580
38632
No. 63.
SOUTHERN NIGERIA.
ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER PROBYN to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received November 4, 1901.)
•
(No. 328.) SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your circular despatch of the 20th April last, respecting practical suggestions for lessening the risk from malaria. I enclose a copy of a report by a Committee appointed to consider the matter, and may add that the conclusions of the Committee coincide with the views of the Principal Medical Officer.
Government House, Old Calabar, October 9, 1901.
2. I am causing copies of the notice prepared by Dr. Manson to be printed and framed with a view to their being placed in every bed-room, mess-room, and office in Government buildings throughout the Protectorate.
3. The first suggestion, contained in the circular despatch, recommending that new buildings should be located away from native quarters has already been acted upon by the High Commissioner. He has also given directions which have resulted in the removal of stagnant water from the immediate vicinity of many of the existing stations in the Protectorate.
In my opinion continued action in these two directions will be very advantageous. In the case of some of the river stations it will, of course, be impossible to prevent the existence of swamps. In very few of these cases, however, will it be necessary to allow stagnant water to remain, as, by attention to drainage, the water in the swamps can be kept in circulation, even although it is not possible to fill in the swamp. In many cases this can be done with little expense, and I may mention that at Sapele it has been found possible to drain, at a cost of £9, the whole of the swamp which was situated about 300 yards distance from the Government quarters and which extended over a very considerable area. In other cases, however, considerable expense will be necessary-notably in the case of Akassa, with regard to which I have the honour to refer you to my despatch, No. 213, of 29th July last.†
4. With regard to suggestion D in the circular despatch, the mosquito nets are under the existing regulations provided by the Government for all European officers at their quarters, and the "List of Uniform and Equipment for the permanent staff in Southern Nigeria," which is given to officers on appointment in accordance with the recommendation contained in High Commissioner's despatch, No. 319, of 18th December, 1900,† includes in the camp equipment, mosquito net.
It would perhaps be desirable to supplement the information contained in this list by attaching thereto a printed slip informing officers that they are required to provide themselves with mosquito nets for travelling, and that such nets should be kept with their cabin baggage and not packed away with the heavy luggage, so that the nets may be readily obtainable in the event of the officer being instructed to disembark at Forcados or elsewhere before reaching Old Calabar.
In the event of your approving of this suggestion, I have the honour to respect- fully beg to request that the Crown Agents may be informed accordingly.
49
(b.) The Committee are of opinion that from the plan and present construction of the Government houses in the different districts in the Protectorate this suggestion is impracticable. The Committee are also of the opinion that it would be a matter of impossibility to build a house which would be at the same time comfortable and mosquito-proof in this climate.
The Committee would point out that it is an easy matter for any officer wishing to diminish the risk of contagion from mosquito bite, to have erected in his room a four-sided wooden frame over which mosquito bar netting is stretched and tacked, with a door on one side.
This could be done at a small expense to the officer concerned.
(c.) Appears vague; at present long brooms and fly whisks can easily be obtained when required.
(d.) This should be compulsory.
(e.) Certainly.
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(f) This should be the duty of the District Medical Officer in cach district. The Committee are of the opinion that the District Medical Officers are now doing their utmost to keep all dwelling-houses free from mosquitoes.
(g.) The Committee being of the opinion that residence in this country in houses rendered completely mosquito-proof by a system of wire-gauze protection would be neither hygienic nor comfortable, do not consider that any useful purpose would be served in making suggestions or recommendations to Governors on this subject.
(h. and i.) That all officers, especially those newly appointed, should be instructed to provide themselves with mosquito nets before leaving England.
That these nets should be kept handy on the voyage and not packed away with heavy luggage.
That approved pattern of mosquito netting be kept by the Crown Agents, and available for the inspection of newly-joined officers.
That copies of these rules or any others that may be adopted with reference to the prevention of malaria should be kept at the Crown Agents, and handed to all officers on their appointment before leaving England for West Africa.
The Committee take this opportunity of pointing out the absolute necessity, in their opinion, of the thorough cleansing of all dwelling quarters, viz., the systematic and daily brushing of all walls, corners of doors, windows, jalousies, &c., and the keeping of all indoor furniture free from the damp or dirt which undoubtedly harbours, flies and mosquitoes.
F. S. JAMES,
Travelling Commissioner.
J. P. Fagan,
39553
District Medical Officer,
Bonny.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTTTTIC.O.885
No. 64.
CEYLON.
GOVERNOR SIR J. WEST RIDGEWAY to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received November 11, 1901.)
I have, &c.,
LESLIE PROBYN,
Acting High Commissioner.
(No. 419.)
SIR,
Enclosure in No. 63.
Proceedings of a Committee held at Bonny on July 9th, 1901.
Malaria Fever Prevention-Practical Suggestions on.
It was decided to take the nine suggestions conveyed in Secretary of State's circular despatch to High Commissioner seriatim and to give an opinion upon them. (a.) This is done as far as possible, and the Committee are further of opinion, that all new buildings, where possible, should be advantageously placed so as to face- the prevailing wind.
Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, October 22, 1901. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular Despatch of 20th April, 1901,* forwarding suggestions made by the Committee appointed to report on measures to be adopted for the prevention of malaria, and enquiring whether any or all of these suggestions might be adopted in Ceylon, and in what way they can be carried out.
2. In reply, I have the honour to report as follows regarding the first six sug- gestions:-
First Suggestion (a.) This recommendation will be carried out as far as practic-
Second Suggestion (b.) As a rule Government quarters are well situated in
able.
• No. 11.
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↑ Not printed.
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• No. 11.
2
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON