His Excellency refers in his despatch.
Dr. Harrison, next in seniority, treated all the coolies on his ship, "Mutlah," to British Guiana, 1908-9.
Thus, three of the men who have tried to apply this treatment were the three seniors on the staff.
Dr. Stuart Oliver also treated several of his people on s.s. "Ganges to British Guiana, 1908-9, and, though not amongst the most senior men, has still been on the staff for many years.
28. We trust that the above facts will show that we are not incapable of dealing with new ideas or of performing our duties.
29. In regard to the particular matter involved we have been, all through, under the impression that we were not asked to express an opinion on the general aspect of the ankylostome question. We have understood that the Secretary of State only wished us to express our opinion as to whether it was desirable to apply on coolie ships a certain specified course of treatment, and to that aspect of the question we have confined ourselves.
30. We do not think that a course of tropical medicine is necessary to enable us to give an opinion on a disease, the ravages of which are by no means confined to the tropics or to carry out the treatment were it otherwise desirable to apply it.
31. Trusting that the foregoing will show that we have tried to do our duty in this matter,
I have, &c.,
The Crown Agents for the Colonies.
W. K. MILEY,
Hon. Secretary.
SUMMARY AND Index.
Surgeons find no reasons for altering previously expressed opinions Committee's letter to Crown Agents, 1.2.1912, replying to despatch of the Governor of B. Guiana and minutes of Dr. Law and Mr. Duff Special points: the risk involved; no proof of efficiency of, and
the difficulty of carrying out, the treatment Castellani and Chalmer's views on danger of thymol and beta-
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 4
naphthol treatment without proper precautions
Paragraph 5
Castor oil and stimulants
Paragraph 6
Inefficiency of the treatment on ship board
Paragraph 7
Difficulties in applying the treatment on ship board
Paragraph 8
Difficulty of realising local objections, e.g., Calcutta depôt...
Surgeons views supported by medical authorities in India and by
the experience of the authorities in Natal Jamaica reports afford no proof of success of the treatment on
board ship
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 10
Thymol course not chief cause of improvement in coolies' condition
while in quarantine station
Paragraph 11
Paragraphs 12
& 13
Paragraph 14 Paragraph 15
Paragraph 16 Paragraph 17
Paragraph 18
Value of thymol under proper conditions not questioned but
thymol not essential to improvement in physique Statistics show how fallacious estimates of results may be One or two examinations giving negative results not proof of
Remarks on Sir P. Manson's endorsement of the Fonceca procedure Sir P. Manson's teaching as to the dangers of, and the precautions
to be taken in, a course of thymol
success
Reasons for not taking course of Tropic Medicine.
Course of Tropic Medicine useful on shore, not of much aid on ship
217
If method really safe, efficient and easy of application, why should
surgeons object to it
Accidents have occurred in shore hospitals, so all the more likely
to occur on ships ..
Paragraph 19
Surgeons regret that the Governor of British Guiana should
regard them as unfit
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 21 Paragraph 22 Paragraphs 23
& 24 Paragraph 25 Paragraph 26
Evidence that the present staff is not incapable
Paragraph 27 Paragraph 28
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 30
Course too scientific for ship life
Diseases from which coolies mostly suffer Senior men carry out the treatment
General aspect of ankylostomes not in question, only a specified
treatment
Course of Tropic Medicine not needed for forming an opinion on
or for carrying out the treatment
Note. For convenience of reference we have made at the end of this letter a summary of its contents. GENTLEMEN,
London, 1911. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I brought before the Surgeons-Super- intendent's Committee the despatch (copy) addressed to the Secretary of State by the Governor of British Guiana (British Guiana, No. 322, October 4th, 1910), in which His Excellency expresses dissatisfaction with the report of the surgeons on the question whether it was advisable to make obligatory on Indian emigrant ships the routine method of treatment as suggested by Dr. Fonceca; also the minutes (copies) on the same subject by the Acting Surgeon-General (Dr. Law) and the Agent- General for Immigration (Mr. Duff) which accompanied His Excellency's despatch.
2. The members of the Committee, after consideration of the despatch and minutes, asked me, as their Honorary Secretary, to submit to you their views. This I have now the honour to do.
3. It is with much regret that we (the Committee) gather that the Governor of British Guiana is under the impression that the surgeons by their action showed want of interest in the welfare of the immigrants and want of consideration for the wishes and the interests of the Colony.
4. As we are sure that the surgeons were not actuated by such a spirit and as we are anxious to remove the impression that they were, we would ask you to use your influence to induce His Excellency to give further consideration to this matter. We have much hope that, if he would be good enough to do so, he would see that, with their special knowledge of the conditions involved, the surgeons could not, consistently with their duty, have acted otherwise than as they did.
5. It was, in fact, with regret that the surgeons found themselves unable to comply with the wishes of the Government of British Guiana. They would naturally wish to stand well with those who are from time to time their paymasters and whose officials inspect and report on their work.
6. Further, the greater the success of immigration (and healthy coolies is a large factor in such success) the more likely are they to get employment. But could they, consistently with their duty to the Colony itself, leaving all others out of con- sideration, have acquiesced in a course which they believed to be erroneous?
7. As confirmation of the soundness of the views expressed by the surgeons, we would refer to the minutes which you have sent to us with His Excellency's despatch, viz., that of the Acting Surgeon-General (Dr. Law) and the Agent-General for Immigration (Mr. Duff).
8. It is important to remember that the surgeons were not consulted as to the effects of ankylostomes and of their treatment in the general or broad aspect of the question, so they offered no opinion in this regard. Dr. Law apparently thinks that this argues a want of knowledge thereon; but the facts are very simple and are abundantly set forth in the many manuals, &c., dealing with a disease not essentially tropical.
9. The sole question referred to the surgeons, and the one in regard to which they expressed an opinion, was whether a certain course (that recommended by the late Dr. Fonceca) should be enforced as a compulsory routine during the voyages.
33301
P4