PUBLIC
RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
mmmmm, 885 /
9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
32
3. The offer of this gauze for sale to the public may, with advantage, be notified
in the Leeward Islands Gazette, and extended to residents in any Presidency of the Colony.
20130
i have, &c.,
G. STRICKLAND,
Governor.
No. 96. QUEENSLAND,
DEPUTY-GOVERNOR SIR H. M. NELSON to MR. LYTTELTON.
(No. 19.)
SIR,
(Received June 6, 1904.)
[See No. 152.]
Government House, Brisbane, Queensland,
April 26, 1904.
Wrrи reference to your circular despatch of 28th May, 1903,* respecting the investigation of Malaria and the training of medical officers in the treatment and prevention of tropical diseases, I have the honour to forward herewith, copy of a report on the subject by the Commissioner of Public Health.
SIR,
1
I have not sent a copy of this despatch to the Governor-General.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 96.
HUGH M. NELSON,
Deputy-Governor.
Department of Public Health, Queensland, Brisbane, April 15, 1904. WITH reference to the accompanying Colonial Office circular despatches on the subject of the connection of malarial fever with mosquitoes, and the training of medical officers in the treatment and prevention of tropical diseases, I have the honour to inform you that, these despatches with the enclosures have been read at the meetings of the Central Board of Health, and that Dr. O'Brien, Health Officer, attached to this Department, will shortly furnish a report respecting his recent official inquiries in regard to plague, malaria, ankylostoma, and other tropical diseases at Cairns and other northern places, a copy of which will be forwarded to you as soon as it is available.
An inquiry into the distribution of malaria in Queensland revealed the fact that the southern portion of the State was practically free from risk to health and life from malaria, but that a malarial form of sickness, known as "Gulf fever," at times existed in the more northern districts.
I have ascertained that most of the cases of malarial fever the medical profession in Brisbane are called upon to treat come from British New Guinea and the portion of our territory bounded by the Gulf of Carpentaria, known as the "Gulf country."
Several interesting articles on the life history of the mosquitoes found in Queens land have been contributed to the medical journals by Dr. T. Bancroft, of Burpen- gary, in this State, but doubtless these have already come under the notice of the committee of gentlemen appointed by the Right Honourable the Secretary of State to consider the subject of the connection of malarial fever with mosquitoes.
I presume the suggestions contained in the despatch, dated the 20th April, 1901, refer more particularly to tropical Crown Colonies and Dependencies, having a native population, but I would, nevertheless, recommend that those of the sug- gestions dealing with the prevention of the transmission of malaria by mosquito bite should be adopted by the Government of this State, and that copies of these suggestions together with copies of the notice prepared by Dr. Manson, entitled Malaria; its cause and prevention" should be forwarded to the health and medical officers throughout the State.
Many copies of Dr. Manson's notice have already been distributed, and with a view to bringing it under the notice of the medical profession in Queensland. I intend placing it before the Queensland Branch of the British Medical Association at an early date.
• [Cd. 1598].
53
With regard to the Honourable the Premier's minute of the 18th March ultimo, requesting my opinion on the London and Liverpool Schools of Tropical Medicine, I have to state that I have been keenly interested in the work of these schools since their establishment. Before I left London in November of 1900, I interviewed Sir Patrick Manson upon the subject of a proposal to establish a school in Australia upon similar lines to those referred to, and I took the earliest opportunity of bringing the proposition prominently before the Governments of the various States, the medical profession, and the public generally.
At the Intercofonial Medical Congress of Australia, held at Hobart in 1902, I advocated the establishment of a School of Tropical Medicine in Australia in a paper read before the Congress styled "The Spirit of Hygeia."
The part of my paper (copies enclosed*) relating to the proposed establishment of an Australian School of Tropical Medicine will be found on page 430. Resolutions framed by Dr. Goldsmith and myself embodying suggestions for obtaining the neces- sary financial assistance for the establishment of the School were submitted to, and subsequently passed by, the full Congress.
Our endeavours, however, to induce the Government of the Commonwealth or the State Governments to support the establishment of the proposed school have, I regret to state, been unsuccessful.
The late Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, the Right Honourable Sir Edmund Barton, informed me that his Government could not entertain the idea, and the Honourable R. Philip, the late Premier of Queensland, could not promise his support, owing to the depleted condition of the State Treasury.
At a conference of the State Premiers held last year, no consideration was given
to the matter, although the subject appeared on their agenda paper.
In informing Sir Patrick Manson of this decision in my letter to that gentleman
of the 21st of January this year, I suggested the desirableness of the governing body of the London School of Tropical Medicine establishing a branch of their institution in Australia.
There is no doubt that the study of many diseases peculiar to the northern or the more tropical parts of Australia, especially Queensland, would well repay scienti- fic research, and the establishment of a school as suggested would afford unique opportunities to the medical profession to study many diseases peculiar to the unhealthy parts of our Empire.
I have, &c.,
The Under Secretary,
Home Secretary's Department.
20304
SIR,
B. BURNETT HAM, M.D., D.P.H.,
No. 97. MALTA.
Commissioner of Public Health.
GOVERNOR SIR C. M. CLARKE to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received June 8, 1904.)
[Answered, June 13, 1904, No. 79: 20304; not printed— transmitting copies of Nos, 94 and 104.] (No. 98.)
The Palace, Valletta, June 1, 1904. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 30th ultimo. † to which I have replied to-day in the following words :-
Referring to your telegram of 30th May, no reason why Bruce should not
start next week."
2. Dr. Zammit reports that no special arrangements have yet been made for the proposed investigation, as the laboratory of the Public Health Department is sufficiently well-equipped to enable the Commission to commence its labours, and the installation of a special laboratory for experimental purposes may be proceeded with after the Commission has started its preliminary work.
I have, &c.,
• Not received in Colonial Office.
CHAS. M. CLARKE,
† No. 89.
Governor.