CO885-(7-8) — Page 418

575

26

question of the existence or non-existence of waterpools, not of altitude. Our gneiss and granite hills contain numerous pools of water in clefts and holes; the low country is generally sandy, porous soil, with no pools, and very few mosquitoes during the dry season. What the winter season is to malaria propagation in Italy, that the dry season is here. But these rock-pools often last far into or through the season,

3. The recommendation under "b" is in practice here. That under, "c" is of little importance. As to "d" it may be observed that Government Quarters are furnished, always have been furnished, with mosquito nets. As regards "f" it may be stated generally that all Medical officers are expected to do what is thereunder suggested, under the supervision of the Chief Medical Officer and the Governor. It may be pointed out that it would be perhaps better were Governors instructed to note and give publicity to any notable facts connected with the theory, whether for it or against it."h." It is desirable that wire gauze netting should be procurable on the shortest notice. At present there is much delay in obtaining it.. "i" This does not apply to officials here, as indicated above.

4. It should be remarked that the very important point of prophylactic treat- ment by quinine is omitted. It seems not unlikely that it is of all measures the first to be adopted and acted on in a place like this. It appears strange that it has formed no place in these "suggestions." I venture to say it should not only be included, but should have the greatest weight attached to it. Personally, I cannot but regard a European officer that cannot, or that will not, take quinine as a pre- ventive of malarial fever as being out of place in a malarial country. He is simply there at the risk of his own health and life; and he is a standing menace to others.

It will have to be considered soon whether steps should not be taken so that an officer that cannot tolerate quinine should not be sent here; or if sent here, should, on the demonstration of an idiopathic inability to take quinine, be invalided out of the country on the first opportunity. For officers that could, but will not. take quinine as a preventive it would be sufficient to establish a rule that he should have no pay for periods he is off duty on account of fever. Here, I think, practically all take quinine.

27

terrible breach in the relations existing between the native and the European, who should be his teacher and friend.

(2.) Material for killing mosquitos in each room; at present the hand alone, or some weapon like a brush is used. Experiments are still being made with Culicicides and authorities disagree as to efficacy of each; meantime it is found to be easier to keep mosquitos out of rooms with gauze, than to keep killing them after they enter.

(f.) Pamphlets have been published, and lectures given here, dealing with the subject of Dr. Manson's "Notice," and no one of any intelligence in this Colony should, at this date be ignorant of the teachings of science on the mosquito malarial question. 4. In concluding these brief notes, I may say that I am strongly of opinion that the rendering mosquito-proof of houses is of such importance that money will be well spent in purchase of gauze sufficient to do more than render one room only mosquito-proof in each Officer's Quarters for this will protect officers from infection, while the war against the parasites (by treating native children with Quinine) is being carried on, and the source of infection drained away gradually; of course, when an Officer is travelling, he must rely on his net, and prophylactic doses of quinine. But -- it can never be forgotten that the latter is a powerful poison, with a well-known action on the blood and nerve tissue, and it would be gladly abandoned were it not at present the one really effective agent for curing Malarial Fever by destroying the parasite which

causes it.

5. I am extremely pleased to find that the Committee suggests methods which are already in vogue here, and that our own ideas have the endorsement of so learned a body.

H. S.,

June 3, 1901.

27010

No. 38.

C. M. O.

2

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

I have, &c.,

WM. MACGREGOR,

Governor.

Enclosure in No. 37.

HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

1. I have perused the report.

2. Speaking broadly, all the suggestions, or nearly all have been long since made

by workers in this and other Colonies, interested in the subject of Malaria.

I cannot but think that the Committee must have based the suggestions on information gained from such workers.

3. Hence, it is not strange that I should now say that in this Colony all these suggestions have already been considered and practical work done in carrying out- those that are feasible.

(a.) Quinine administration for curative and prophylactic purposes is resorted to, and the Government supplies a large quantity gratis to Officers and the natives to encourage the use of it.

(b.) Mosquito proof rooms are being' constructed as fast as funds and labour permit. The use of the mosquito net has been strenuously advocated for the past two years, by me and the Officers of my Department.

(c.) Filling in of swamps and puddles has been advocated for at least three or four years while removal of empty tins, bottles, and other receptacles for stagnant water has been the rule for the past two years.

(d.) Certain other means, such as removal of the European Colony, whilst advo- cated, have been impossible of accomplishment for various reasons.

(e.) The only recommendations I see which do not in this Colony seem to be employed are

(1.) Segregation of Europeans from natives (personally I do not see how "The white man can shirk any part of his "burden," and such segregation, if sufficiently marked to be of real benefit from the malarial point of view will be followed by a

ނ

-

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR F. A. SWETTENILAM to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(No. 312.)

SIR,

(Received August 3, 1901.)

Government House, Singapore, July 6, 1901.

WITH reference to your Circular despatch of 20th April,* on the subject of the connection of malarial fever with mosquitoes, in which you invite an expression

of my opinion as to whether any or all of the suggestions of the Committee appointed

by you might be adopted with advantage in this Colony, I have the honour to inform you that the Principal Civil Medical Officer reports that there is no difficulty in having all the recommendations of the Committee carried out.

2. I will now deal with these seriatim : ----

(a.) This will be borne in mind in future and acted upon as far as it is possible to do so.

(b.) The Colonial Engineer reports, that such an enclosure can easily be pro- vided in all future Government Quarters and as regards existing buildings they can be supplied on application to the Public Works Department.

(c.) This is hardly feasible here. In the notice prepared by Dr. Manson the following advice is given:-"All rooms should be searched systematically for mosquitoes, which, on being discovered, should be promptly killed." After sunset mosquitoes positively swarm in most houses and any attempt to kill theni would be futile.

Scrupulous cleanliness and the absence of curtains and other hangings tend to diminish the number of mosquitoes in the day time.

(d.) It is the invariable custom for Europeans to sleep under mosquito nets (e.) The Principal Civil Medical Officer says this should certainly be done as a means of education.

(f.) Instructions will be issued to all Colonial Surgeons to do this. (g.) This will be done.

9505

No. 11.

D2

28