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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TITLE CO885/25
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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2. On receipt of Your Lordship's despatch, I caused it to be referred to the Director of Medical and Sanitary Service, Dr. Rice, and I now submit for Your Lordship's consideration a copy of a minute by him together with copies of memoranda by Dr. Watson, the Acting Principal Medical Officer, Northern Provinces, and by Dr. W. B. Johnson.
3. The members of my Executive Council, to whom the papers were next referred, are unanimously of opinion that the investigation should be carried out, and endorse Dr. Rice's recommendation that this Government should bear three- fifths of the cost. In my telegram to Your Lordship, however, I have thought it better to leave the question of the proportion payable by Nigeria to your decision; and I would only add that, if necessary, this Government would be prepared to defray all the expenditure which the investigations locally conducted will entail.
4. For the rest, I desire to endorse the recommendations submitted by the Director of Medical and Sanitary Service.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 116.
HUGH CLIFFORD,
Governor.
MINUTE BY THE DIRECTOR OF Medical and SANITARY SERVICE, DATED 8TH JULY, 1920. C. S.,
2.
SECTION 129 of the report of Lord Desart's Committee reads as follows:- "Different views are taken as to the prospect of dealing with the fly, but it was, as your Committee think truly, said by more than one of the witnesses that in this form of research there is a large element of chance that accident may at any time lay bare a secret which may lead to the solu- tion of the problem-and that the multiplication of workers is the multipli- cation of these chances."
The Director of the Tropical Diseases Bureau in his memorandum of 9th June, 1915, writes:-
(C
Paragraph 4: Medical Research. I hope it will be practicable to Nigeria with a supply a second specialist in trypanosome investigations well-equipped laboratory, the cost to be borne by all the West African Colonies. There seems to be in Eket an opportunity for the study of an epidemic of an unusual character, a study which could hardly fail to advance knowledge; and inquiries which have been carried out in Uganda and else- where, countries where sleeping sickness is of comparative recent introduc- tion, might profitably be repeated in West Africa, where a state of compara- tive equilibrium between the trypanosomes and man appears to have in course of time become established."
3. But the proposals of the sub-committee of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, which form an enclosure to the Secretary of State's despatch of the 14th May last, indicate that the investigations now contemplated are to be mainly concentrated on the fly and, as far as Nigeria is concerned, in the Northern Provinces.
4. In the Bulletin of Entomological Research for the month of May, 1920, Investigations into the Bionomics of Mr. Fiske publishes an article entitled " Glossina Palpalis." Mr. Fiske's work has mainly been carried out since the publica- tion of the report of Lord Desart's Committee, and it contains much that is new and suggestive, and the Sub-committee, in paragraph 8 of their report, advise that observations on the density of the fly should be carried out on a standard basis such as that adopted by Mr. Fiske.
5. This file reached me whilst I was travelling in the Northern Provinces, and I referred it to the Acting Principal Medical Officer, Northern Provinces, Dr. Watson, and to Dr. W. B. Johnson, and their observations are attached.
It will be seen from Dr. Johnson's report, and the notes attached to it, that Dr. Johnson himself has already made a number of interesting observations on the distribution of "fly" in the Northern Provinces as well as upon the proportion of wild mammals infected.
Dr. Johnson suggests the following procedure:-
(1) A detailed tsetse survey of the Northern Provinces.
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(2) Paying special attention to finding suitably isolated G. sub-morsitans and G. tachinoides areas for experimental work upon the bionomics of these flies.
(3) Co-operation with the Veterinary Department so that the work done by
this department may be placed at the disposal of investigators.
(4) Co-operation with the Forestry and Agricultural Departments for experi-
mental work in clearing and farming.
(5) The seconding to the investigators of an officer from the Survey
Department.
(6) The early "fly" survey to be done by a Medical Officer who could send specimens for confirmation of identification to a headquarters laboratory or to England.
(7) A travelling laboratory under a pathologist—a pathologist could be use-
fully employed during the early survey.
Dr. Johnson further remarks that suitable areas for experimental work cannot be settled until the survey has been made, but attaches notes on areas which he tentatively suggests as being suitable.
6. I am in general agreement with the proposals put forward by Dr. Johnson. With regard to (6), possibly the services of Mrs. Connal might be utilized, were she willing, in work in connexion with the confirmation of identifications. With regard to (7), the appointment of a travelling pathologist, I venture to suggest the name of Dr. W. A. Young, whose name has recently been put forward in con- nexion with the vacancy for an Assistant Bacteriologist at the Yaba Medical Research Institute.
7. With reference to the Secretary of State's despatch
Paragraph 2.-There can be no doubt but that as far as West Africa is con- cerned generally, and equally as far as Nigeria is concerned, the discovery of means for the extermination, or effective control, of "fly" would be of incalculable value and would free the country from what, since so much has been done against malaria and yellow fever, must now be regarded as its greatest disability.
Paragraphs 4 and 5.--I suggest that Dr. W. B. Johnson be detailed for this work. Dr. Johnson's work and abilities are well known, he is an acute and careful observer, an entomologist, and possesses an intimate knowledge of the Northern I have discussed the matter Provinces, in which the work is to be carried out. with Dr. Johnson, and he has intimated his willingness to undertake the work and has suggested Dr. W. A. Young, to whom I have referred in paragraph 6 of this I may mention that minute, as an able pathologist and suitable collaborator. Doctors Johnson and Young have worked together before, when the former was seconded to Freetown as an Investigator under the Yellow Fever Commission.
The expense in connexion with an investigation of this nature to be spread over a period of five years must prove very considerable, and is likely to vastly exceed the sum of £50,000 mentioned in the Secretary of State's despatch.
Assuming that in the Northern Provinoes Doctors Johnson and Young be appointed, and that they be each given a commuted allowance at the rate of £2 a day (in lieu of bush, travelling allowance, etc.), roughly the cost would be somewhat as follows:-
£
Salaries of Investigators
2,000
Allowance to Investigators
1,440
Allowances to various Officers assisting (Mrs. Connal, Forestry,
Veterinary, Survey Officers, etc.)
500
Labour and transport, etc.
1,500
In fact, exclusive of the cost of the purchase and maintenance of a travelling laboratory, the annual cost of such an investigation could scarcely amount to less than £5,000 a year in Nigeria alone, but since the work, and the results obtained, will benefit other parts of West Africa as well as Nigeria, I suggest that Nigeria contributes three-fifths of the expenditure, the remainder being furnished by other West African Administrations.
T. E. R. (RICE).
8th July, 1920.