CO885-(20-21) — Page 560

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TELEC.O. 885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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however, these lines cannot be considered good as lines go at the present day. It is, therefore, most important that the overseers should be scrupulously careful as to dirt, &c., in the lines, and as to the frequent washing down of the latrines.

I am of opinion that all mothers whose children are under two years of age should be given leave in the lines as was done before when children died of the same disease. But this does not mean that the dhais shall be allowed to relax any of the precautions usually taken in the case of bottle-fed children. The greatest care must be taken that no women or children are missed on the overseer's daily inspection.

With regard to the latrines, in some of the Company's estates they appear not to be used. This was certainly the case at Rukuinavua, and I am not sure about Lobau. Insistence on the part of the overseer will reduce this danger to a certain unavoidable limit.

Here

The question of flies is becoming hackneyed in Fiji, but still all work done to decrease the number of flies will be for the improvement of the vital statistics. again the whole question is one of dirt and rubbish.

Ankylostomiasis.

This disease is responsible directly or indirectly for the majority of the deaths on your estates.

I classified the Lobau estate on the 24th instant, and found that 130 out of 237 coolies were very obviously infected with this disease, that is, 546 per cent. of the labour there. I have as yet not classified any other of your estates, but from what one sees in the hospital I know that the infection is bad in the other estates too.

To rid Lobau estate of the infection is not a matter of a day or a month or even a year. It is a matter of steady routine work carried out over a very long period of time, and carried out thoroughly.

I advise the following measures:-

(1) Prevention of soil pollution as far as possible by erection of some sort of temporary latrine in the field. The greatest care should then be taken to make the coolies use these latrines instead of just retiring into the cane. With proner supervision this should be possible. An eight foot pit or pan latrines would be suitable.

The latrines in the lines must be used. sanitary, and in the very best repair.

They must be kept

(2) Treatment of the infected soil with sulphate of iron solution should be systematically carried out not only in the precincts of the lines, though this is the most important, but throughout the whole area in which the coolies have to work. As each field is cut it should be treated. You are aware that one ton of iron sulphate, costing about £8, in a 1 per cent. solution will disinfect an area 60 miles long, one yard wide, and one- third of an inch deep.

(3) Protection of the coolie's legs by the wearing of shoes and bandages or putties at all their work. These should be put on in the morning when the coolies are turned out to work, and not taken off till their work is finished at night. Then they should be washed and dried.

Over two years ago I advocated this measure most strongly in the case of an estate in a different part of Fiji. The suggestion was looked on as grotesque, and was not acted upon. In other countries this

measure is considered a sensible precaution. In my opinion it is the most promising line we can take.

(4) Treatment of the individual coolie. The main difficulty with this disease is that usually the coolie does not complain until he is seriously infected. Overseers should watch for any signs of physical weakness in their men, such as inability to finish a task in the average time. Mr. Crabbe tells me that the men at Lobau, though they do a full task, take very much longer than the men at other estates. Men with ankylostomiasis may look to the superficial observer to be in the pink of health, and yet be extremely anæmic. They are apt to be considered malingerers by overseers. Therefore, overseers should send to hospital all men whose wages are falling off, whose work is getting slower or more slovenly, or who may be considered to be malingering,

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(5) Unless we can see a noticeable improvement in the next six months I am of opinion that another Hospital Superintendent will be required in addition to Mr. Andrewes. The Hospital Superintendent's work here

is heavier than any other Hospital Superintendent's that I have seen in Fiji.

I think we can never expect quite as good a record in vital statistics as in other districts as no overseer can be expected to have the same personal interest in the health of his coolies as a planter has, since to the latter the labour have a direct money value. In addition to this the overseers have a very much larger number to look after than has the ordinary planter.

Europeans in charge of labour should themselves choose which men are to have the soft jobs on any estate, and should not leave it to the Sardhar. The weakest men should have the easiest jobs.

To the Manager,

SIR,

I have, &c.,

PHILIP HARPER, Acting District Medical Officer, Navua.

The Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company.

Tamanua, 3rd June, 1913.

I AM in receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimo to Mr. Duncan, who, as no doubt

you are aware, has left for Sydney on holiday, and will not be back till early in July.

I notice that you lay special stress on preventive measures being taken against dysentery and ankylostomiasis as being the two special forms of disease we need most to fight, and will undertake to follow out your wishes with regard to precaution- ary measures suggested, and will say that every effort will be put forth to ensure more thorough cleanliness throughout the lines generally and latrines, especially at

Tamanua.

The mothers of children under two years of age will be given leave in the lines as you suggest, and the dhais will be further impressed with the necessity of absolute cleanliness and care in the feeding of bottle-fed children. The matter of a strict observance of the rule touching of the use of latrines in the lines I feel sure can, and will, be enforced.

As to ankylostomiasis, every effort will be put forth to curb the spread of the disease by systematic disinfection with sulphate of iron solution in and around the lines as well as in the actual fields where the coolies are employed.

The personal supervision of the health of their labour is being constantly impressed on our overseers, and, I feel sure, not without tangible benefit to the labourers, as well as to the Company which they serve, as is evident by the more efficient work done by them.

Yours faithfully,

THE VANCOUVER-FIJI SUGAR COMPANY, LIMITED,

The Acting District Medical Officer,

SIR,

Navua.

R. H. FARRAR,

Deputy Manager.

Navua, 5th June, 1913. I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 3rd, and in reply to state that as far as dysentery at Tamanua is concerned I consider your precautions should be ample.

With regard to ankylostomiasis at Lobau, however, I do not consider that treat- ment of the soil with the sulphate of iron solution, good though it is stated to be, will be sufficient. In my opinion, as stated in my previous letter to you, dated May 31st,

I consider that the following precautions should be taken as well:-

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(1) Temporary latrines in the near neighbourhood of the coolies' work.

(2) Protection of the coolies' legs and feet by the use of shoes and putties (or

bandages).

RB