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Laboratory uuder the Director.
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He had discussed this with Dr. Graham, who thought three months would be a suitable period for attachment. In reply to Sir T. Barlow he said that he thought that good men could easily be obtained by calling for volunteers, and Sir P. Manson concurred in the view that the staff contained meu quite fit for the research work.
The question was raised whether the dispensary recommended by Dr. Graham Sir R. Ross laid stress on the as an adjunct to the laboratory was not desirable. importance of having some means of study of diseases near at hand, and considered that the general hospital was rather too far away. Dr. Langley, however, explained that not only was there already a dispensary at Ebute Metta which rendered it somewhat extravagant to erect one at Yaba, but there was within a couple of hundred yards a lunatic asylum. Sir R. Ross was, therefore, of opinion that a dispensary was quite needless, and that it was clearly the duty of Dr. Graham to obtain his material thence. Dr. Langley explained that Dr. Graham was not on good terms with the officer in charge of the Asylum, but it was agreed that it was clearly his duty to make use of the opportunities afforded by the Asylum, and that the Committee should recommend that the Government call his attention to this, and instruct the head of the Asylum to give him suitable access for the purpose.
Dr. Langley raised the question whether the Institute should not be confined to Nigeria, and the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone excused from further contributions. These Colonies derived little benefit at present from it. But Mr. Strachey pointed out that the amalgamation of the Nigerias was still not decided, and that there must be delay, and the Committee agreed not to make any recommendation on this head.
Dr. Langley also urged that the Government Chemist's Laboratory at Yaba should be transformed into a vaccine manufactory, and that the chemist should be removed to Lagos, and he was prepared to place the vaccine manufactory under the Director, especially as bacteriological analyses would be an important part of the work. Sir R. Ross pointed out that the Principal Medical Officer would naturally desire to retain control of so important a part of the work as the manufacture of vaccine, and the Committee agreed that this matter was not yet ripe for any recom- mendation.
After further discussion, in view of the fact that Dr. Graham's resignation was by no means certain at any early date, the Committee agreed to recommend to the Secretary of State that a Medical Officer be added to the staff in Southern Nigeria; that an officer should be seconded from time to time for service in the laboratory, his duties being first to do the local clinical work; and second, to carry out research. Dr. Langley being satisfied that he would have ample time for both purposes. It was agreed that the other Colonies could adopt similar steps if found desirable.
2. Minutes of the last meeting were approved with certain verbal alterations. 3. Mr. Read read a letter from Sir J. Rose Bradford in which he stated that, in his opinion, Captain Potter had made out a strong case for thinking that vomiting sickness was not à definite clinical entity, and that in some cases yellow fever was really the disease present. Sir R. Ross concurred: there was no absolute proof, but in some cases there was evidence in favour of yellow fever, and there was need for further investigation; Sir A. Branfoot and Sir T. Barlow concurred in Sir J. Rose Bradford's views, as also did Sir P. Manson, who laid stress, however, on the fact that if the cases in children which had proved fatal were really yellow fever a new and important fact had been revealed, since the facts contradicted the accepted views as to the course of the disease in children. It was also agreed that there was no ground on which the Government of Jamaica could yet be advised to declare the Island infected for quarantine purposes by yellow fever.
The question of further investigation was considered, and Sir R. Ross thought that Dr. II. Seidelin, of the Liverpool School Expedition to Yucatan, could help. Sir P. Manson was doubtful as Dr. Seidelin was obsessed by a special theory. The possibility of getting a man from the United States service with experience in Cuba was considered, but the advisability was doubted. Finally, Sir R. Ross and Sir I. Manson agreed on recommending Dr. H. Wolferstan Thomas, of the Liverpool School. now in Brazil, who had himself had the disease, as a very suitable officer to carry on further investigation with Captain Potter, whose work was recognised to be excellent, and whose further employment was considered to be most desirable. Eventually the Committee decided to recommend that the following advice be sent to the Governor of Jamaica, to be prefaced by an expression of appreciation of Captain Potter's work (this appreciation to be communicated also to the War Office).
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Captain Potter's investigations suggest the presumption that some of the cases described by him were yellow fever, and the Committee consider it of the greatest importance that the matter should be further investigated and thoroughly thrashed out in the autumn, and that meanwhile as much information as possible should be collected in advance.
"The Committee suggest that other investigators, preferably in conjunction with Captain Potter, should be employed on special branches of the subject.
"In this connexion the Committee desire to mention name of Dr. Wolferstan Thomas, who, in the opinion of the Committee, would be a most competent investi- gator, and is at present in Manaos, Brazil, and they would also suggest that the co-operation of the Liverpool School should be invited."
4. The Committee agreed that the report of Dr. Nicholls was excellent, and that the Governor should be so informed, and recommended that his proposals as to dealing with yaws should be carried out as far as feasible, and that the report be circulated separately to all Colonies interested (West Indies, Ceylon, Fiji, &c.).
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No. 9.
JAMAICA (CAYMAN ISLANDS).
RETURN OF MALARIAL FEVER, BLACKWATER FEVER, YELLOW FEVER, AND FILARIASIS FROM JANUARY 1 TO DECEMBER, 31. 1911. (Received in Colonial Office April 13, 1912.)
11270
[Published as No. 11 in Appendix I. to [Cd. 6669], March, 1913.]
No. 10. NYASALAND.
RETURN OF MALARIAL FEVER, BLACKWATER FEVER, YELLOW FEVER. FILARIASIS, AND DENGUE DURING THE YEAR FROM THE 1ST JANUARY TO THE 31ST DECEMBER, 1911.
9915
(Received in Colonial Office April 13, 1912.)
[Published as No. 5 in Appendix 1. to [Cd. 6669], March, 1913.]
No. 11.
SOUTHERN NIGERIA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE ACTING GOVERNOR. (No. 345.)
Downing Street, 23 April, 1912.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 189, of the 13th of March,* in regard to the Medical Research Institute at Yaba, which was referred, with connected correspondence, to the Tropical Diseases Research Fund Advisory Committee, who discussed it at a meeting at which Dr. Langley was present.
2. The Committee agreed to recommend that the establishment of Southern Nigeria should be increased by one Medical Officer to permit of an officer being taken away from time to time from the ordinary work of a Medical Officer and attached to the Institute, his duties being, first, to carry out the local clinical and clinico- legal work of the Colony, and, secondly, to assist in carrying on research work. It was understood that, in Dr. Langley's opinion, he would have ample time to devote to both functions. The Committee also suggested that the other West African dependencies might adopt a similar course.
• No. 7.
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