CO885-(21-23) — Page 150

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

Reference

MC.O. 885

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

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

122

(2) The report of the Professor of Protozoology at the University of London for the year ended June 30th, 1913, was received.

(3) The reports† of work done in the Bacteriological Institutes in Ceylon and Long Kong and the report on beri-beri in Kelantan were received. In connection with the report from Hong Kong, Sir Havelock Charles called attention to the fact that Stegomyia fasciata practically seemed not to exist in Hong Kong. Sir Ronald Ross said that this tended to confirm his opinion that it was the rarity of fasciata which accounted for the fact that yellow fever was not prevalent in Europe. Fasciata was certainly more common in West Africa than in Europe, and it was pretty certain that yellow fever existed there.

Šir Havelock Charles further pointed out that, as appeared from the Hong Kong report, specimens of Stegomyin fasciata had been deliberately introduced by Dr. Werkman into Hong Kong; on the other hand, a suggestion which he had made at a meeting of the Yellow Fever Commission that Stegomyia scutellaris should be introduced into West Africa for experimental purposes had been opposed on the ground that it was extremely dangerous, on entomological ground, to intro- duce a new species of mosquito into any country. It would be, in his opinion, of the greatest importance, from the point of view of India, where scutellaris was prevalent, to ascertain definitely whether that mosquito could transmit yellow fever or not, and it would be perfectly easy to experiment in West Africa. Sir Ronald Ross, Sir John Rose Bradford, and Sir P. Manson considered that it would be proper, and the Committee agreed, to suggest, for the consideration of the Yellow Fever Commission, the question whether it would be possible for the Commission to send eggs of the scutellaris out to West Africa for the purpose of the cultivation of the mosquito there, with a view to experiments as to the transmission of yellow fever by that mosquito. It was agreed that the attention of the Yellow Fever Com- mission should be called at the same time to the remarks on the question of fasciata and scutellaris in the Hong Kong report.

year (4) The annual report‡ of the Medical Research Institute at Yaba for the 1912 was considered. Sir Ronald Ross mentioned as of interest that Dr. Macfie had succeeded in experiments in the transmission of yellow fever bodies from animal to animal, and that Dr. Seidelin had identified the bodies transmitted by Dr. Macfie as being the bodies which he himself had discovered, and to which he ascribed yellow fever. This information had been given to him in a letter from Dr. Seidelin, in which it was also mentioned that the laboratory suffered from lack of proper lighting, It was agreed that the Government of Southern Nigeria should be informed that the Committee had heard that the laboratory was deficient in lighting, and they would be glad to ascertain the views of the Director as to the adequacy of the lighting.

(5) The reports on peripheral neuritis in Jamaica by Major Potter was received. The Committee had no observations to offer.

(6) The reports on mosquito-borne diseases from various Colonies and Pro- tectorates were considered. Sir Ronald Ross called attention to the deficiency of the reports received from the Leeward Islands. In the first place, as in the reports the returns were perfunctorily and carelessly filled up, e.g., some of the questions were not answered, even in the negative, and some information which ought to be available was not given. In the second place, an unsatisfactory state of affairs was revealed as regards the steps taken to deal with mosquito-borne diseases. was no regular distribution of quinine in the schools of St. Kitts-Nevis, Dominica, or Antigua. While Montserrat appeared to be fortunate in being free from malaria, it did not appear that it had been ascertained whether or not Stegomyia fasciata was found in the island, and, if not, there was a constant danger of yellow fever, On the other hand, against which precautions should be and were not being taken.

There

it was pointed out that the islands were, comparatively speaking, far from wealthy, and had only small medical staffs, It was agreed, however, that the attention of the Secretary of State should be called to the meagre nature of the reports received from the Leeward Islands, and that it should be suggested that enquiries should be made as to the non-distribution of quinine in the schools, and as to the presence of Strgomyia fasciata at Montserrat.

