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18431.
SIR,
42
No. 52.
ROYAL SOCIETY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received August 16, 1898.)
[Answered by No. 56.]
The Royal Society, Burlington House, W., August 16, 1898. THE letter of Mr. Lucas of August 8th* (17424/98), respecting the proposed in- vestigation of malaria, has been very carefully considered by the Committee of the Royal Society, and I am directed to make the following reply.
The Committee most cordially accept the suggestion made by Mr. Chamberlain that he should himself nominate as one of the experts a member of the Colonial Service. I am, however, to state that the Committee in their original proposal that the enquiry should be entrusted to two experts rather than to one, were guided, not by the wish to secure two observers of different qualification and experience, in order that dif- ferent lines of investigation might be carried on at the same time, but by the considera- tion that the observations to be made would be in many instances continued and pro- longed, and in general of such a character as could not safely be entrusted to a person working single-handed, especially under circumstances when he might, at a critical moment of his observations, be prostrated by sickness. The Committee are much in- pressed with the very great difficulty of the proposed investigation, and foresee that in the course of the enquiry ample demand will arise for the combined efforts of two quite similarly qualified observers. They accordingly venture to suggest that the member of the Colonial Service nominated by Mr. Chamberlain-and they very fully recognise the great advantages of securing the services of a gentleman familiar with the clinical his- tory of the more pernicious forms of malaria-should not replace one of the experts nominated by them, but rather be added as a third. They are further encouraged to make this suggestion by the fact that mention has already, in the course of this corre- spondence, been made of the desirability of securing the services of an entomologist, and they have reason to believe that one of the two gentlemen whom they propose to nomin- ate does possess such an amount of entomological knowledge as to lead them to expect that he will be able to grapple successfully with any entomological problems which may arise in the course of the investigation.
With regard to the proposal that the expert nominated by Mr. Chamberlain should be sent out" to study under Surgeon-Major Ross" (quoting the words of Mr. Lucas's let- ter), I am directed to make the following observation. The Committee fully recognise the great interest attaching to Surgeon-Major Ross's observations, an account of which, through the kindness of Dr. P. Manson, they have had the advantage of studying; they also recognise that the main enquiry which it is proposed to carry out cannot be con- sidered as having been brought to a fully successful issue unless it furnishes some solu- tion, or some approach towards a solution, of the problems involved in the life history But of the malarial organism outside the body, the presence of it in which produces the symptoms of malaria, whether mosquitos play a part in that life history or no. taking even the most favourable view of the value of Surgeon-Major Ross's researches, they are unwilling, acting on behalf of the Royal Society, to commit themselves to an expression of the opinion that that work is of such a character as to demand that an observer qualified to take part in the proposed investigation of malaria should be sent to Calcutta to study under that gentleman. They accordingly venture to suggest that if Mr. Chamberlain still wishes that the expert nominated by him should make the journey, it should be undertaken upon direct instruction from the Colonial Office, quite independently of the Royal Society.
Should Mr. Chamberlain adopt this course, the expert so sent might be expected to bring back all the confirmation concerning Surgeon-Major Ross's inquiry that is needed for the main inquiry; and the proposal made in my former letter, to send an inde- pendent observer to report on Surgeon-Major Ross's researches, naturally falls to the ground.
With respect to the general conduct of the inquiry, I am directed by the Committee to state that they assume that the observers entrusted with the inquiry, whether they be
⚫ No. 50.
43
two or more, will receive their instructions as to the enquiry from the Committee, and will report to the Committee from time to time, as the Committee may determine, in order that the Committee may exercise a general superintendence over the whole enquiry.
In conclusion, the Committee desire me to express, on their behalf and on the behalf of the Royal Society, a very high appreciation of the generous promise by Mr. Chamberlain contained in the concluding sentence of Mr. Lucas's letter, and regret that the limited funds at the disposal of the Royal Society do not permit them to promise a larger sum than that named in my former letter.
I have, &c.,
15756.
No. 53.
M. FOSTER,
Secretary, Royal Society.
COLONIAL OFFICE to SEAMENS HOSPITAL SOCIETY.
[Answered by No. 80,]
Downing Street, August 18, 1898. SIR,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your further letter of the 14th ultimo,* respecting the proposed establishment of a School of Tropical Medicine, at which the medical officers of the Colonies and Protectorates administered by the Colonial Office and Foreign Office respectively may be given special instruction in the treatment of tropical diseases.
With regard to the last paragraph of your letter, I am to inform you that Mr. H. J. Read has been selected by Mr. Chamberlain to represent this Department on the Board of Management.
16030.
No. 54.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to the GOVERNORS OF NON-RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT COLONIES.
(Circular.)
Downing Street, August 19, 1898.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, for distribution to the Medical Officers of the Colony under your Government, the accompanying copies of a memorandum respect- ing the proposed establishment of a School of Tropical Medicine in London, and the collection of pathological specimens, &c., for use in the School.
I shall shortly address you upon the general question of the establishment and maintenance of this School, and also upon the question of making some contribution towards a grant for the scientific investigation of malaria.
These are matters of great importance to the tropical Colonies, and I am confident that any steps which may be taken to carry them to a successful issue will receive the approval and support of your Government.
The Managing Body of the School have offered to defray the cost of sending the specimens to this country, but, as the expense will be slight in the case of any individual Colony, your Government will no doubt consent to bear it.
1918
* No. 37.
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
F 2