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held at this office. I also enclose a copy of a memorandum giving the chief reasons which induced the mecting to adopt the resolution.

(No. 64.) SIR,

No. 73.

WINDWARD ISLANDS; GRENADA.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.

Downing Street, 23 June, 1908.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch, No. 77 of 12 May,* on the subject of ankylostomiasis. While it is evident that it is necessary to consider further the general question of preventive measures before taking any action, I wish to draw your attention to a specific statement in Dr. Hatton's report, in which he says that "The schools throughout the country are insufficiently supplied with latrines, and that those that do exist are generally in a condition far from satisfactory." You will no doubt consider what steps can be taken to

I have, &c., remedy this defect.

23754

SIR,

No. 74.

INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received 1 July, 1908.)

CREWE.

India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W., 30 June, 1908.

IN continuation of my letter of the 24th January, 1908,† I am directed to forward 12 copies of each of the reports noted

1. A report of an investigation into the causes of the diseases known in Assam as Kala-Azar and Beri-beri, by G. M. Giles,

1890.

2. Report of an investigation of the epidemic of malarial fever in Assam, or Kala-Azar, by Leonard Rogers, 1897.

in the margin dealing with ankylostomiasis.

I am to add that articles on this subject have appeared in the "British Medical Journal". under the following titles:-

"The causal relationship between 'ground- itch' and ankylostomes," by C. A. Bentley, on 25th January, 1902 (p. 190); and "A discussion Medical Association" by Major Giles, Captain Lieutenant-Colonel Baker, and Major Ross on 1st

on ankylostomiasis at the British Fearnside, Captain Rogers, September, 1900 (p. 539).

23795

I have, &c.,

J. W. HOLDERNESS,

Secretary, Revenue and Statistics Department.

No. 75.

WEST INDIES.

CROWN AGENTS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received 2 July, 1908.)

Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W., 1 July, 1908. SIR,

WITH reference to your letter, No. 36730/07, of the 23rd October last, and previous correspondence on the subject of the treatment of ankylostomiasis, I have the honour to enclose, for the information of the Secretary of State an extract from a report made by the Surgeons Superintendent at a meeting which was recently

• No. 71.

↑ 2925: not printed.

‡ Not printed.

Present:

I have, &c.,

H. MARTIN,

For Crown Agents.

Enclosure 1 in No. 75.

EXTRACT FROM REPORT BY SURGEONS SUPERINTENDENT.

Dr. Stuart Oliver (presiding).

Drs. Welsh, Fonccca, Harrison, Miley, Kenny Vallance, and D'Arcy

Irvine.

After careful consideration and discussion the following resolution was adopted :-

Routine Treatment of Ankylostomata.-After the most- careful discussion and consideration of this subject, including Dr. Fonceca's two reports, the meeting was, with the exception of Dr. Fonceca, unanimously of opinion that no treatment as yet suggested against ankylostomes is either efficient or practicable in the circum- stances usually prevalent on Indian emigrant ships, and that it is undesirable to adopt as compulsory any routine treatment."

The surgeons are willing and anxious to co-operate, as far as circumstances will permit, with the Colonial authorities in attacking ankylostomes, but they deprecate any compulsory routine which would, in addition to other objections, deprive them of the great assistance which they derive from being able to alter their procedure to suit the changeful conditions of a voyage at sea.

N.B. Dr. Fonceca abstained from voting.

Enclosure 2 in No. 75.

CHIEF REASONS WHICH INDUCED THE MEETING TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION. With much epidemic or ordinary disease on board the surgeon and com- pounders have quite as much work as they can well accomplish. They have to start the sick list before 5.30 a.m., intermit for issue of breakfast, and resume it later. Most of this list has to be gone through three, and some of it four, times a day. It would be unreasonable to interrupt at 6, 8, 10, and 12 o'clock the treatment of these serious cases in order to dose healthy people. Such interruption would much retard the sick list. It would be more reasonable to pick out at the surgeon's usual inspections those who seem anæmic or weakly, and, if necessary, treat them for ankylostomes.

Dr. Fonceca says the administration of the drug (beta-naphthol) took only half an hour, but we must add to this the time taken in selecting the batches, seeing that they are all fit for treatment, berthing them, &c., and, above all, the time lost for the interruption of other work. Dr. Fonceca's voyage in the "Mersey" was exceptionally long (over four months) even for a sailing ship and fatal epidemic disease was absent.

On sailing ships, with the usual conditions as to length of voyage, state of weather, and prevalence of epidemic or other disease, there would not be time for a double course; much less so on steamers. Yet Dr. Fonceca states in his report Sea-sickness, the getting er "Forth," 1906, that a double course is necessary. things into order, &c., will take up at least a fortnight; by that time a steamer will be getting into the cold, rough, and wet weather south of the tropic, and she will continue in such more or less until well past the Cape. It would be dangerous to enforce general purgation in such weather. It is to be noted that Dr. Fonceca on the "Mersey" did not begin treatment until after a month had passed and that he carried it out in the tropic zones.

On steamers, then, we could not begin until near St. Helena; this would leave about 14 or 16 days. It would be inconvenient to continue purgation up to arrival,

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

TITIȚI

Reference :-

C.O.885

19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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