Of the other reports, Sir Ronald Ross called attention to the excellent reports supplied from Southern Nigeria and the Straits Settlements, and it was agreed

↑ Nos. 4 and 7 in Appendix VI. to [Cd. 7261].

35879/13: not printed.

Appendix II. to. Cd, 72831!

17251/13: not printed.

123

that the attention of the Secretary of State should be called to the excellence of these reports. In the case of Southern Rhodesia, while the Committee realised that the matter was one not for the Secretary of State so much as the British South Africa Company, it was agreed to suggest that the Company should be informed that it would be of interest to the Committee to know whether any steps were being taken to set up a central organization with a view to carrying out a systematic malaria campaign, e.g., by the issue of cheap quinine and the provision, on repayment, of mosquito-proof netting. Sir R. Ross pointed out that by this means, in other parts of South Africa, useful work against malaria was being carried out.

(7) The allocation of the funds at the disposal of the Advisory Committee was considered. It was agreed that the grants of £750 to the University of London, of £450 to Professor Nuttall, and of £1,200 to the London and Liverpool Schools should be continued for 1914, being a total of £3,600, approximately £200 in excess of the revenue of the fund. On the other hand, there was a balance of £1,200 of which £200 would be taken up by the excess of the grants recommended over the

normal annual income.

Sir Ronald Ross laid before the Committee a suggestion* that Dr. Stephens, of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, should be enabled to proceed to Cyprus to investigate, under exceptionally favourable considerations, the mode of trans- mission of the bilharzia parasite. Many efforts have been made to solve this important problem: bilharziasis was a matter of great importance to Egypt, including the British garrison, and in various parts of the Colonies. Professor Loos and others had endeavoured to discover the mode of transmission, but hitherto without success, and it was difficult to do so in Egypt, owing to the fact that the population was so widely infected by the parasite. On the other hand, there was in Cyprus a village where infection was very frequent, while in the district around the infection did

This circumstance offered thereby a favourable opportunity of inves tigation. Dr. Stephens could leave about February: about six months would be occupied, and probably £500 would be required.

not occur.

Sir Patrick Manson, on the other hand, stated that Dr. Leiper had proposed an investigation, on a different basis, into the question of transmission. Many attempts to investigate had failed, and a direct attempt to investigate was clearly very difficult and, perhaps, could not effectively be carried out, as the parasite could not be transmitted to the lower animals, and therefore investigations were difficult. But there was an allied parasite, the Schistostomum japonicum, which could be transmitted to the lower animals and which, therefore, offered a much more favourable field of investigation. Dr. Leiper was prepared to go to Shanghai and carry out researches in Japan and China. It would be difficult to say definitely what the expense would be, but there would probably be no difficulty in assigning to Dr. Leiper the Wandsworth Scholarship, valued at about £350, and, with an additional grant of £300 from the Fund, it should be possible to carry out, with prospects of success, this important research.

Mr. Drake mentioned, as a matter which must be taken into account in this connection, that the Government of India had suggested investigations into yellow fever. The position of that matter now was that reference had been made to the Royal Society enquiring whether they thought that a fresh investigation should be undertaken, and whether they were prepared to appoint a Committee to under- take the investigation in question. If this investigation were undertaken, it would, of course, be necessary to provide funds, and, while the Government of India would doubtless be prepared to provide part of the money, they would not be prepared to provide the whole, but would expect that some contribution should be made from Colonial funds. It might, therefore, be necessary to consider whether a grant would not be required from the funds at the disposal of the Tropical Diseases Advisory Committee.

It was, however, pointed out by Mr. Read that, if it were decided to carry ou: this special investigation into yellow fever, the funds at the disposal of the Tropical Diseases Research Fund were wholly inadequate, and it would be necessary to have special grants from the Colonies affected, and it was agreed, therefore, that this additional investigation need not he taken into account.

Mr. Read mentioned also, as matters deserving of sympathetic consideration, the grant of sums to assist research work by Miss Muriel Robinson, and also a proposed enquiry into spirochetes by a pupil of Dr. Nuttall. It was finally agreed

* See Enclosure in No. 123.

