PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
885
88
I would strongly urge upon the Government the great importance and necessity of the early appointment of a medical officer-skilled in research and familiar with tropical disease as a Government Inspector for this duty in the southern district of the Bahr-el-Ghazal.
His duty would be to organise and supervise a system on the above lines, to prevent and delay the possible introduction of this terrible disease, and to interest himself generally in the investigation of "Sleeping Sickness and any means to lessen its spread in the country.
As remarked by Major Dansey-Browning, the work done by him was not of an experimental nature, but mainly consisted in the collection of data as regards the distribution of the tsetse fly, and personal observations on the spot as to the possible presence of the disease in Soudan territory. It is, however, interesting to note that, in his examination of natives in various districts, a certain number were detected with cervical glandular enlargements due to no obvious cause--but trypanosomata were not found on examination of glandular juices or peripheral blood,
Dr. Andrew Balfour attaches remarks as to the value of the various specimens collected by Major Dansey-Browning and sent to Khartoum for examination. No evidence, however, of the existence of human trypanosomiasis was afforded.
I attach a map, which I have taken the liberty of copying from a paper by Dr. Todd in the "Lancet," showing the present distribution areas of "Sleeping Sickness" and the known limits of "Tsetse Fly." It clearly shows how obvious is the danger of the introduction of the disease and how close the infected areas are to Soudan territory.
59
British Central Africa Protectorate for 1907-8 for the expenditure required subse- quently.
5. Their Lordships will recognize that it is essential to arrange for the two gentlemen who are to engage in this investigation to arrive in the British Central Africa Protectorate by the end of the rainy season. Lord Elgin would not otherwise have asked their sanction to any expenditure in this connection during the current financial year.
44111
No. 90.
I am, &c.,
FRED. GRAHAM
BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received November 30, 1906.)
SIR,
2, London Wall Buildings, London, E.C., November 29, 1906. I AM directed to forward, for the information of the Secretary of State, the enclosed copy of the Minutes* of a meeting of my Directors, held on the 22nd instant, together with the documents† relating thereto.
I am, &c.,
A. P. MILLAR,
Assistant Secretary.
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- - COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
Cairo,
October 22, 1906.
42023
SIR,
G. DOUGLAS HUNTER,
Lieutenant-Colonel,
Principal Medical Officer, President, Soudan "Sleeping Sickness Commission."
No. 89.
COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.
[Answered by No. 95.]
Downing Street, November 27, 1906. I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to request you to inform the Lords Com- missioners of the Treasury that he has been in communication with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine as to the means which should be adopted to prevent, if possible, the spread of sleeping sickness into the British Central Africa Pro-
tectorate.
2. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have now proposed that two experts should be sent by them to the Protectorate for the purpose of studying the local conditions and suggesting-and if necessary helping to initiate--such measures as they may consider best fitted for the purpose in view. They have offered to pay the salaries of the gentlemen selected for this duty, provided that the Government grants them free passages to and from, and free transport in, the Protectorate, together with free quarters and a subsistence allowance not exceeding 10s. per diem. 3. Lord Elgin has communicated these proposals to His Majesty's Commis- sioner, who recommends that they should be accepted. His Lordship has accordingly thanked the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine for their generous offer, and has informed them that he is asking the Board of Treasury to agree to the provision of the necessary funds for carrying out the obligations which will fall on the Protectorate Government.
4. According to present arrangements the two experts will not leave this country until the middle or end of January, 1907; accordingly the Secretary of State does not anticipate that any large expenditure will be incurred before the end of the present financial year. His Lordship proposes that the sum actually required up to the 31st of March next shall be met, if possible, from savings on expenditure already sanctioned; due provision will be made on the estimates of the
Enclosure in No. 90.
(Annexure No. 4 to British South Africa Company Minutes of the 22nd November,
SIR,
1906.)
(Received November 17, 1906.)
Administrator's Office, Fort Jameson, October 1, 1906.
IN continuation of my letter of 18th of August, I now forward Dr. Noble's report of his investigation of sleeping sickness on the Congolese border, together with a memorandum by the Principal Medical Officer.
I have decided to establish a medical post at Madona, on the Luapula River, for the purpose of further investigation, and for the exercise of whatever preventive measures may be found possible, and Dr. Noble has been instructed to proceed to that place immediately.
The co-operation of the Government of the Congo State and of the officials of the Tanganyika Concessions is very necessary. I have accordingly written to the local representative of the Congo Government asking for assistance, and pointing out to him that the spread of the disease to the Mweru and Luapula Districts seems to be due to the Congo State system of recruiting soldiers in infected areas to be stationed in areas which are free from the disease. There has been for several months a case of sleeping sickness at Kasenga, on the Luapula, where tsetse fly, both Glossina Morsitans and Glossina Palpalis abound, constituting every condition for the establishment of a focus of infection, and I have requested that this and similar cases may be removed to within the endemic area, or to some place where tsetse fly is non-existent.
There can be no doubt that unless the Congo Government comply with this request, both Lake Mweru and the Luapula River will shortly become permanent endemic areas, as Lake Tanganyika and other parts of the Congo are now, and I suggest that the Imperial Government should be requested to make proper repre- sentations to the Chiefs of the Congo Government in Brussels,
As regards the co-operation of the Tanganyika Concessions, I have no doubt whatever that this will be readily accorded us, but I shall be glad if you will bring the matter to the notice of Mr. Robert Williams and of Mr. George Grey, who is now in England.
Should cases of the disease appear on the Rhodesian side of the Luapula I still
• Not printed.
† Annexare 4 only printed.
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