GCC
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TPILTIC.O.885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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and there is a certain amount of scrub but very little other vegetation; the soil is hard and granitic. The Likabula is a hill stream, running over rocks.
(4.) Blantyre. The main objection to the present situation of Blantyre is that it is surrounded by native quarters which, from the nature of the work carried on (transport, &c.), by Europeans, it would not be in any way practicable to shift. Another objection is the bad and inadequate supply of water; this, however, could be remedied by digging more wells or bringing water in pipes from a distance of about six miles. Otherwise the present site is a healthy enough one, though every year shows an in- creasing number of mosquitoes because of artificial watercourses (no doubt necessary), influx of natives, &c. A more sanitary residence than that now in use for Blantyre officials, would be on a site almost due east on the Blantyre-Cholo road, where there is a ridge on the Mudi and Naperi rivers (half a mile from each) two and a quarter miles from the Blantyre Government Buildings. There are no natives there, the ridge is suitable for building on, and it is also on Government land, and is on the track of the proposed railway which does not come to Blantyre.
(5.) Zomba and Mlanje.-Neither of these stations is in need of change. Each has its sanatorium in close proximity (i.e., on the Plateau above), and each has a good and plentiful supply of water.
(6.) Liwonde. A new station has been built here recently, and is a considerable improvement on the old one, though the officials suffer from the extreme heat (from September to April), and myriads of mosquitoes. A sanatorium for this site could be made on the Junguni Hill four miles North-East of Liwonde. It is 3,111 feet high, but a house could be built on a site at an elevation of 2,050 feet. The only objection would be the want of water which is nearly half a mile distant-the Lukwenu river. But there is another site available, and one which the officials at present at Liwonde favour, viz.:--in the vicinity of Che Mkula's village, 8 miles from Li- wonde. Its elevation is 1,700 feet, and there are a number of rises on which good sites for a sanatorium could be found. There are not many natives about and com- paratively few mosquitoes. A very noticeable change from the climate of Liwonde is to be got on the hills near Mkula.
(7.) Fort Johnston.-A great improvement in the general health of this place has attended the change made over three years ago to its present situation though' the sick rate still shows an undue proportion of fever and dysentery cases. Mosquitoes could never be eradicated, from the nature of the place, and there are always large numbers of natives there. There is a more healthy site for Government officials' houses behind Makandanje's village on the Ngoma Hill to a mile behind the village, at 2,500 feet, i.e., about 800 feet above Lake level. There is a ridge here on granitic soil, and there are no natives with the exception of a few along the Lake shore. The only objection is that water would have to be carried from the Lake. This site is within one mile of the station of the proposed Chiromo-Nyasa railway. But for this important station it is essential there should be a sanatorium, and there is an admirable site available at Pirolongwe Hill Plateau. The temperature there falls so low at night that a stone or brick building with fireplaces would be necessary. To describe the site in question: it is 22 miles from Fort Johnston, W.S.W. 3,000 feet above Lake level, and consists of a well watered plateau (there being a spring on top) 1,000 acres in area, with lots of banana trees, and but little other vegetation; no mosquitoes. The houses could be built in a sort of volcanic cup, and therefore well sheltered. The Fort Mlangcni road passes the base of the hill. This is a most favour- able site for a sanatorium, and within an easy day's journey of Fort Johnston. If a comfortable building were erected there it would enable officials who are run down in health to recuperate with little or no inconvenience or expense. There is another site for a sanatorium for Fort Johnston, viz., at Fort Mangoche, which is about nine- teen miles distant, and 3,400 feet above Lake level, or 5,000 feet above the level of the sea. There is a plateau here about six square miles in area, and there is no doubt it is a very bracing place. Officials in the past have not availed themselves as they should have of this retreat, a partial explanation of this has been that there is no building outside the Government Military Fort, and the majority of officials-assist- ants, engineers, &c., are rather diffident about going there. But there is plenty of room outside the Fort, and a good stone building could soon be erected on the Plateau. This would remove any difficulty as to these officials going up there for week-end trips or whenever they were run down." The other Lake stations, having regard to the work carried on in them could not be better situated than they are, and no change of site would be advisable except in the case of Karonga, which is not a healthy station,
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but it lies in such a large tract of marshy land that it would be extremely difficult to select a new site, which would not entail removing it a long distance inland, i.e., in order to give the officials a cool residence with few mosquitoes and few natives. The main body of the traders have transferred their dwellings to the Kambwe lagoon-- two miles to the east, and they claim that they enjoy much better health in the new position than when formerly living in Karonga. The Government Medical Officer there having also gone into the question, has applied to have his house built at the Lagoon and the Chief Surveyor, who recently visited the place has reported favourably on it as likely to afford a much healthier township than the present site. Kambwe Lagoon is at the entrance of the Lukuru River into Lake Nyasa. In the past it has been subject to being periodically swamped by a silting up of sand at the river mouth at the bar, but the traders (there are now twelve brick inhabited houses on the Lagoon bank) have no difficulty in keeping a strip of sand free of papyrus and there- fore dry. No doubt the new site is a much more pleasant one than the old site (all the residents say so) but the question of the liability of the Lagoon to flooding will require to be further considered.
