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No. 62.
NORTHERN NIGERIA.
HIGH COMMISSIONER LUGARD to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received August 3, 1900.)
[Copy to Malúria Investigation Committee, September 11, 1900. L.F.] (No. 146.) SIR,
Government House, Jebba, June 23, 1900.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your despatch, No. 110, of April 28th,* rela- tive to the propagation of malaria by mosquitos. I confess that it does not appear to me that any very great step towards the extermination of malaria would be gained, even were it demonstrated that complete immunity could be effected by the exclusion of anopheles from a room by night. The mosquito bites all day and not only at night; and it is absolutely impossible in the climate of West Africa to exclude the free passage of air by means of gauze, through which little or no breeze can come. The warm nights would be unbearable in such circumstances, and still more the day, during which, moreover, the conditions of work necessitate exposure to mosquito bites.
2. I should, however, like to test the theory as far as possible, and for this reason would request that a consignment of wire gauze of the description used by Dr. Manson might be sent out here for one or two of the houses recently sent out for erection, for experiment, and also a small quantity of the material used for fumigating rooms.
If by its means we diminished the number of mosquitoes, life would to that extent be more tolerable.
I have, &c.,
F. D. LUGARD.
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II-It is usually found to be easier to fill up or drain the puddles, and more effective.
320
III.-Unfortunately in this country it is impossible to stay in the house from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., as the avocations of the majority of the inhabitants make it necessary for them frequently to work late in the evening and to go out at night as well as in the day time. Mosquitos also, in many places, bite freely by day. Most people, for their own comfort, sleep under mosquito nets, but at other times it is impossible to avoid being occasionally bitten.
It would undoubtedly be an advantage to keep mosquitos out of a house, but I fear it is impracticable in this country. As to the healthy insects becoming infected-all the servants and the millions of natives living in Southern Nigeria are infected and could hardly all be put under mosquito nets.
IV. I think it is generally conceded that where possible the highest ground should
be chosen for building European residences.
V. The natives are here again the difficulty, as there are very few if any who have not suffered from malaria.
In Dr. Manson's letter several practical difficulties are also left untouched.
i. If one could live entirely under a mosquito net one would probably not get bitten, but, unfortunately, where work has to be done this could hardly be managed. A soldier on an expedition, a police officer called out to quell a riot, a doctor sent for in a hurry at midnight, or a political officer travelling in the bush and in canoes would find a mosquito net somewhat in the way. In the instance quoted by Dr. Manson the hus- band who had his duty to perform did not escape infection, as he found it apparently impossible to take the necessary precautions.
In conclusion I do not think Dr. Manson's experiment would be at all conclusive, as I have met many men out here who have not lived under a mosquito bar, and who have escaped fever for months and even years.
S. W. THOMPSTONE,
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26275
Acting Principal Medical Officer.
K
No. 64.
No. 63.
SOUTHERN NIGERIA.
ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER GALLWEY to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received August 3, 1900.)
[Copy to Malaria Investigation Committee and to Dr. Manson, September 14, 1900. L.F.]
[Answered by No. 75.]
Government House, Old Calabar, July 2, 1900.
(No. 182.) SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch, No. 125, of the 28th April last, together with enclosures, and beg to enclose herewith copy of a report by Dr. S. W. Thompstone, Acting Principal Medical Officer, on certain matters referred to in the Royal Society's and Dr. Manson's communications to the Under Secretary of State, copies of which were enclosed in your above-mentioned despatch.
I am, &c.,
H. L. GALLWEY,
LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL DISEASES to MR. READ. (Received August 11, 1900.)
B 10, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool, DEAR MR. READ,
August 10, 1900. In reply to your letter of the 28th of July,* on the subject of the course of in- struction in tropical medicine, to be taken out at the Liverpool School," arrangements will be made for the fees to be similar to those charged in London.
As the University here is non-residential, it has not been found possible so far
to include board and residence in the scale of charges, the procedure being to obtain lodgings outside for students at the price they are prepared to pay.
The School is, however, in communication with the University authorities on the subject, with a view to making, if possible, a similar arrangement to that of the London School, and I shall communicate with you later on the subject.
I am, &c.,
ALFRED L. JONES.
Enclosure in No. 63.
Acting High Commissioner.
Copy of a Report from the Acting Principal Medical Officer, dated 31st May, 1900.
I have read carefully the attached correspondence referring to the Royal Society's communication:--
I. The pools have always been drained here as far as possible, but the bush is so thick in the neighbourhood of most of the stations that it can only be kept cleared for a very short distance round the houses, and consequently many puddles are hidden.
• No. 28.
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SIR,
No. 65.
COLONIAL OFFICE to ROYAL SOCIETY.
、
•
Downing Street, August 13, 1900. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th of July,† and to convey to you his thanks for the short memorandum on measures to be taken for the prevention of malaria, drawn up by Sir Michael Foster and approved by the President of the Royal Society.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
Not printed.
↑ No. 61; memorandum only printed.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference:
TTTTTIC.O.885
7
PUBLIC, RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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