CO885-(18-19) — Page 46

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

وا

Reference :-

C.O.885

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

DEAR MR. MICHELLI,

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London School of Tropical Medicine, Royal Albert Dock, E.,

March 1, 1907. In my opinion these reports prove that the disease sleeping sickness is spread- ing, and that unless energetic and effective measures are taken promptly, the results will be disastrous.

With all deference to the Medical Officer at Kalomo, I consider it impossible to accept his statement (paragraph 6) that there is no need to take an alarmist view; if the conditions may at any time be such there, there is wide diffusion of the disease. (2) Too much reliance cannot be placed on the absence of a certain fly from a certain district. The proof even that Glossina palpalis carries the disease is less conclusive than that anophilines carry malaria and similar trypanosomes in the lower animals, e.g., that causing "surra" are carried by species of flies belonging to several genera. I must urge that the services of a good entomologist are essential for any permanent steps in the prevention of the spread of the disease.

(3) In the present situation registration of all labour and of the natives with a system of passes or passports, regular, say, monthly medical inspection of labour or inhabitants of villages in districts near the infected areas are necessary. That it should be compulsory on the part of any employer of labour to employ only persons with such passports, and to insure that whilst in his employ such natives are regularly inspected.

Increased expenditure and an abundant supply of medical officers are, in my opinion, absolutely necessary, and economy at this stage will result in an ultimate greatly increased expenditure. Present expenditure ranks higher than insurance, and as the interests of more than the Rhodesians are involved, no doubt other Protectorates might be fairly asked to share the cost.

Yours, &c.,

C. W. DANIELS.

P.S. The free use of atoxyl has proved so far successful in the hands of English practitioners, and more recently also by Koch. A large supply should be provided for the treatment of cases as they occur, and will diminish the risk of these people spreading the disease.

10762

No. 19.

BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA PROTECTORATE.

THE COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received March 25, 1907.)

[Copy to Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, April 4, 1907. L.F.] (No. 27.)

Government Offices, Zomba, British Central Africa,

January 29, 1907.

MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, No. 247, of the 24th of October, 1906,* transmitting to me, for my information, copy of correspondence with the Incorporated Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine on the subject of sleeping sickness.

2. I enclose a short report, prepared by Dr. Hearsey, Principal Medical Officer for this Protectorate, showing what progress has been made up to the present date in his Department's enquiries into the special points detailed on the last page of Mr. Milne's letter of the 2nd of October last.

3. The sketch map enclosed with Dr. Hearsey's report shows the districts in which tsetse fly of various descriptions have been actually found so far. It is a preliminary map only; an elaborate investigation is being carried out by the medical officers of the Administration Service, which will enable the Principal Medical Officer in the course of a few months to forward a revised map giving the results of much closer observation.

4. In connection with the distribution of tsetse fly in British Central Africa it may be well to note that north of the latitude of Chintechi (about 11° 45' south) it has been satisfactorily proved that there is hardly any fly existing. It will be seen

• L.F. transmitting copy of No. 77 in Miscellaneous No. 178.

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that three small patches are marked on the map in this northern portion, one on the western border of the Protectorate, another immediately west of Deep Bay, and a third a little south of the Songwe River on the northern border.

I have, &c.,

ALFRED SHARPE,

Commissioner.

Enclosure in No. 19.

H. HEARSEY, Principal Medical Officer, Zomba, to HIS MAJESTY'S COMMISSIONER, Zomba. SIR,

January 24, 1907. WITH further reference to the subject of sleeping sickness and other matters relative thereto, I have the honour to inform you that enquiry on the following lines has lately been pursued, the investigations having been undertaken by medical officers during such intervals as could be spared from the performance of their ordinary duties:---

(1) Incidence of enlargement of the posterior cervical glands in natives. A tabulated statement showing the tribes examined, and in other cases natives of particular districts, is enclosed.

This enquiry is being pursued from time to time as opportunities offer, and it is anticipated that before the arrival of the experts from the Liverpool School, a sufficiently large number of natives will have been examined to afford a working knowledge of the frequency of palpable glands in apparently healthy natives.

(2) Distribution of tsetse flies.

A map of British Central Africa showing the distribution of tsetse, as at present known, is enclosed. There is probably no one in British Central Africa (medical men included) who has as wide and intimate a knowledge of the habits and distribution of the tsetse fly as the Commissioner, a knowledge acquired by several years' residence in the country and a personal acquaintance with almost every locality and district in the Protectorate..

I, therefore, the more readily set down some of his observations with which I have been favoured, as they in a large measure explain the difficulties met with in locating flies in their known habitats, not only in different years, but during different seasons of the same year:-

(a) Fly may be observed in a given locality in certain seasons but not in

others.

(b) They may be seen in certain years but not in others.

(e) They may be seen on some days but not on others, due possibly to different

conditions of weather: clouds, sun, wind, &c.

(d) In British Central Africa the dislike of tsetse fly to open ground is very marked. They do not require dense forest, but apparently must have something in the way of shade trees, not necessarily large. Going through bush infected with tsetse, even the crossing of a small clearing or little dambo (plain) at once causes the numbers to diminish, only those on the backs of men, or hovering about, continuing in open ground.

(e) About 2,500 feet above sea level may be taken as the elevation up to which, in British Central Africa, tsetse may be found. There are many dis- tricts below this level which, however, never have fly. The whole of the British stretch of territory lying-immediately east of the southern part of the east shore of Lake Nyasa is without teetse, though that portion of it near the lake is at a low elevation. After leaving the southern end of Lake Nyasa, however, tsetse appears in the low country.

(f) Scarcely any native, and not many Europeans, know the fly or can give any

reliable information concerning them.

With reference to the areas shown on the enclosed map as fly infested, I have only to add that:-

(a) G. morsitans is found all over the localities indicated.

• Not reproduced.

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