PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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3. In view of the special circumstances which have arisen in Uganda, owing to the outbreak of war, I approve of the proposal made in your despatch of the 9th of February* that no action should be taken in respect of systematic game destruction during the continuance of hostilities.
4. I enclose six copies of Appendix D to the Report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Sleeping Sickness, as requested by you, for the use of the Principal Medical Officer.
I have, &c.,
19115
No. 14.
WEST AFRICA.
L. HARCOURT.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE TROPICAL DISEASES BUREAU AND THE IMPERIAL BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY.
SIR,
[Answered by No. 15.]
Downing Street, 20th May, 1915. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 10th of June, 1914.2 I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for any observations that you may have to offer, the accompanying copies of the replies which have been received from the Governors of the West African Colonies and Protectorates to the Secretary of State's despatches! (copies of which are also enclosed for convenience of reference) on the subject of the Report of the Inter departmental Committee on Sleeping Sickness.
26743
SIR,
No. 15.
I am, &c.,
H. J. READ,
for the Under-Secretary of State.
WEST AFRICA.
TROPICAL DISEASES BUREAU to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 10th June, 1915.)
Tropical Diseases Bureau, Imperial Institute,
London, S.W., 9th June, 1915.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 20th May (1911/15), on the subject of the Report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Sleeping Sickness, with copies of replies to the Secretary of State's despatches from the Gambia, Gold Coast, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
2. In Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast, while clearing round villages, settle- ments, and river crossings is approved of, clearing on each side of main roads is deemed impracticable, owing to cost and other reasons. I am ready to admit that clearing along main roads to the extent named in the report is quite impracticable owing to the cost, but, in the interests of a true conception of what clearing should signify, would point out that three of the objections raised by the Governor of Sierra Leone do not necessarily apply-I refer to the destruction of oil palms, the sacrifice of land needed for cultivation, and the loss of shade. Oil palms would not be removed unless it were shown that they harboured fly; ground cleared is ground which has undergone the essential preliminary to cultivation: shade is not lost unless the larger trees are felled, and experience elsewhere-not on the West Coast, I admit--shows that such felling is unnecessary provided that branches near the ground are removed. Probably a resting place among leaves near the ground is as essential to tsetse as shade.
* No. 9.
Miscellaneous No. 308. 11567: not printed. Nos. 00, 01, and 94 in Miscellaneous No. 287, and No. 11 in this volume. No. 79 in Miscellaneous No. 287. No. 14.
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It is worth mention that some confusion has arisen from the use of the word 'bush" in this connexion. To the writer the word signifies shrubby vegetation, as it probably did to most of the Committee; the Governor of Sierra Leone takes it to include all vegetation that yields shade.
With regard to the draft rules under the Public Health (Protectorate) Ordinance of Sierra Leone, it would be of value to know whether the clearings of fifty yards round towns, twenty yards round cattle enclosures, and fifty yards round fords, etc., are sufficiently ample to be effective. Perhaps when conditions are again normal this information could be supplied.
3. With regard to the need for entomological research opinion is happily unanimous. Dr. Connal expresses the opinion that more intelligent and more useful results would be obtained if the duties were assigned to medical men" rather than observers who are "only entomologists." This, I think, depends on the entomologist. If men are obtainable who have studied and devised methods for the suppression of insect pests, animal or agricultural, I should hope for the best results from their training and experience, and from the wide outlook they would bring to the inquiry. If, on the other hand, the entomological medical men are to com- bine entomological and medical work, I should expect the entomological to suffer. The whole time and attention of many specialists, possessing, if possible, field know- ledge of insect suppression problems, is needed if the tsetse fly is to be controlled. Medical men or medical entomologists have done, and will continue to do, useful work, but the time has come, in my opinion, when the direction of tsetse fly investi- gation and methods of control should be made over to the professional economic entomologist.
