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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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and Ntoroko at the south end of Lake Albert. Our apparent immunity from this complication up to the present is, however, no guarantee of its actual absence, but is, on the contrary, an additional incentive to make all safe while we have time. Glossina morsitans may at any moment become infected with T. gambiense, and even if that does not happen we have T. rhodesiense in German East Africa at our very door, and it may at any moment cross the border.

6. Another aspect of the situation which can be dealt with at once is the It is, no doubt, of great question of the destruction of game in infected areas. importance that the reservoir should be reduced, and to a very large extent, and it can probably be done by removing from the protected schedules all antelopes and the buffalo within the area suggested by the Acting Principal Medical Officer. We should, however, be at once confronted with the difficulty of preventing natives and others from killing game in other parts outside that area, and I would prefer that a trial be given to organised drives under European supervision, similar to the drives that are conducted once a year by the natives in outlying districts. I believe there would be little difficulty in getting natives to turn out in large numbers, for the sake of the meat and the skins. The latter are highly valued as sleeping rugs, and would not be sold for export. Such drives, if attended by a Veterinary or Medical Officer, would enable large numbers of blood slides to be collected which would supply useful information concerning the degree of infection and percentage of infected animals.

7. I am on the point of leaving for Buruli on tour, and will discuss the possi- bility of these drives with the local chiefs. I will also discuss with the Regents the suggestion of a fee of 25 cents per head for the microscopical examination of cattle.

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8. The principal point to be considered is how the cost of these extensive operations can be met, and, as regards this, I am not yet in a position to submit final recommendations. The Protectorate is face to face with a most serious situation in respect of diseases of various kinds, which are a grave menace to its prosperity. The position in regard to plague in the Eastern Province has already been reported to you in my despatch, No. 420, of the 23rd September, 1913.* Rinderpest in Buganda and elsewhere threatens to decimate the cattle unless money can be found to check the advance of this scourge. The measures to control the spread of venereal disease also call urgently for funds. The question of meeting the expenditure necessary for these purposes is causing grave anxiety. I have, however, thought it advisable to delay no longer in communicating to you the results of Miss Robertson's investigations, and hope later to submit proposals for meeting the expenditure. I can only say at present that I see no hope of being able to meet these extraordinary expenses from current revenues, and that it is clear that special financial arrange- ments will be necessary.

9. Whatever may be the cost of meeting the situation, it is clear that preventive measures taken at once will be infinitely less costly than the suppression and control of a fresh outbreak of trypanosomiasis once it had become widespread. Indeed, it is scarcely too much to say that should Glossina morsitans become infected with either T. gambiense or T. rhodesiense to any considerable extent, it would be impos- sible to check the spread of the infection before the mortality had reached many thousands. Contagious or transmitted diseases have generally appeared suddenly or with little warning. Past experience goes to prove this, and also to show that we have hitherto been totally unprepared to grapple with these diseases until they had obtained a firm hold in the country.

I have, &c.,

Enclosure 1 in No. 63.

PART 1.

F. J. JACKSON,

Governor.

REPORT ON THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE MASINDI DISTRICT OF THE NORTHERN PROVINCE IN REGARD TO Cattle TryPANOSOMIASIS.

August, 1913, by (Miss) M. ROBERTSON.

The data of the following report was obtained during a safari in the Northern Province during the months of June, July, and August. The purpose of the investi- gations was primarily to endeavour to obtain information as to the carrier of

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No 174 in African No. 1008.

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T. pecorum, and to determine if Hæmatopota, Tabanidæ, or Chrysops play any serious part in the spread of trypanosomiasis.

This work entailed a close study of the conditions under which herds were kept, and an enquiry into the occurrence of trypanosomiasis among them.

The result of the investigations in regard to biting flies other than Glossinidæ is not included in the present account.

The Bigando District, which is treated in some detail, was selected on account of its being reputed to be outside the fly-belt, and infected with a trypanosome disease. The work at this place did nothing to elucidate the point at issue, as the district did not present the conditions expected; it afforded, however, a very interesting study. in the general bionomics of trypanosome diseases in a morsitans country.

I may add incidentally that Glossina morsitans is the effective cyclical carrier of T. pecorum in the Masindi District.

I am much indebted to the Administrative Officers for their ready help in the conducting of the work; the Makama and the chiefs also co-operated willingly, which facilitated matters considerably.

The Rev. Mr. Teggart, of the Church Missionary Society's Mission, most kindly placed his intimate knowledge of the country at my disposal, and rendered the most valuable assistance.

I am further indebted to Mr. Chapman, of the Public Works Department, for information concerning the Hoima District and the Budongo Forest.

REPORT.

A great deal of recent research work (Drs. Kinghorn and Yorke, in Rhodesia, The Royal Society's Commission in Nyasaland, and Dr. Duke's work in Uganda itself) on trypanosomiasis has established the important part played by the wild game in the maintenance of disease reservoirs.

The Masindi District, i.e., the south-eastern division of the Northern Province, offers at the present time an excellent example of how serious a factor the game may be in the progress of trypanosome disease, that is, in the successive infection of adjacent districts.

An "infected district" in the context denotes a place where an efficient cyclical carrier is present, and infected in such proportions as to constitute a permanent danger to susceptible vertebrates inhabiting the districts. It must, however, be noted that in the case of cattle occasional outbreaks of disease may occur in places that cannot be classed as infected districts. This point will be considered later.

The River Kafu is the southern boundary of the Province, and there is a strip of cultivated village land stretching from about the River Kisu on the west to the Nile, which forms the eastern boundary. North of this cultivated strip there lies a big tract, about 15 miles wide, of uninhabited bush. It contains several swamps and small rivers, and curves north-east round beyond Masindi Station, where it joins on to the Budongo Forest. This belt of bush land narrows a little, and is broken into by villages as it curves north of the motor road (Masindi Port Road). The northern boundary of the bush is formed by the villages and the hills immediately round Masindi Station and along the Hoima Road.

The village cultivation patches march with the bush, and the game, which is very plentiful, comes in many places right up to the village lands; buffalo, waterbuck, and bushbuck seem to come nearest, and the tracks of hyænas are to be seen on almost every path even right among the semsem and potato patches.

G. morsitans is found from the Kafu to close up to Masindi, and to within two or three miles more or less of the Hoima Road. In the middle of this belt the fly are very numerous, and though very much less frequent towards both the northern and southern edges, they nevertheless reach right up to the very verge of the villages in the wettest months of the year. Incidentally it may be pointed out that the fly board the motor-car in fair numbers at times, and a few are even brought right up to Masindi Station.

As late as six years ago herds could be, and were, safely kept along the Kafu- large herds were kept at Kinyamulalu, Miduma, Kijunjubwa, and Kingabyara. Between four and five years ago cattle trypanosomiasis appeared sufficiently seriously to make owners cease to consider the Miduma country good for cattle. The present state of the country along the Kafu will be gone into later (see Part II. of this report); meanwhile it is sufficient to say that for the last three or four years it has been looked upon by natives and Europeans alike as a district dangerous to cattle, and more or less permanently diseased.

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