Of late, yachting has been taken up by the officials in Lake stations, and this healthy sport should greatly contribute to an improved hygiene in these places.
The foregoing suggestions have all been put forward tentatively, and would require the help of a special Committee or local Boards before being looked upon as in any way conclusive.
(b.) That wherever possible a space in every Government quarter used as a dwelling house by Europeans be protected against mosquitoes by wire gauze, thus affording an opportunity to every official to diminish the risk of infection." No doubt most officials on the Lower River and Lake Nyasa stations would appreciate such a protected space on the verandah, but wire gauze will have to be issued free and every facility given for its erection in such a form that it can easily be put up and taken down, otherwise it would take too much room, during the day, on the verandah, ab- sorbing about a third of its space, and rather than have this, almost every official would prefer to do without it." Probably if wire gauze in frames could be served out, of such a design that they could be easily put together each evening, and the method of getting in and out of them be made easy, and if it were found that they were not too hot and close inside, they might become popular, and be adopted by other resi- dents, traders, &c. It is not sufficient to simply point out to the men in these stations the best way for them to avoid infection; they all have their duties during the day, and at evening are fatigued, and would much prefer to sit or lie about unprotected, flicking off mosquitoes here and there, than set about erecting a mosquito-proof cage or see to its being put together if it were of such a type that servants could not easily do so.
In other words, if it is desired to put down Malarial and Blackwater Fevers. on the lines laid down in this series of recommendations, a special grant of money and materials will be required for this object.
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(c.) "That all rooms be provided with special means for the destruction of mosquitoes."
We have not as yet been able to find any "special means of practical utility. Unless each room be thoroughly well smoked every evening for some time (and this would make it unbearable in hot close weather) there is no other means of getting rid of all the mosquitoes. It is not merely sufficient to search the walls-the insects will be found under chairs, beds, in the fold of curtains, &c.-on anything that is dark and will form a suitable background for their dark bodies. I have seen a whole room searched, and appear to be absolutely clear, and yet, shortly after, six or eight mosquitoes were found resting on the back of a tin trunk, between it and the wall. One can find mosquitoes in such places as behind pictures, books, &c., and in the case of houses without ceilings, there are numerous nooks where an anopheles after a feed of blood can retire until it is again ready to bite. A special pattern of furniture would be necessary to keep rooms free from mosquitoes where they are at all plentiful.
(d.) That all Europeans now in malarial Colonies, should "provide themselves with mosquito nets of approved pattern, material and mesh, for use both in their quarters and when travelling." The only way to ensure this is for His Majesty's Government to provide mosquito nets of an approved pattern at the rate of one net per official every two years. These nets must be roomy and strong, and in those stations where mosquitoes are numerous one extra large net per Government house should be served out. If the netting and gauze were bought in quantity this would not after all entail a heavy outlay.
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