PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
minimin C.O 885
9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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No. 19.
MALTA.
MR. LYTTELTON to GOVERNOR SIR C. M: CLARKE. [Answered by No. 39.]
(No. 14.)
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to transmit
Downing Street, February 9, 1904. to you, with reference to previous correspondence, the accompanying copies of further papers*
Colonial Office to Admiralty and War relating to the proposed appointment of a Com-
Office, January 2.
War Office, January 11. Admiralty, January 20.
uary 25.
mission to investigate Mediterranean fever.
2. As regards the last sentence of Sir A. Colonial Office to Royal Society, Jan- Geikie's letter of the 30th of January,† I pre- sume that the Malta Government would be willing to combine with the Admiralty and the War Office in providing the additional funds required by the Royal Society for the purpose of making a full inquiry into the disease, provided that the expenditure involved be moderate.
Royal Society, January 30. Colonial Office to Admiralty and War
Office, February 8.
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(No. 10.) SIR,
No. 20. BERMUDA.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
GOVERNOR SIR H. L. GEARY to MR. LYTTELTON.
(Received February 11, 1904.)
Government House, Bermuda, January 21, 1904. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, "General,” of the 1st instant, calling attention to the fact that no reply had been sent from this Government to your predecessor's circular despatch of the 28th of May, 1903, § on the subject of malaria research, and with regard to Mr. Chamberlain's proposal to establish a common fund, out of which the objects which formed the subject of the despatch under reference might be subsidized.
2. My Executive Council, before whom I placed Mr. Chamberlain's despatch, § have advised that an application be made to the Legislature to vote a sum of £250 as a donation towards the objects referred to in the despatch, and it is considered probable that the Assembly will agree to make the appropriation suggested.
3. I regret that it will not be possible to bring the matter forward at this late stage of the present Legislative Session, but it will not be overlooked on the re- assembling of the Colonial Parliament in May next.
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I have, &c.,
H. L. GEARY,
Lieutenant-General, Governor, and Commander-in-Chief.
No. 21. BARBADOS.
GOVERNOR SI F. M. HODGSON to MR. LYTTELTON.
(Received February 12, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 31.]
Government House, January 23, 1904.
I HAVE the hour to acknowledge the receipt of your General despatch of
(No. 18.)
SIR,
• Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 18.
† No. 6. ‡ Not printed.
[Ca. 1598] June, 1003.
13
the 1st instant, in which attention is called to the fact that a reply has not been received from Barbados to Mr. Chamberlain's circular despatch of the 28th May last,† with regard to the investigation of malaria and the treatment and prevention of tropical diseases generally.
2. The despatch in question, which reached Barbados during my absence in England, was, I find, communicated to Dr. Hutson, the Government Poor Law Inspector, and to the Members of the Executive Committee. Dr. Hutson wrote as follows:-
"I am familiar with the subject, and it is good to have it set out from the beginning,
"I had not seen the report of Doctors Stephens and Christophers to the Royal Society. It is most valuable and instructive. It is certainly a new idea to regard malaria as an infectious disease; but it really is just as much so as yellow fever, depending, as it does, on exactly similar conditions, viz., an infected blood stream and suitable blood sucker to disseminate it. This aspect of the question ought
to awake attention in malarious colonies.
With us it is filarial disease that exists under similar conditions."
3. The Executive Committee, at a meeting held on the 9th July, decided against subscribing to the fund which is being started in aid of medical and sanitary training and research, on the ground that dangerous malarial fevers are absent from Barbados, and that under the circumstances no advantage would be gained by doing so. I regret this decision for several reasons, but more especially because there is much to be done here in connection with filarial diseases, and the prevention and treatment of yellow fever.
4. The Committee were no doubt influenced by the state of the finances, which renders it imperative to study economy in every direction, but I shall hope later to find it possible to obtain a reversal of the decision. In the meantime it will, I trust, be found possible to send me copies of any correspondence, pamphlets, or papers which may be disseminated among those Colonies which are contributors to the fund, as by this means I shall be better able to bring home to the people the advantages to be obtained by common action, and the disadvantages of isolation.
5. I may add that I have now given directions for the circular despatcht to be published in the Government Gazette, and copies of it will be sent to every registered medical practitioner, and to the several parochial Commissioners of health in the island.
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SIR,
No. 22.
I have, &c.,
F. M. HODGSON.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received February 16, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 30.]
Foreign Office, February 15, 1904.
I AM directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you a copy of a letter from Major Will, Principal Medical Officer of the East Africa and Uganda Protectorates, submitting observations on your letter, 44559/1903, of the 3rd instant,‡ on the subject of bacteriological research.
Lord Lansdowne hopes to receive a further report on the subject from Major Will after he has studied the question in East Africa, but meanwhile His Lordship would be glad if Mr. Secretary Lyttelton would favour him with his views on Major Will's suggestion for the training of medical officers.
I am, &c.,
CLEMENT LL. HILL. →
• Not printed.
↑ [ca. 1598.]
‡ No. 10.