Page 150Page 151

124

by the Committee to recommend to the Secretary of State that a grant of £250 be made to the London School of Tropical Medicine with a view to the sending out of Dr. Leiper to carry on the proposed enquiry into the parasite Schistostomum japonicum. The Committee agreed that, if the sum of £250 proved inadequate and Sir Patrick Manson feared it might-the question of a further grant might be brought up again, on the distinct understanding that the Committee made no promise favourably to consider such an application.

As regards Sir Ronald Ross's suggestion, the Committee considered that the matter might be brought to the notice of the Foreign Office, who might be asked to obtain the necessary funds from the Government of Egypt, and if this application failed, the question of a grant from the Tropical Diseases Research Fund might be again submitted.

38304

(No. 302.)

30533

125

No. 114.

JAMAICA.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 6 November, 1913.)

King's House, Jamaica, 16 October, 1913. [Published us No. 10 in Appendix VI. to [Cd. 7261], March, 1914.]

36863

No. 115.

LEEWARD ISLANDS.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.

No. 110.

MAURITIUS.

RETURN OF ANTI-MALARIAL MEASURES AND OF MOSQUITO. BORNE DISEASES, 1912.

37309

(Received 25 October, 1913.)

[Published as No. 2 in Appendix 1. to [Cd. 7261], March, 1914.]

(No. 395.)

37734

No. 111.

TRINIDAD.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 29 October, 1913.)

Government House, 3rd October, 1913. [Published as No. 15 in Appendix VI. to [Cd. 7261], March, 1914.]

No. 112.

(No. 274.)

SIR,

Downing Street, 10th November, 1913.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 290, of the 16th of August,* forwarding a report on mosquito-borne diseases in the Leeward Islands.

2. These reports were laid before the Advisory Committee of the Tropical Diseases Research Fund at their meeting on the 24th of October, and the Committee have called my attention to the fact that the reports have been somewhat carelessly filled up.

As they are included in the Annual Report of the Committee which is presented to Parliament, it is important that every question in the return should be answered, it being stated in any case where it is impossible to give information that information cannot be supplied.

3. The Committee further called my attention to the fact that the practice of requiring the distribution of quinine in the schools does not appear to be in force in Antigua, Dominica and St. Kitts-Nevis, despite the prevalence of malaria in these islands, and I should be glad to learn whether it would not be possible to take some steps in this direction.

4. The Committee also pointed out that it appears from the report in the case of Montserrat that no anti-mosquito regulations are yet in force. It is understood, however, that Stegomyia fasciata is prevalent in the island, and, if this is the case, there is constant danger of the introduction and spread of yellow fever. I should be glad, therefore, if the Administrator could be invited to consider whether the time has not yet come for anti-mosquito regulations to be adopted.

I have, &c.,

L. HARCOURT.

LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 1 November, 1913.)

B 10, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool, 31st October, 1913. [Published as No. 2 in Appendix V. to [Cd. 7261], March, 1914.]

38345

No. 113.

LONDON SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 6 November, 1913.)

Royal Albert Dock, E., 3 November, 1913. [Published as No. 2 in Appendix IV. to [Cd. 7261], March, 1914.]

36949

GENTLEMEN,

No. 116.

COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.

Downing Street, 10 November, 1913.

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to inform you that he approves of your making the following payments from the Tropical Diseases Research Fund :-

To the London School of Tropical Medicine £600 on or after the 1st of

January, 1914, and £600 on or after the 1st of July, 1914.

To the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine £600 on or after the 1st of

January, 1914, and £600 on or after the 1st of July, 1914.

To Professor G. F. Nuttall, F.R.S., the sum of £450 on or after the 1st of

July, 1914.

To the University of London the sum of £750 on or after the 1st of July, 1911.

I am, &e..

11. J. READ,

for the Under-Secretary of State.

See No. 14 in Appendix I. to [Cd. 7261.]