CO885-(21-23) — Page 556

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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which have also recently taken place, i.s., before the Royal Zoological Society, as the result of a paper read by Dr. Warrington Yorke on The relationship of the Big Game of Africa to the spread of Sleeping Sickness," and before the Society of Tropical Medicine in connection with a paper written by the Director of the Tropical Diseases Bureau on " Recent advances in our knowledge of Sleeping Sickness.'

It would seem that all arguments in favour of the destruction of game are based on the presumption that sleeping sickness is spreading.

There is no authority whatsoever for this presumption.

It would appear from the information available as to the arguments brought forward in favour of this measure that those who advocate it have been very indifferently informed as to the true facts of the case. Our present knowledge of the infecting organism leaves us still in ignorance as to its source, identity, and the time during which it has been in existence in this territory.

Our present knowledge of the bionomics of the Glossina morsitans, the carrier of this disease, leaves us in absolute ignorance as to its real relationship with, and as to what would be the result of wholesale or even partial destruction of, the game; further, it seems well within the bounds of possibility that the resulting condition would not be an improvement on that which now exists.

The only one factor in the argument on which we have accurate knowledge, is the one which is ignored altogether by those who advocate this policy.

We have accurate knowledge as to the present position of the disease, we know that it is not spreading, that its incidence is markedly less than it has been. That with every known condition favourable for its spread, during a period of at least six years, it has failed to spread. That there is no reason to suppose that the disease will ever assume anything like epidemic proportions, or ever change from the condition of slight endemicity which now exists.

In July, 1907, the first case of this disease was discovered. Since then another 92 cases have been found. Eighty-seven of these were infected in the present Laungwa closed area, five elsewhere in this territory.

It can be presumed that the known cases number probably about one-third of the actual infections; on this estimate 261 cases have occurred in the Luangwa closed area in four years (since the commencement of a systematic effort for their discovery).

The population of this area is roughly 120,000 people; therefore in each year 65 people out of 120,000 died of this disease, a death-rate per mille of 0'54.

(In the Mpika section of this area of the deaths reported during the last year. two are known to have been due to sleeping sickness, twelve to " accidental causes,* lions, crocodiles, snakes, &c.)

In this same area a recent examination of 91 per cent. of the censused population by Dr. Kinghorn resulted in the discovery of two cases of the disease. This identical district examined at periods varying from eighteen to twenty-four months previously had resulted in the discovery of eight cases.

An examination of the northern part of the Petauke District in November and December last year resulted in the finding of nine cases, or three less than a similar examination carried out during the previous year.

The lower third of the Lundazi division, which has just been examined, resulted in the finding of five cases, a result which is identical with that of an examination carried out there in December, 1911.

These figures show that sleeping sickness is not spreading, that it shows no tendency to spread, and that any argument in favour of drastic legislation directed towards the introduction of measures the results of which are still in doubt, and based on an erroneous presumption (that this disease is spreading, or likely to become a menace) are not justified.

I regret that the Annual Sleeping Sickness Report for the territory containing full details as to the present position of disease is not yet completed, but, pending its completion, I would suggest, for His Honour the Administrator's consideration, that, owing to the obviously imperfect information at the disposal of those respon- sible for advising on this subject, the above facts might be made known.

The Secretary,

Livingstone.

]

I have, &c..

A. MAY,

Principal Medical Officer.

35342

93

No. 55.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received 13 October, 1913.)

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and, by direction of the Secretary

of State, transmits herewith copy of a despatch to His Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, No. 64, Africa, dated October 10, respecting the proposed limitation of weight of elephant tusks for trading purposes in Africa.

Reference to previous letter: Colonial Office, No. 32986, October 4.* Foreign Office,

SIR,

October 11, 1913.

(No. 64, Africa.)

Enclosure in No. 55.

Foreign Office, October 10, 1913. WITH reference to your despatch, No. 466, of the 15th ultimo, respecting the proposal made by the French Government for the meeting of a Commission to pre- pare for the adoption by the different Governments interested of similar regulations for the limitation of the weight of elephant tusks for trading purposes, I transmit to Your Excellency, herewith, copy of a letter* on the subject from the Colonial Office.

I have to request that Your Excellency will make a communication to the French Government in the sense suggested by the Colonial Office, and enquire whether they agree to the proposal that the Commission should meet in London at as early a date as possible. Should they concur in the adoption of this course, His Majesty's Government will immediately take steps to invite the other Powers interested to send representatives to the Commission.

I am, &c..

(for the Secretary of State),

RALPH PAGET.

His Excellency

the Right Honourable

Sir F. Bertie, G.C.B., G.C.M.G.,

&c., &c.,

&c.

35174

SIR,

No. 56.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY.

Downing Street, 20 October, 1913.

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Millar's letter of the 10th of October,t and to request that you will thank the Directors of the British South Africa Company for forwarding a copy of the report by Dr. Aylmer May, Principal Medical Officer of Northern Rhodesia, on the relation- ship between big game and the spread of sleeping sickness. The report was com- municated to the Sleeping Sickness Committee at their last meeting.

2. A note has been made of the forthcoming visit of Dr. May and Mr. Lloyd to this country.

• No. 52.

I am, &c.,

H. J. READ,

for the Under-Secretary of State.

† No. 54.