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23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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A distinct advance was made this year by the Administration in the crusade against malaria by the importation of quinine in tablet form by the Government This meant a reduction in the and sale to the settlers at practically cost price. existing prices of quinine of over 50 per cent. This Government quinine, which is coloured pink and easily distinguished, is now sold by chemists, storekeepers, at post offices, postal agencies, and certain Native Commissioners' offices, and it is hoped to include railway stations, and has been eagerly taken advantage of by the public, the first consignment being sold out in about two months, and further con- signments are continually on order.

Blackwater fever.-There were 53 admissions to hospitals and 13 deaths in 1914, as compared with 57 admissions and 14 deaths in 1913, no native cases being reported.

In spite of the decrease in malaria there was no marked decrease in the An attempt number of cases of blackwater fever admitted to hospitals this year. was made this year to arrive at some data as regards the actual number of cases of blackwater fever occurring in the Territory, and forms were distributed to every medical man requesting that one might be filled in in respect of each case of blackwater fever treated by him. Only 47 of these forms, however, were returned, and, as the rendering of the returns was not compulsory, nor was there any fee offered, it is apparent that in many cases this request was neglected and the results obtained were negative.

Twenty-eight deaths from blackwater were registered during the year, and, if we accept the case mortality occurring amongst cases treated in hospitals as indicating the general case mortality for the country, then these 28 deaths would represent 114 cases. In only one of the 47 cases reported on the required forms was there doubt expressed as to previous malarial attacks.

Arrangements had practically been completed for the appointment of a special research scholar to inquire into blackwater fever and other diseases inci- dental to human beings in the Territory, when negotiations had to be dropped on the outbreak of the war. It is expected, however, that the promise given to the settlers that this appointment would be made will be fulfilled as soon as a suitable bacteriologist is available.

There were 28 deaths from blackwater fever and 15 from malarial fever, as compared with 34 and 30 respectively in 1913.

There were 55 deaths from essentially climatic diseases, which include malaria, blackwater fever, and dysentery, or 18-21 per cent. of the total, as com- pared with 79 deaths in 1913, or 24-23 per cent. of the total.

In 1914 497 per cent. of the deaths were due to malaria and 927 to black- water, as against 920 per cent, and 10-46 per cent. respectively in 1913.

Filariasis-Examination of both day and night blood showed Filaria perstans in two out of 36 cases.

One case was a Portuguese East African native who had only been a short It is time in Rhodesia. The other case was a Mashona from Mount Darwin.

This noteworthy that Mount Darwin is in the northern part of the Territory. disease may well have been imported, and may be giving rise to infection in Rhodesia There have been many cases of "big leg" in the Territory, which are quite possibly caused by filaria, as one case of this trouble was found to be infected with Filaria perstans.

A. M. FLEMING,

Medical Director.

28027

SIR,

No. 119.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 18th June, 1915.)

[Answered by No. 139.]

University of London, South Kensington, London. S.W.,

17th June, 1915.

WITH reference to my letter of 14th March, 1911, and the reply from Sir Charles Lucas of 21st March, 1911, I am directed by the Senate to apply for the continuance of the annual grant of £750 in respect of the salary of the Professor of

* Nos, 85 and 91 in Miscellaneous No. 252.

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Protozoology for a further period of years. I have also to ask the Colonial Office to be good enough to renew for a period of years the additional grant of £100 (see letter of 23rd December, 1914, from Mr. Henry Lambert)* made during the last two years for the services of the Assistant to the Professor of Protozoology.

A full report has been furnished annually to the Colonial Office in regard to the work carried on by the Professor and his staff.

I may remind the Colonial Office that the whole of the cost of maintenance and expenses of the department, including the salaries additional to those above men- tioned, are provided by the Lister Institute with some assistance from the University.

I believe the record of work done fully justifies the support given by the Colonial Office. the University, and the Lister Institute to this important department.

I am, &c.,

HENRY A. MIERS,

29973

(No. 218.)

No. 120.

JAMAICA

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 29th June, 1915.)

Principal.

SIB,

King's House, Jamaica, 8th June, 1915. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Harcourt's despatch No. 53, dated the 22nd February, 1915,† on the subject of the voluntary treatment of yaws by salvarsan, and to furnish you with the accompanying copy of a memorandum by the Superintending Medical Officer on the matter, with the reports of the four District Medical Officers referred to.

2. I regret to inform you that the operations of the travelling dispensary have had to be suspended for the present, owing to the difficulty of procuring salvarsan from abroad. This dispensary, as will be observed from the memorandum from the Superintending Medical Officer, has been of very great value-and it is my opinion that it is on these lines that it will be possible to eradicate yaws, and I trust, when finances permit, that it may be possible to increase the number of travelling dispen- saries.

3. I have caused the Superintending Medical Officer to be instructed to fur- nish a further report on the progress of this treatment of yaws in a year's time, for transmission to you as requested in the third paragraph of your predecessor's despatch.

I have, &c.,

Enclosure in No. 120.

W. H. MANNING,

Governor.

MEMORANDUM BY THE SUPERINTENDING MEDICAL OFFICER. HONOURABLE Colonial SECRETARY,

14th May, 1915.

I REGRET not having replied earlier to the questions in Secretary of State's <lespatch No. 53, dated 22nd February, 1915.

With regard to paragraph 3 of the despatch, I have the honour to state that this Colony, due to financial stringency since the hurricane, has had to go slow in the matter of medical work and only a certain amount of treatment by means of salvar- san has been possible, consequently in certain districts where the benefit of the treat- ment has already been recognized by the people much more could have been done were funds at hand to provide the salvarsan, pay the District Medical Officer, etc., but funds have been lacking.

* No. 88.

+ No. 101.