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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
اسالنا
C.O. 885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
40233
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No. 32.
MR. LYTTELTON to THE EARL OF ROSEBERY (THE RHODES TRUST).
MY DEAR LORD ROSEBERY,
[Answered by No. 36.]
Downing Street, December 30, 1904.
A MATTER has been lately brought under my notice which appears to me to be of such practical importance to all parts of the empire, and not least to South Africa, that I have no hesitation in asking you and your co-trustees, under the will of the late Mr. Rhodes, to consider whether a grant might not be made from the funds which I understand that you have at your disposal.
2. In May, 1903, Mr. Chamberlain addressed a Circular Despatch to the Colonies, in which he gave an outline of what had up to that date been attempted in the direction of improving health and sanitation in the tropical Colonies and Protectorates, and in which he expressed the opinion that the Governments concerned would realise that the contributions which they had given had been applied to objects second to none in importance and public usefulness. He went on to say that it was clear that the work could not stand still; and that, as long as those who could speak with the authority of science were confident that by human effort the rate of mortality from malaria and other tropical diseases could be greatly reduced, and the strength and efficiency of European residents in unhealthy climates could be sensibly increased, so long, in his opinion, ought funds to be forthcoining for carrying on what had been so well begun. He stated that it would be seen from an important letter, signed by Sir M. Foster, then Secretary to the Royal Society, of which a copy was enclosed, that in the latter's opinion greater expenditure and more extended effort were required to grapple with the whole problem of exotic diseases among not only human beings, but animals also; and to reduce to a system the knowledge of such discoveries as might be achieved; that the details of such a scheme would require very careful consideration; but that, in any case, the colonies were likely to be vitally concerned for many years to come with the following objects-- research into malaria and other tropical diseas^s; the Schools of Tropical Medicine, pre-eminently those of London and Liverpool; and the supply of trained nurses. He added that one or other of these objects might more specially commend itself to this or that colony, but that he was inclined to think that, as a fund had been previously formed for the double object of the London Tropical School and the Malaria Commission organised by the Royal Society, so colonial contributions, if and when made, might with advantage continue to be paid into a common fund, out of which the objects referred to in the despatch might be subsidised; that, should he find that this opinion was shared, and that there was a general desire on the part of the Crown Colonies and Protectorates to give moderate donations or subscriptions in aid of medical and sanitary training and research, he would propose to appoint a Board to advise the Secretary of State as to how the moneys received could at any given time be best allotted.
3. In response to this despatch the Colonies have promised contributions amounting to about £1,600 a year for five years; and the Imperial and Indian Governments, which have also been approached on the subject, have each promised annual contributions of £500 a year for five years, so that a total sum of £2,600 a year is available for five from the 1st of January next.
years An Advisory Board has been constituted, consisting
of-
Sir J. West Ridgeway, late Governor of Ceylon (Chairman). Sir R. Moor, late High Commissioner of Southern Nigeria.
Sir P. Manson, the Medical Adviser of the Colonial Office.
Sir M. Foster, representative of the Royal Society.
Sir T. Barlow,
Mr. T. W. Holderness and Surgeon-General Branfoot, representing the India
Office, and
Messrs. C. I'. Lucas and H. J. Read, representing the Colonial Office.
4. The Board have been considering the question of the allocation of the money which has been contributed; and one fact which has emerged from their discussions is, that the scientific experts are unanimously of opinion that in no direction can more he done to advance the study of tropical disease thin in promoting the teaching and investigation of parasitology.
5. As I am informed by my scientific and medical advisers, nearly all the diseases peculiar to the tropics depend upon one or other of two classes of parasites-namely, [Cd. 1598], June, 1903.
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protozoa and helminths, each requiring special study and, investigation of their life history.
6. Ten, or fifteen years ago-in what follows I am quoting the experts for I have not sufficient expert knowledge myself the subjects of protozoology and helminthology had a very limited range, but since the discovery of the malarial parasite, of the blood- worms, of the trypanosomes, &c.—and more especially of the relation of these organisins to, and their mode of spread by, insects and ticks-the subjects have rapidly extended, and at the present day probably constitute the most active and hopeful department in medicine, both human and veterinary.
7. India, Mauritius, the Malay Peninsula, and the Further East, are interested in surra, malaria, filariasis, amebic dysentery, kala-azar, relapsing fever, ankylostomiasis, and other diseases produced by protozoa and helminths. Similarly the West Indies and British Guiana are concerned with yellow fever, filariasis, ankylostomiasis, and probably other diseases of protozoal origin about which definite information has still to be acquired. Lastly, the group of East and West African colonies has a special interest in this class of diseases, for not only have we to deal in them with the worst types of malaria, with three or four forms of filariasis, &c., but also with blackwater fever and sleeping sickness. In these colonies there is not wanting clinical evidence that there are yet other forms of protozoal disease whose causes have still to be discovered.
8. The bearing of protozoa upon diseases of temperate climates has not been so distinctly demonstrated as in those of the tropics, but I understand that much evidence has been accumulating tending to suggest that small-pox, scarlet fever, measles, and other eruptive fevers, are of this nature.
9. It has been impressed upon me in the most distinct manner, that a point of great weight in estimating the advantage to be gained by providing for the skilled study of the protozoic diseases of African and other tropical portions of the British Empire is this that, whilst the progress both of white and of coloured mankind is seriously checked by the ravages of malaria and the like, a still larger number of cattle and horses (and other kinds of stock) are affected by these parasites to such an extent as to cause wholesale extermination of herds and financial disaster.
I am informed that perhaps in no part of the world is the study of protozoic diseases more likely to bear fruit than in South Africa where heartwater in sheep and goats. red water in cattle and dogs, trypanosomiasis in animals generally though especially in man, horses and cattle, blackwater fever, and other diseases which it would be tedious to enumerate stand in urgent need of investigation.
10. While, however, the best scientific opinion, so far as I have been able to ascertain,
is agreed as to the great importance of making proper provision for the study of parasitology, the majority of the experts consider that, of the two branches of the subject, protozoology should take precedence of helminthology, and it is on behalf of the science of protozoology that I ask for the assistance of yourself and your co-trustees.
11. In the third paragraph of this letter I stated that the sum of £2,600 a year is available for the limited period of 5 years. The original intention of the Advisory Board with regard to its allocation was to allot £1,000 a year for 5 years to the London School of Tropical Medicine, which takes 'the leading part in the instruction of the medical officers of the tropical colonies and protectorates a sum of £500 for 5 years to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which has done excellent work in despatching numerous scientific expeditions to various parts of the tropics and which also does u considerable amount of teaching work--and a sum of about £1,000 a year for 5 years to the Royal Society for the purpose of carrying out investigations into the causes and cure of tropical diseases.
12. No question has arisen with regard to the grant of £500 a year to the Liverpool School, and I would merely mention, as supporting what I have stated above, that the School authorities propose to devote one half of the grant towards the establishment of a Lectureship in Parasitology.
13. With regard, however, to the proposed grants of £1,000 a year to the London School and the Royal Society respectively, there has been considerable discussion and I fear that I must trouble you with fuller explanations, as the present appeal is the outcome of that discussion.
14. It appeared that the London School proposed to devote one half of the annual grant of £1,000 to making provision for the study and teaching of protozoology at the School and the other half to making provision for the study and teaching of helminthology. The Advisory Board raised no question with regard to the latter, but very diverse views were expressed with regard to the proposal respecting protozoology. On the one hand