120
12
accrue to the natives of warm climates and to those Europeans who have to reside among them, but an enormous impetus would be given to tropical pathology and thera- peutics, and, doubtless, indirectly, to medical science in general. By instituting a lec- tureship on tropical medicine St. George's Hospital has done its share in encouraging this necessary reform in medical teaching. Other schools are following our lead; but, be the schools ever so willing to second each other, without the co-operation of the General Medical Council they can do but little. As Dr. Davidson suggests--and it is the General Medical Council that can alone give effect to the suggestion-there should be a special examination and some kind of diploma for tropical medicine, and Govern- ment should countenance and encourage it. If this reform be carried out of one thing I am sure, and that is that those of you who in the future may go abroad to practise your profession will bless the General Medical Council for forcing you to qualify your- self for your work.
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13
obliged to the Managing Committee if they could give him their valuable assistance in
the matter.
Mr. Chamberlain understands that the Committee are about to enlarge their Branch Hospital at the Albert Docks, and he would ask them to consider whether it might not be possible to provide the necessary accommodation in the new building for the officers whom it is desired to instruct.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is being asked whether it is wished that the Protectorates in East and West Africa at present administered by the Foreign Office should be included in the proposed scheme; but, in any case, it is not probable that more than six officers would be under instruction at any one time.
It is desired that the course of instruction should last for 3 or 4 months. In the event of the Committee being willing to entertain these proposals favourably, Mr. Chamberlain would be glad to know the terms and conditions on which they would be prepared to make the necessary arrangements.
I am, &c.,
H. BERTRAM COX.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
111 ¶C.O.885
SIR,
No. 2.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
[Answered by No, S.]
Downing Street, February 2, 1898. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to transmit to you, to be laid before the Marquess of Salisbury, the accompanying copy of a scheme for the improvement of the medical service in the West African Colomes, which has been drawn up in this Department.
It will be observed that the African Protectorates which are at present adminis- tered by the Foreign Office have been included in this scheme.
4
It is desirable to lose no time in asking the Committee of the Seamen's Hospital whether they are willing to provide accommodation for the newly appointed Colonial doctors whom it is proposed to train at the Branch Hospital at the Albert Docks, as they are now about to enlarge that building.
If the Committee assent to the proposed arrangement, it will be necessary to give them some idea of the amount of accommodation which will be required, and Mr. Chamberlain would therefore be glad to know whether Lord Salisbury would be willing that the scheme, or, at all events, that part of it which relates to the preliminary training of newly-appointed doctors should be applied to the Protectorates.
I am, &c.,
26144.
GENTLEMEN,
No. 4.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.
Downing Street, February 2, 1898.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to inform you that it has been decided that the notes of the physical examinations of candidates for employment in the Colonial Service, and of menibers of the Service, made by the Medical Adviser of this Department, shall be kept according to a special form, in a special book, and that this book shall be the property of the Government.
I am to request you to ascertain from Dr. Manson the kind of book he requires, and then to supply it to him, charging the cost to this Department.
I am, &c..
H. BERTRAM COX.
P.S. Similar books should be supplied to Dr. Hawtrey Benson and Dr. Andrew Davidson.
26144.
H. BERTRAM COX.
7
PUBLIC, RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
I
26144.
No. 3.
COLONIAL OFFICE to the SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOCIETY. [Answered by No. 17.]
Downing Street, February 2, 1898. SIR,
THE question of improving the medical service of the British Colonies in West Africa has been receiving Mr. Secretary Chamberlain's serious consideration.
At present the newly-appointed Medical Officers receive no special training in the diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases before they proceed to West Africa; and although an attempt is made to give them wherever possible some preliminary instruc tion at the Head Quarters' Hospital of the Colony, this course cannot be followed in every case, and the arrangement is, on the whole, unsatisfactory.
Mr. Chamberlain feels confident that a marked advance would have been made if some scheme could be devised by which all the newly-appointed officers should receive a ound and systematic training in this country before proceeding to take up their duties
West Africa.
He is advised that the experience and training to be obtained at the Seamen's Hospital would be the most suitable in the present instance, and he would be greatly
• No. 1.
SIB,
No. 5.
COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR C. GAGE BROWN. [Answered by No. 34.]
Downing Street, February 2, 1898.
DR. MANSON, who succeeded you in the appointment of Medical Adviser to this Department, has pointed out that the Medical and Sanitary Reports which are sent home from the West African Colonies are in great need of improvement.
He suggests that some uniform scheme for the Medical Reports, not only of these Colonies, but also of the other Colonies, be devised, a scheme in which useless figures and tables, involving much labour and expense are omitted: that
Such reports should be sent in on a definite date, and brought out as one volume, which should be freely circulated in the Service, presented to the more important medi- cal libraries, and placed on sale:
which
Further, that the Colonial Medical Officers should be requested and encouraged to contribute to these reports special papers on the diseases of their respective Colonies, 1 papers, after due editing, should appear as an appendix to the annual report. Dr. Manson considers that, by these means, the value of the Colonial Medical Reports would be very much enhanced, the members of the Colonial Medical Service would be brought together in a measure, useful knowledge acquired in one Colony would become quickly disseminated, men would be encouraged to work, and to vie with each other, and doubtless, in time, important additions would be made by members of the service to medical science.