CO885-(23-24) — Page 123

CORRESPONDENCE

BELATING TO

ANKYLOSTOMIASIS.

E

24760

No. 1.

MINUTES OF A PRELIMINARY MEETING OF THE ANKYLOSTOMIASIS COMMITTEE.

On the 30th July at 3 p.m. a preliminary meeting was held at the Colonial Office of the informal Committee formed for the purpose of considering the question

of ankylostomiasis in the British Empire, with special reference to a visit to this country of Mr. Wickliffe Rose, the Director of the International Health Commission recently formed in the United States of America.

There were present:-

Mr. READ (presiding).

Sir HAVELOCK CHARLES.

Sir T. B. ROBINSON,

Professor NUTTALL.

Dr. DANIELS.

Dr. CLARE.

Dr. MAYER.

Mr. GRINDLE.

Mr. WILLIAMS (acting as Secretary).

Annexed to these minutes is a copy of a short memorandum which was laid before the Committee.

In opening proceedings, Mr. Read said that it would be as well to get some idea of what had been done to combat this disease in various parts of the Empire, so that enquiries on the subject by Mr. Rose could be readily answered. Sir T. B. Robinson was first invited to describe what had been done in Australia.

Sir T. B. Robinson instanced the investigation at the school established at Townsville in Queensland for the study of tropical diseases of worm diseases in children. Considerable attention had been called to the subject by the discovery of worms in frozen meat. Dr. Breinl and Dr. Johnson were appointed by the Queens- land Government to make investigations. Dr. Johnson was expected to arrive in this country in about six weeks, and would be able to give detailed information. Sir T. Robinson offered to telegraph to his Government for any information which the Committee might require.

Sir H. Charles then outlined the position as regards India, where, he said, the disease was very prevalent, but there were also other causes of anæmia present, Referring to the first recommendation of the 1908 Committee on Ankylostomiasis (see annexed memorandum), he pointed out the impossibility of enforcing the pro- vision or use of latrines except on estates, and the almost insurmountable difficulties which would attend any attempt to induce the Indian ryot to observe sanitary pre- cautions, in view of his religious prejudices and of the unsuitability for native use of latrines of ordinary construction.

Some work in this direction was being done on estates, on the lines of the excellent work in progress in Ceylon. Coolies were also encouraged to wear boots, but it was very difficult to induce them to do so, or otherwise to educate them in sanitary matters. Anthelmintics were not distributed, and Sir H. Charles was strongly opposed to such a practice.

On estates he considered it very desirable that a definite percentage of latrines should be insisted upon.

Professor Nuttall, in reply to the question whether anything more had been

33811

A

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TPELLICO. 885

23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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