25
expenditure of time and money, and even then the permanent success of the experi ment would be problematical.
(G) The theory has, I think, been very generally accepted.
(H) Patterns might be asked for.
(1) No remarks.
I have, &c.,
C. B. MOSSE, Superintending Medical Officer.
572
Governors to give publicity. Crown Agents to keep patterns.
To advise
new
Officials
to procure Mosquito Nets.
SIR,
No. 36. JAMAICA.
GOVERNOR SIR A. W. L. HEMMING to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(No. 407.)
(Received July 24, 1901.)
•
King's House, Jamaica, July 5, 1901. IN continuation of my despatch, No. 351, dated the 10th ultimo,* I have now the honour to transmit a copy of a letter from the Superintending Medical Officer in reply to one which I caused to be addressed to him requesting him to report how far, in his opinion, present conditions can be improved by the adoption of any of the precautionary measures suggested in your circular despatch of the 20th of April last, whereby the risk attending the spread of malaria fever by the mosquito might be diminished.
2. I should be glad if you would be so good as to cause the Crown Agents to be instructed to send out patterns of suitable wire gauze, together with quotations of the prices. I would also ask you to be so good as to supply, for distribution, 100 copies of the placard of which you enclosed some copies with your circular of 20th of April last.t
The Honourable
26685
The Colonial Secretary,
Kingston.
Selection
of suitable sites for buildings.
To protect
(No. 889/1156.)
SIR,
I have, &c.,
AUGUSTUS W. L. HEMMING,
Governor.
Enclosure in No. 36.
Island Medical Office, July 2, 1901. In reply to your letter of the 13th June, No. 4510/S. S. Circular, April 20, 1901, covering a despatch from the Secretary of State, submitting certain suggestions formulated by a Committee appointed to consider the means whereby risk from malaria to life in the Tropics might be diminished, and asking for my observations on the suggestion in question, I have the honour to submit the following remarks:- (A) A very admirable suggestion, more applicable, however, to a country newly opened up than to Jamaica, where it would be difficult to carry out the suggestions. It would be wise to comply in future with the several points set forth whenever practicable.
(B) The procedure suggested unnecessary, except in those malarial districts where buildings fever prevails, and even in such localities I think the absolute closing of every opening large and small with wire gauze would presumably so increase the temperature that the remedy would be considered less tolerable than the disease. Where anopheles peans with abound, the protection indicated would doubtless prove a highly protective measure. wire gauze.
and quar. ters used by Euro-
Special
means
should be adopted for the de-
struction of Mos- quitoes.
Mow-
quito Nets.
Notice to be hung up in Gov
etament
buildings.
Officers to be ap-
(c) Very desirable after the houses in an anopheles district have been protected by wire gauze.
(D) The desirability of compliance with this most necessary provision might be communicated to all officials by circular.
(E) Can be easily carried out, if a sufficient number of copies are printed.
(F) As the protective measures would consist mainly in occlusion of all openings with wire gauze, officers of the Public Works Department would, I think, be more pointed to useful than Medical Officers. In those districts where anopheles are propagated, the infected areas are so large, effective measures could only be carried out at considerable
carry out
No. 37.
LAGOS.
GOVERNOR SIR W. MACGREGOR 10 MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received August 1, 1901:)
(No. 174.)
SIR,
Government House, Lagos, July 8, 1901.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of 20th April last. I enclose a memorandum thereon by Dr. Henry Strachan, Chief Medical Officer of the Colony. You will see from that memorandum that the pro- posals of Lord Onslow's Committee have generally been anticipated in this Colony. I very respectfully offer a few remarks on the circular.
2. So far as this Colony is concerned, I humbly dissent from the doctrine that quarters for Europeans be located away from native quarters. The proposal is, in my opinion, unacceptable equally on scientific and administrative grounds. The segregation proposed would most probably leave the source of contamination in exist- tence for all time. It is accepted that the foci of malarial parasites exist in the native population. If the natives are cured, then the remedy is applied radically. Under segregation Europeans would be attended to more, natives less. According to this view, therefore, segregation would be an unscientific method of dealing with malaria. I should advocate no separation on the colour basis, but vigorously attack malaria in rits stronghold, among natives, and should thus hope to effect some permanent good. The presence of Europeans near natives would, theoretically at least, be useful in educating the native up to how to deal with malaria. The contiguity of the native would be a useful stimulus to the European to take an interest in native sanitation, which otherwise he will not take, if one may judge from experience. I have had of late to point out to you that I have found more mosquitoes about European than near native quartors. This I ascribed to the presence of a greater number of pools, puddles, and water tanks about European houses, a result of superior domestic cleanliness. Segregation would from the social point of view be disastrous here. There is at present in this Colony_no racial question. It would be most unwise to start one. It is not possible for Europeans and natives to live apart in this place. The attempt to do so should, therefore, never under any circumstances be made. may mention the last practical example of the impossibility of segregation I have noticed. Last night I was repeatedly punctured by mosquitoes in Christ Church. In front of me sat the native choir of young boys. Had I lived the previous week in segregation of what avail would it have been if I had to be exposed to mosquitoes under such conditions, during the hour and a-half of divine service? This sort of exposure must constantly take place. Obviously the scientific method would be to free these natives from the parasites of malaria. Lately I have also brought to your notice that the high ground is often more dangerous than the low ground. It is a
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