PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
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9PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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me to report whether I think that any special preventive measures should be taken against this disease.
2. In May last reports were circulated by the local press that sleeping sickness was rampant on the western shores of Lakes Tanganyika and Mweru. I tele- graphed for information to the Administrator of North-Eastern Rhodesia, the Magis- trate resident at the south end of Tanganyika, and the Governor-General of German East Africa, and was informed in reply that: (a) Sleeping sickness had not appeared in British territory on Lake Mweru and no authenticated case was known to have occurred on its western shores; (b) That the disease was unknown at the south end of Tanganyika; (c) That on Tanganyika the only authenticated cases were at the north end of the lake.
Since receiving this information, I have heard on reliable authority that two cases were authenticated at Luanza, west of Lake Mweru, but that the disease had disappeared; from which it would seem that these cases failed to act as a focus of infection, owing probably to the absence of any infecting medium. I have also heard rumours of (unauthenticated) cases occurring at Roman Catholic Mission stations west of Lake Tanganyika.
3. I enclose some notes, prepared for me by Dr. Hearsey, Principal Medical Officer for this Protectorate.
4. I need hardly state that I very fully realize the undoubted danger of the spread of sleeping sickness in a southerly direction along the trade route which exists from Tanganyika to the mouth of Zambesi, and the necessity for taking whatever preventive steps may be practicable with the object of checking such spread.
5. Before entering upon the question as to what may be the best steps to take, I will endeavour to give some idea as to the position in which we stand as regards the tsetse fly and the localities where sleeping sickness might be expected to obtain a stopping place. The enclosed sketch map shows the distribution of tsetse fly in British Central Africa, the districts where it exists being shaded brown,
6. Up to the present, the only descriptions of glossina which have been found in the Protectorate are G. morsitans, G. fusca, and G. pallidipes. Glossina palpalis has not yet been discovered, although it is quite possible that it exists.
7. At the south end of Tanganyika, on the immediate shores of that lake, tsetse fly is found (morsitans). Within a few miles south of the lake the road to Nyasa rises rapidly and fly is quickly left behind. From a point 12 or 15 miles south of Lake Tanganyika no more tsetse fly is met with along the whole route to Karonga, at the north end of Lake Nyasa. Some 15 miles west of Karonga the road descends from the high country to the lake plains, but there is no tsetse fly, and the whole of these plains are occupied by cattle belonging to the Wankonde natives. (It is interesting to note that buffalo were formerly found in vast numbers on these plains before rinderpest killed them off.) The road connecting the south end of Tanganyika with the north end of Nyasa (Karonga), generally known as the "Stevenson Road," is well frequented and much used. Goods transported on it are carried by natives living on the Tanganyika-Nyasa Plateau or in the Awemba country to the south of the road. The whole of the Awemba country is, as far as I can gather, free from tsetse fly. Carriers coming from Tanganyika to Nyasa, after finishing their transport work, return to their villages. The only natives who, having come across from Tanganyika, proceed south, down Lake Nyasa, are such few personal servants or followers of occasional travellers as may be proceeding to the coast by this route. There is practically no communication by land from the north end of Lake Nyasa in a southerly direction. Local natives of course travel from village to village, but there is no main road used, all passengers and cargo coming down the lake by steamer.
8. On the upper half of Lake Nyasa tsetse fly of any description is unknown so far as I can ascertain (at any rate in British territory). Probably the reason for this is that the high plateau country which lies west of the lake descends, in its upper half, abruptly to the lake shore, and there is no low-lying country between the lake and the mountains. It is only when the districts about Bandawe are reached that tsetse is seen. It is very scarce there, but I am told it is occasionally met with. From Bandawe down the west shore of the lake there is a strip of low
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country or foot-hills between the shore and the mountains to the west, and here tsetse is found in places. This belt, parallel to the lake shore, stretches down to the south end of Nyasa, and, with a few breaks, down the Shiré River to the southernmost limits of the Protectorate. East of the Shiré River tsetse exists on the eastern shores of Malombe Lake and thence down almost to Chikwawa; also on the west side of the river. Fly is found in patches in the foot-hills to the east of the Elephant Marsh (but not in the marsh) and for a short distance up the Ruo River. In higher country, such as Mlanji, the Shiré Highlands, and practically almost the entire block of that portion of British Central Africa which lies west of Lake Nyasa (over 2,500 feet above sea level), tsetse of any description is not found.
9. It will be seen, therefore, that the conditions are, fortunately, generally unfavourable to the spread of sleeping sickness in this Protectorate, even should imported cases pass through, as no foothold could be obtained by the disease unless it was introduced into one of the fly districts (and even then it is not certain that we have G. palpalis which, so far as is yet known, appears to be the only means of infection).
10.
In view of the statements made in paragraph 8 of the memorandum of the Liverpool Tropical School, however, I consider that we should not wait for any nearer approach of sleeping sickness, but should at once take in hand the steps outlined in that memorandum; and I would propose to carry these out as follows:- (1) Copies of the memorandum to be forwarded at once to the District Resi. dent at Karonga, and eventually to all other District Residents in this Protectorate, with instructions to carry out the measures sug- gested, so far as may be possible.
(2) A Government Medical Officer, to be stationed either at Karonga or Fort Hill, to carry out rigidly the measures outlined in the memorandum, and to take such other steps as may suggest themselves to him.
(3) Although the Principal Medical Officer expresses the opinion that it would probably not be necessary to send a medical officer of this Pro- tectorate to study sleeping sickness in Uganda, I am inclined to think that such a course might be of advantage.
11. In order to carry out these measures your Lordship will readily understand that it will be necessary to increase the medical staff of the Protectorate. Should my suggestions be approved, therefore, I have the honour to ask that two additional medical officers may be appointed and sent out as soon as possible. I am already so short of doctors that, pending such additional appointments, I have 'no one to send to Karonga or Fort Hill.
12. It may be well to point out: (1) that the Stevenson Road from Tanganyika to Fort Hill runs through the territory of the British South Africa Chartered Com- pany; and (2) that there is another road connecting Nyasa with Tanganyika, which runs parallel with the Stevenson Road, in German territory. I am communicating with the Administrator of North Eastern Rhodesia, sending him a copy of the memorandum, and requesting him to co-operate with me in taking such steps as may be within his power. So far as the German route between the two lakes is concerned, possibly your Lordship may think it advisable to take the necessary steps to bring the matter before the Berlin Government.
13. I am telegraphing to-day* asking for the appointment of two more medical officers.
14. I am forwarding a copy of the memorandum to the Manager of the African Lakes Corporation, the sole transport and trading company which now carries on operations between Lakes Nyasa and Tanganyika, with a request that he will instruct his agents to endeavour to carry out the suggestions made.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED SHARPE,
Commissioner.
* No. 57.