PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
19
Reference :-
TPUT mumimmimi C.O. 885
22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
42
vermin. It must be remembered, however, that the small vermin is to a considerable extent nocturnal in its habits, and although Glossina morsitans does occasionally bite at night, especially when the moon is full, yet nobody who has lived in "fly' areas can have any doubt that this is exceptional, and that for practical purposes the fly feeds in the day time only. Dr. Kinghorn and I examined a large number of small vermin-rats, mice, wild rabbits, &c.--without finding a single instance of natural infection. Furthermore, it might be remarked that there is no evidence to show that the small vermin are tolerant of the human trypanosome, as are the big game. In those which we infected experimentally the disease ran an acute course and the animals died. If this be the case with the majority of the small vermin they cannot have the same significance as reservoirs of the virus as have the big game, which can probably harbour the parasite for long periods of time without exhibiting signs of disease.
We return, therefore, to the original position. The big game is the natural reservoir of the infection, and the role of the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans, is to transfer the virus from the big game to man and his flocks and herds. At the present state of our knowledge we are unable to attack successfully the tsetse fly, nor, unfortunately, is there any prospect of our being able to do so in the near future. Whether anything would be gained in this direction by slaughtering the big game is still a moot point, therefore, I will not consider this side of the question, but advocate the advisability of attempting to drive back the game from inhabited regions solely because the game are the reservoir of the infection.
It has been asserted that the proposal to slaughter all game animals in an infected district is unsound in principle, because the game, when harried, would betake itself to places difficult of access to man or scatter in small herds or in pairs or singly over wide areas, and that, should this occur, it is highly probable that it might be followed by tsetse, thus spreading the danger of infection to wide areas now free from game and fly.
To such criticism as this it is not difficult to reply. If the game when harassed betook itself to places difficult of access to man, surely this is exactly what is desired. In such places it would no longer be a menace to civilisation.
Regarding the second alternative, that the hunted game might scatter into small herds or in pairs and be followed by the tsetse fly, thus spreading the infection over large districts, the obvious rejoinder is that should this occur the game must be destroyed in the new areas provided these happen to be inhabited regions. Such a contingency is, however, very unlikely, as it is very questionable if small herds of hunted game scattering over wide areas would cause the tsetse fly to migrate with
them.
The Colonial Secretary pointed out that "To talk of the exterminating of the wild fauna of a subcontinent was to talk wild nonsense. This is perfectly true; but it is no reason why the game in the vicinity of human habitations should not be destroyed. It was further stated by the Colonial Secretary that an attempt made in Nyasaland to get the game in a certain area killed off was, after twelve months, unsuccessful, though the natives were encouraged to shoot. This, again, is no argument against the policy suggested, but merely a confession that the experi- ment was not efficiently performed. In this connection it is of interest to note the remarks of Dr. J. B. Davey at a recent meeting of the Society of Tropical Medicine. He said :-
I do not think there would be much difficulty in doing this (destroying the game) if the natives were employed. It is work they would take up with some avidity. Having lately been a member of the Commission in Nyasa- land, I remember that considerable anxiety was expressed lest we should not be able to get sufficient material, because during the previous year fifty rifles had been served out in that area, and the natives had been encouraged to shoot game.
If in that short time fifty rifles could clear a large area like that, after a year or two they could make a great impression. As a matter of fact, that permission was only in force for about three months, and they made a considerable impression on the amount of game."
Such experiments as these are unsatisfactory and do not yield any definite results. For any reliable information to be obtained it is necessary that the work should be done in a scientific manner, and on a sufficiently large scale in some particular district. A locality which is fairly well populated and which contains plenty of tsetse fly and game should be chosen. An exact census of the population
]
to return.
43
should be made, and the proportion suffering from sleeping sickness determined. The same must be done in the case of the domestic animals, if such exist. An index of the percentage of infective tsetse fly must be ascertained. This is most important, as it gives one a definite idea of the potential danger of the district. Finally, the game must be completely eradicated, and at the same time the percentage infected with the human and cattle trypanosome determined, and when once the game has been driven out it must be kept back by vigorous action and not allowed After an interval of a couple of years or so the population, domestic stock, and tsetse fly must again be carefully examined. Then we should be in a position to decide definitely whether or not driving the fauna back from the site of human habitations would pay. Such an experiment as this would take some years to accomplish. That the big game is the reservoir of the human infection there can no longer be any doubt, as the work of Kinghorn and myself has already been confirmed. I submit, therefore, that the time for temporizing is past. Sleeping sickness has already crossed the Zambesi, and cases have been recorded in Southern Rhodesia. In my opinion, the natives living in fly areas should be allowed to kill game in their own way, and they might also to an extent be armed with rifles of some uncommon bore, so that a control could be kept over the ammunition. Europeans ought to be allowed to shoot what they like. Protecting the reservoir of the trypanosomes causing fatal disease in man and his flocks and herds by heavy licences appears to be rather an anomaly. Finally, I consider that some such decisive experiment as I have outlined is urgently required, as even under the most favourable conditions several years must elapse before we should be in a position to recommend definitely that vigorous steps be taken to drive back the big game from the neighbourhood of human settlements on a large scale throughout tropical Africa.
It may seem an act of vandalism to slaughter the wonderful fauna of Africa; but surely when it is definitely proved that this fauna is antagonistic to civilisation, then that which stands in the path of progress must be removed.
13334
(No. 137.)
No. 24.
SIERRA LEONE.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 21 April, 1913.)
Government House, Sierra Leone,
4th April, 1913.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 92, of the 11th ultimo,* on the subject of the formation of reserves or sanctuaries for the wild fauna of this Colony.
2. In reply, I have the honour to refer you to my despatch, No. 115, of the 18th ultimo, regarding the formation of forest reserves. There seems to be very little doubt that, when the reserves have been surveyed and demarcated and access to them is forbidden to natives except under permit from the Forest Department, they will become sanctuaries for wild fauna. The only fear is that wild elephants, which already do a considerable amount of damage to crops, may become a serious danger to agriculture.
3. The wild buffalo (bush-cow) also does a good deal of damage to crops, but these animals are found principally in the large grass-plains and would probably not take to the forest reserves.
4. Chimpanzees are very destructive, and if it is found that they increase rapidly in the forest reserves, special steps will have to be taken.
5. It will be noticed that two of the proposed forest reserves, viz., those on the Nimmi Hills and in the Gola Forest are the areas suggested as game reserves by Sir L. Probyn in his despatch, No. 164, of the 21st April, 1909. referred to in your despatch under reply.
I have, &c.,
E. M. MEREWETHER,
Governor.
15227: not printed.
• No. 12.
† 10609: not printed.
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