CO885-(20-21) — Page 454

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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2. This letter has been forwarded to the Government of India in the ordinary course, and has reached the Government of Bengal, who, in turn, have asked the opinion of the Protector of Emigrants as to the effect of introducing the treatment for the cure into the Calcutta Colonial Emigration Depôts.

3. The Protector, in reply, has pointed out the disadvantages which so drastic a treatment in Calcutta would entail, and in reply, has received instructions from the Bengal Government to draft rules, in co-operation with the Government medical inspector, for the treatment of ankylostome [in] intending emigrants in the Calcutta depôts.

4. As 75 per cent. of the coolies are infected with this disease, and as the treatment is most obnoxious to the native, the effect on emigration will amount to a partial paralysis of Colonial emigration work in India.

5. This decision has been arrived at before I have been afforded an opportunity of giving my views and of drawing the attention of the authorities to the grave inconveniences under which Colonial emigration will labour if this treatment is introduced into the Calcutta depôts, and in the interests of the work with which I am associated in India I beg that the Colonial Office will request the India Office not to take any action until the suggestions which were originally asked for in Mr. Fiddes's letter have been submitted to the Colonial Office. will be most disastrous.

The effects otherwise

6. I would further mention that it is contemplated by the Bengal Government to apply the new rules which may be framed to the other Colonies at present receiv- ing labour from India, although the other Colonies have not asked for it, and in the case of Jamaica and Trinidad already have ankylostomiasis in their Islands as endemic.

7. I enclose copies of the correspondence starting with Mr. Fiddes's letter of the 8th March, and terminating with the memorandum I wrote on the 12th Septem- ber, and which I was asked to submit after the Bengal Government had decided to draft rules.

I have, &c.,

A. MARSDEN,

Government Emigration Agent for Trinidad, &c..

and

(Public. No. 64.)

MY LORD,

Officiating Government Emigration Agent

for British Guiana.

Enclosure in No. 36.

India Office, London, 31 March, 1911.

I FORWARD, for the consideration of Your Excellency's Government, a copy of a letter from the Colonial Office, on the subject of the introduction into British Guiana of anchylostome-infected immigrants from India.

2. I understand that copies of the Annual Reports of the Immigration Agent- General are regularly received by Your Excellency's Government.

His Excellency the Right Honourable

the Governor-General of India in Council.

have, &c.,

MORLEY OF BLACKBURN.

A. C. MCWATTERS, Esq., I.C.S., UNDER-SECRetary to the Government of India, to the SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BENGAL, General Department.

(No. 3979-3980-49.)

SIR,

Department of Commerce and Industry: (Emigration),

WITH reference to the endorsement from this Department, No. 1534-1537-

Simla, 30th May, 1911. 29, dated the 28th February, 1911, I am directed to forward a copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Secretary of State for India, No. 64 (Public), dated the 31st March, 1911, and enclosure, on the subject of the introduction into British Guiana of anchylostome-infected immigrants from India.

• No. 20.

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2. I am to say that the Government of India would be glad to receive any suggestions which the local Government may have to offer as to the measures which might be taken in this country for the detection and treatment of intending emigrants suffering from anchylostomiasis. It is considered that, as a very large percentage of Indian labourers harbour the disease, any measures to be taken in regard to the matter should be applied to intending emigrants for all the Colonies, and not for British Guiana only. In this connection I am to enclose, for consideration, a copy of a note on the subject prepared by the Sanitary Commissioner with the Govern- ment of India.

3.

I am also to request that, should His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor in Council consider that the Colonial Emigration Rules should specifically provide for the detection and treatment of the disease and the prevention of infection in emigration depôts, a draft of rules required for the purpose may be forwarded with your reply.

I have, &c.,

A. C. MCWAtters,

Under-Secretary to the Government of India.

NOTE PREPARED BY THE SANITARY COMMISSIONER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ON THE 12TH May, 1911.

In paragraph 7 of the Annual Report of the Medical Inspector in British Guiana, it is stated that 74 44 per cent. of the immigrants from India have been found to be infected with the anchylostome, and we are told that, if measures cannot be taken either in India or on board ships to treat these cases, the Colonial autho- rities will be compelled to isolate every immigrant on arrival.

The percentage given above is probably correct. Captain Redgers found that from 60 to 80 per cent. of the inhabitants of this country harbour the worm.

Emigrants for British Guiana proceed only from Calcutta, and the average number of each batch may be taken at 850. If we grant that 75 per cent. of these are suffering from anchylostome infection, 640 of them will require treatment either previous to embarkation or whilst on board ship. This is by no means a light task, but the difficulties are greatly increased by the fact that a large number of individuals (who in this respect resemble the " bacilli carrier " of enteric fever) are suffering from anchylostome infection without any demonstrable illness being produced and without in many cases, the slightest evidence even to anæmia. These persons are even more dangerous, as spreaders of the disease, than those suffering from the typical symptoms of anchylostomiasis. Luckily, however, for us, the anchylostome secrete a certain toxin which is absorbed into the circulation of the heart, and which, long before there is any evidence of anæmia, produces certain changes in the composition of the bone marrow as instanced by a great increase in the number of "eosinophile" corpuscles the blood. This condition, which is known as absolutely characteristic of some form or other of behinulthiasis.

eosinophilia," is fore, in a position to say at once whether or no a given person is suffering from We are, there- anchylostome infection. All that is necessary is to examine a blood film for "cosino- philia," and, if this is found, search for the characteristic anchylostome ova in the patient's fæces.

2. In view, therefore, of the importance of the case, it seems to me that regula- tions should be made enforcing the systematic examination at the Calcutta emigration depôts of the blood of all emigrants for British Guiana, and that in every case in which "eosinophilia" is found, the fæces should be examined for anchylostome ova, and, if these are discovered, the patient should be treated in the ordinary way with thymol, the eucalyptus oil mixture, or beta-naphthol. Bearing in mind, moreover, that anchylostome infection is now known to occur through the soles of the feet and not by the mouth, every effort must be made in the emigration depôts to prevent fæcal pollution of the soil, for which purpose bucket latrines and the use of some cheap form of incinerator are to be recommended. very successful in Colombo.

This plan has proved

3. I entirely agree with the Surgeon-Superintendent that treatment on board ship is impracticable, but I can see no reason why systematic efforts should not be made to lessen the infectivity of each batch of coolies whilst they are being collected

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