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2. (a) Dr. Harmer, Chairman of the Finance Sub-Committee, submitted his report, which was approved without comment. A copy of the report is annexed to these Minutes.
(b) In the absence of Sir John McFadyean, the Scientific Secretary read the report of the Special Sub-Committee, which was appointed at the previous General Meeting to consider the relation between Glossina morsitans and big game. A copy of this report is annexed to these Minutes.
The Sub-Committee passed the following resolutions:-
“(1) That, in the opinion of the Sub-Committee, it is not yet an ascer- tained fact that in Southern Rhodesia big game, or any other wild animals, constitute the reservoir from which domestic animals are infected with trypanosomiasis.
(2) That it is desirable that a thorough investigation of trypanosomi- asis in wild animals should be undertaken by a pathologist in Southern Rhodesia, and also that a general survey of the past and present distribu- tion of Glossina morsitans in the country should be carried out by a compe- tent entomologist, together with a full investigation of the life history of the insect, with special reference to its dependence upon wild animals of all kinds."
la addition an interrogatory, comprising 23 questions, for the purpose of eliciting information with reference to various important points in the life history of Glossina morsitans was drawn up by the Sub-Committee for wide distribution.
With regard to the first resolution, the Scientific Secretary pointed out that the finding of the Sub-Committee was substantially in accord with the view expressed by Mr. E. N. Buxton in his letter to the Colonial Office of the 31st of December, 1909,* in which he protested against the indiscriminate shooting of big game authorised by the British South Africa Company in the Hartley and Lomagundi Districts of Southern Rhodesia as a means of stamping out nagana, his principal contention being that such irrevocable measures were not justifiable, owing to the inadequacy of our knowledge as to the dissemination of trypanosomiasis in cattle. In view, however, of the fact that it was intended to distribute the interrogatory at once, Mr. Read was of opinion that it would be premature for the Committee to return a definite answer to Mr. Buxton's letter. It was resolved that Mr. Buxton should be informed that steps were being taken to collect data on the subject of Glossina morsitans; and that at present the Committee did not possess sufficient information to enable them to make any recommendation either for or against the killing of big game.
With regard to the second resolution of the Sub-Committee, the Scientific Secretary explained that the substance of the two resolutions had been communi- cated to the British South Africa Company, and that the Company had replied to the effect that careful attention was already being given to the occurrence and spread of species of Glossina, and that in particular the trypanosome diseases of stock were being studied.
The Scientific Secretary considered that it would be useful for the letter from the Company to be published in the Bulletin, and he was instructed to seek their permission for this to be done.
(c) The Scientific Secretary submitted his own report, including a balance sheet of the funds of the Committee, as at the 30th of June, 1910. A copy of this report is annexed to these minutes. On this report, two points arose for considera- tion:-
(i.) It was resolved that anyone who contributed an article to the Bulletin should be at liberty to have that article reproduced in any other publication, provided that the second publication stated that the article was first published in the Committee's Bulletin; and that, in the event of the article being illustrated with plates, the publishers of the second publication should be required to pay half the cost of reproducing the plates.
(ii.) It was resolved, on Lieutenant-Colonel Prain's motion, that the thanks of the Committee be conveyed to the Governors of the Colonies and Protectorates who have supported the work of the Committee; and
↑ See paragraph 2 of No. 62,
• 42066 in Miscellaneous No. 230.
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also to those gentlemen who have been identifying insects, &c., for the Committee without remuneration.
3. The Chairman summarised the correspondence which he had had with Mr. Andrew Carnegie in connection with the furtherance of the Committee's work. Mr. Carnegie had first expressed a wish that a deputation should be sent, at his expense, to America to study the methods of economic entomology in force in that country. The Chairman, arter consulting the Colonial Office, had replied, asking Mr. Carnegie whether, instead of this, he was prepared to provide a sum of money for a certain period, for the purpose of sending three or four men to America to be trained in the practical work of economie entomology. Mr. Carnegie had responded by offering a sum of £1,000 a year for three years for this purpose.
It was resolved that the offer should be accepted with thanks, and the Chair- man undertook to write to Mr. Carnegie accordingly. The Scientific Secretary was instructed to obtain information as to the probable expenses for travelling, living, &c., in order that the Committee might be in a position to allocate a suitable sum to cach student; and a Special Sub-Committee was appointed, consisting of Dr. MacDougall, Professor Nuttall, Professor Poulton, Dr. Shipley, and the Scientific Secretary.to recommend candidates for these scholarships.
4. The Scientific Secretary asked for instructions with regard to various points connected with the distribution of the collections received by the Committee. As it was understood that insects not of economic importance should be given to the British Museum, it was desirable to decide what was an "insect of economic importance." An insect to-day regarded as unimportant economically may suddenly be found to be of great importance: should the interpretation of the term, there- fore, be liberal or restricted? Mr. Read emphasised the fact that the British Muscum must come first; and Dr. Harmer stated that in the event of the contin- gency suggested, the British Museum would not be slow to give up specimens of insects which had been presented to that institution in the belief that they were of no economic importance.* In any case, Dr. Harmer and Professor Nuttall agreed "should find their way to a museum, that it was extremely important that "types
and not be handed over to private collectors. It was resolved that the Scientific Secretary should use his own judgment in the matter, and that any doubtful cases should be referred by him to the Finance Sub-Committee.
The question of forming a collection for the Committee was discussed. Pro- fessor Nuttall thought it desirable that an " African collection " should be formed somewhere; but Mr. Read pointed out that grouping of this sort was carried out already at the London School of Tropical Medicine. The Scientific Secretary was instructed to confer with Dr. Harmer in this matter.
With regard to the disposal of the duplicates of insects, &c., which were of no economic importance, and which might not be required by the British Museum, Professor Poulton intimated that the Oxford Museum and, no doubt, other institu- tions too would be glad to receive these duplicates, if their distribution did not involve too much labour for the Scientific Secretary. The Committee left the matter in the hands of the Scientific Secretary and Dr. Harmer.
5. The Committee considered a suggestion made by Mr. Neave that he should postpone his journey across German East Africa in order to search for Glossina palpalis in the Luangwa Valley, North-Eastern Rhodesia, owing to the recent discoveries of sleeping sickness in that area.
Dr. Bagshawe doubted whether Glossina palpalis would be found in that region, but he added that so far investigation had only been spasmodic, and he was in favour of approving Mr. Neave's suggestion. He estimated that the time neces- sary for the investigation would not exceed three months. Sir David Bruce explained the importance of ascertaining definitely whether or no Glossina palpalis did exist in that region. It was resolved that Mr. Neave should be informed by cable that his suggestion was approved.
6. Mr. Simpson having asked for instructions as to the programme to be adopted by him in West Africa, it was resolved that (as thorough investigation would well repay the extra time spent on it) he should visit every medical post in Northern Nigeria during his present tour, deferring, if necessary, his visit to the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone until his second tour.
7. The Committee was asked to recommend suitable candidates for an appoint-
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See paragraph 2 of No. 62.
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