322
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LICO.885
4
from disease to Professor Celli's precautions and instructions. The husband, whose duties took him out at night, had several severe attacks of malarial fever, and at the time of my visit his blood contained numerous specimens of the malarial germ.
Professor Grassi, along with several companions slept for several nights in one of the most malarial parts of the Campagna, during the most malarial time of the year, with impunity. The only precaution they took was to have the room they occupied fitted with mosquito netting. To sleep one night in this part used to be regarded as certain to be followed with severe fever.
I was greatly impressed with these and other facts. To my mind they clearly in- dicate the practicability of the prevention of the introduction of malaria into the human body. This being the case I consider it highly desirable that an effort at once be made to-test this matter by additional experiments. If by such means the ideas I have expressed be further proved to be well founded, it is manifestly desirable to give them a practical application in our West African and other highly malarial dependencies.
I would suggest that a small galvanized iron or wooden building, consisting of 2 or 3 rooms and specially designed for the exclusion of mosquitos and for use in tropical countries, be made in this country and subsequently shipped out to Rome and erected in the same notoriously malarial spot in the Campagna. This should be done before the commencement of the fever season. A competent volunteer or volunteers might be induced to live during the night in the building throughout the summer and autumn, observing the precautions against malarial infection indicated by our present know- ledge, and by the experiments above referred to of Professors Celli and Grassi. If it be found that the experimentors remain free from malarial infection, the important fact that malaria is preventible by very simple and practicable means will be established, and a valuable method for the preservation of health in our malarial colonies and pro- tectorates be clearly indicated.
His Excellency, Professor Bacelli, Minister of Education in Rome, assured me that every facility would be given to any Englishman who might wish to study or experi- ment on the prevention of malaria in Rome or the Campagna; I was also promised the CU-Operation and assistance of several of the most important members of the Societa del Gli Studi della Malaria.
Considering the great mortality and enormous amount of invaliding and sickness from malaria in our tropical possessions, the expenditure of the small sum which would be required to carry out the above experiment, would, it seems to me, be thoroughly justifiable.
36275.
No. 7.
I am, &c.,
PATRICK MANSON.
5118
5
No. 8.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Monday, February 19, 1900.
whether he can say
MR. WEIR asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Report of the Malarial Commission will be issued; and, will he state whether er Majesty's Commissioner has yet advised the establishment of a sanatorium in the Shire Highlands, British Central Africa."
MR. CHAMBERLAIN, in reply, said: "The report is not expected before the close of the year.
"The question of a sanatorium in the Shire Highlands has not been raised by Her Majesty's Commissioner. There is a hospital at Blantyre, of which the Adminis- tration will assume control on April 1 next, and a staff of nurses paid from Protec-' torate funds."
5756.
SIR,
No. 9.
DR. P. MANSON to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received February 21, 1900.)
[Answered by Nos. 18 and 25.]
21, Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square, February 20, 1900. REFERRING to my letter* suggesting the erection of an experimental malaria- proof hut on the Roman Campagna, the following is the estimated cost of the experi- ment, which would last for from four to five months, say from June to October:- Cost of hut in London as per enclosed plant of Messrs.
Humphrey, Ltd.
..
Expenses of mechanic from London
Freight to Rome
Servants and their food ...
Honorarium of one observer
Expenses of erection of but Contingencies
£160
25
10
50
200
25
30
£500
The second observer contemplated would be sent by the School of Tropical Medicine.
↑ Not reproduced.
7
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
SIR,
SIERRA LEONE.
COLONIAL OFFICE to the MALARIA INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE.
[Answered by No. 11:]
Downing Street, February 9, 1900.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to transmit to you, to be laid before the Malaria Investigation Committee for any observations which they may be good enough to offer, a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Sierra Leone, enclosing a copy of a report by the Malaria Expedition, which was sent to that Colony by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and of a memorandum on the same by Dr. W. T. Prout, the Colonial Surgeon.
2. Mr. Chamberlain presumes that the question of the prevention of malarial fever must still be considered to be in the experimental stage, but that some improvement would be effected by adopting, at the present time, such of the measures recommended by Dr. Ross and Dr. Prout as did not involve any great outlay. He fears that the finances of most of those Colonies would not admit of carrying out any expensive scheme, such as the railway to the hills above Freetown mentioned by Sir F. Cardew.
I am, &c.,
1990.
No. 10.
I am, &c..
PATRICK MANSON.
COLONIAL OFFICE to Mr. C. W. DANIELS.
(Sent 5.25 p.m., February 22, 1900.)
•
TELEGRAM. [deknowledged by No. 30.]
Committee approve your staying to work out carafatto.
* No. 267 in Miscellaneous No. 119.
C. P. LUCAS.
• No. 6.
6