CO885-24 — Page 394

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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their ivory, whilst antelope, which are known to harbour dangerous trypanosomes, are left comparatively untouched, Mr. Harcourt has given instructions that, directly experience shows that only elephants are being hunted and that the real object of the free destruction of animals in the prescribed areas is thus being defeated, the areas thrown open are to be closed again immediately until the organized destruction of all the animals can be arranged.

In this connexion, I am to enclose copies of a report* by a Committee appointed to consider the form of the annual reports on the destruction of animals in tsetse- fly areas in Africa, together with copies of the leaflet referred to by the Committee in the report.

949

SIR,

No. 2.

I am,

&c.,

H. J. READ, for the Under-Secretary of State.

NORTHERN RHODESIA.

THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 7th January, 1915.)

[Copy to Tropical Diseases Bureau and Imperial Bureau of Entomology, 2nd February, 1915.L.F.] [Answered by No. 5.]

2, London Wall Buildings, London, E.C.,

6th January, 1915.

I AM directed to refer to my letter of the 20th July last,† acknowledging the receipt of copies of the Report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Sleeping Sickness, and to enclose, for the information of the Secretary of State, a copy of a letter, dated the 24th November last, which has been received from the Admini- strator of Northern Rhodesia, transmitting a copy of a report by the Principal Medical Officer of that territory in regard to the various questions referred to in your letter No. 11567/1914, of the 5th June last.§

The Board will be glad to learn the views of the Secretary of State on this report.

I am, &c.,

SIR,

Enclosure in No. 2.

D. E. BRODIE,

Secretary.

TRYPANOSOMIASIS IN NORTHERN RHODESIA.

(RICHARD GOODE.)

(Received 18th December, 1914.)

Administrator's Office, Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia,

24th November, 1914. WITH reference to your letter of the 25th July, enclosing a copy of a letter from the Colonial Office, relative to the inquiry into certain questions connected with trypanosomiasis, I forward herewith a copy of a report on the subject by the Principal Medical Officer, giving replies to the various questions referred to.

2. As regards the experiments and investigations to be carried on by Dr. Kinghorn, I am to say that this officer is now on the German border, and that conse- quently the work under his direction will not be proceeded with to any extent until

the cessation of hostilities.

3. Any important results obtained by officers of this Administration in the course of their investigations will be communicated to Southern Rhodesia.

I am, &c.,

The Secretary,

The British South Africa Company,

2, London Wall Buildings, E.C.

*See No. 99 in Miscellaneous No. 287.

[Cd. 7849], May, 1914.

RICHARD GOODE,

Secretary.

No. 85 in Miscellaneous No. 287.

No. 81 in Miscellaneous No. 287,

(No. M.D. 1006.)

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TRYPANOSOMIASIS IN NORTHERN RHODESIA.

(DR. A. MAY.)

Medical Department, Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia,

29th September, 1914.

Sleeping Sickness Committee. Report. THIS Report is accompanied by a letter from the Under-Secretary of State, No. 11567/1914, dated 5th June, 1914, in which attention is called to certain points of special importance.

1. Paragraphs 41, 42, and 126 deal with the importance of ascertaining definitely whether man does or does not form a reservoir for the human trypano- some, and an experiment is suggested whereby a large number of apparently healthy natives (500) from a suitable area should be examined both by the direct and indirect method in order to settle that point.

The feasibility of this experiment may be considered from two points of view: (1) as an undivided, (2) as a divided experiment extending over some considerable time.

(1) As an undivided experiment. The requisite number of suitable natives could no doubt be obtained without very great difficulty. The difficulty and expense of providing the requisite number of experimental animals would, however, be very great. The majority of these, if obtainable, would have to be provided from the south and transported from railhead by carrier transport a distance of some 250-350 miles to a suitable place for the experiment. A liberal allowance being made for losses on the journey, it is estimated that these animals could not be available at a suitable place for less than 20s. each. The total cost of the experiment may be roughly estimated at £750.

It is not considered that the result of a duplicate experiment of this sort (a similar experiment seems to have been already arranged for in Nyasaland) would justify this expenditure.

(2) As a divided experiment, extended over some considerable time, equally valuable results could be obtained at a smaller cost.

Two Medical Officers will be available for this work-Dr. Kinghorn at Mpika, and Dr. A. F. Wallace at Broken Hill. At these stations a considerable number of suitable natives will from time to time be available for examination without the The work can be expense and difficulty of special recruitment for the purpose. carried out by the Medical Officers named in the ordinary course of their duties. The provision of experimental animals will be considerably less difficult; a smaller number will be required, as the same animal can be repeatedly used. A certain number of monkeys can be obtained locally from time to time and thus diminish the expense.

A large number of equally reliable results would be available at the end of twelve months.

Second Point of Special Importance.

(Report, paragraph 50.) Dr. Kinghorn was until recently carrying out investi- gations on the lines here suggested-increased facilities will, with His Honour's approval, be now provided for this research.

Third Point of Special Importance.

(Report, paragraphs 85-100.) Experimental Game Destruction. This sub- ject has been fully discussed in the Sleeping Sickness Report for last year, pages 19-24, to which reference is made.

An estimate of the probable cost was there submitted; this, which was more than double the sum recommended by the Committee, together with the fact that we are at present unable to conclusively identify the trypanosome pathogenic to man, the inclusive results which may be expected to follow this experiment, and also that the grounds on which this experiment was urged have proved to be quite fal- lacious, make it unnecessary that it should at present be further considered by this

Administration.

Fourth Point of Special Importance.

(Report, paragraphs 101-120, on the subject of the influence of clearings on the movements of the fly.) Sufficiently accurate knowledge is not as yet available as to the influence of clearings on the habits of the fly to justify the great expense involved in any general attempt of this sort.