4. Medical research. I hope it will be practicable to supply a second specialist in trypanosome investigation" in Nigeria with a well equipped labora- tory, the cost to be borne by all the West African Colonies. There seems to be in Eket an opportunity for the study of an epidemic of an unusual character, a study which could hardly fail to advance knowledge; and inquiries which have been carried out in Uganda and elsewhere, countries where sleeping sickness is of com- paratively recent introduction, might profitably be repeated in West Africa, where a state of comparative equilibrium between the trypanosome and man appears to have in course of time become established.
5. There is one comment which I would make on the minute of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services, Nigeria. Concerning the epidemic of sleeping sickness in the Eket country he writes, "It is estimated that only 4 per cent. of those affected die of the disease, and so far as one can tell the treatment adopted is most beneficial." There are several points here which are not clear. Is one to conclude that 96 per cent. of cases recover? If so, is this the result of the treatment adopted, or the course of nature? In the former case one would like to know what the treatment was; in the latter, treatment seems almost superfluous. Perhaps the Director would expand this statement and give the figures on which the estimate is based.
33769
(No. 478.)
I have, &c.,
No. 16.
ARTHUR G. BAGSHAWE,
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 22nd July, 1915.)
Director.
SIR,
Government House, Nairobi, British East Africa, 16th June, 1915. WITH reference to my despatch No. 687, of 22nd July, 1914,* I have the honour to transmit herewith in duplicate the returns of game killed in the East Africa Protectorate during the year 1914-15.
I have, &c.,
H. CONWAY BELFIELD,
Governor.
* No. 89 in Miscellaneous No. 287.
!
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t is worth mention that some confusion has arisen from the use of the word
in this connexion. To the writer the word signifies shrubby vegetation, as
bably did to most of the Committee; the Governor of Sierra Leone takes it to le all vegetation that yields shade.
With regard to the draft rules under the Public Health (Protectorate) ance of Sierra Leone, it would be of value to know whether the clearings of ards round towns, twenty yards round cattle enclosures, and fifty yards round etc., are sufficiently ample to be effective. Perhaps when conditions are normal this information could be supplied.
With regard to the need for entomological research opinion is happily mous. Dr. Connal expresses the opinion that " 'more intelligent and more
results would be obtained if the duties were assigned to medical men
"} rather observers who are "only entomologists." This, I think, depends on the ologist. If men are obtainable who have studied and devised methods for the ession of insect pests, animal or agricultural, I should hope for the best results their training and experience, and from the wide outlook they would bring inquiry. If, on the other hand, the entomological medical men are to com- ntomological and medical work, I should expect the entomological to suffer. hole time and attention of many specialists, possessing, if possible, field know- of insect suppression problems, is needed if the tsetse fly is to be controlled. al men or medical entomologists have done, and will continue to do, useful but the time has come, in my opinion, when the direction of tsetse fly investi- and methods of control should be made over to the professional economic ›logist.
"second
Medical research. I hope it will be practicable to supply a list in trypanosome investigation" in Nigeria with a well equipped labora- he cost to be borne by all the West African Colonies. There seems to be in .n opportunity for the study of an epidemic of an unusual character, a study could hardly fail to advance knowledge; and inquiries which have been 1 out in Uganda and elsewhere, countries where sleeping sickness is of com-
vely recent introduction, might profitably be repeated in West Africa, where a of comparative equilibrium between the trypanosome and man appears to have rse of time become established.
There is one comment which I would make on the minute of the Director dical and Sanitary Services, Nigeria. Concerning the epidemic of sleeping 38 in the Eket country he writes, "It is estimated that only 4 per cent. of affected die of the disease, and so far as one can tell the treatment adopted
t beneficial." There are several points here which are not clear. Is one to de that 96 per cent. of cases recover? If so, is this the result of the treatment d, or the course of nature? In the former case one would like to know what
atment was; in the latter, treatment seems almost superfluous. Perhaps the or would expand this statement and give the figures on which the estimate
d.
I have, &c.,
ARTHUR G. BAGSHAWE,
Director.
o. 478.)
No. 16.
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 22nd July, 1915.)
Government House, Nairobi, British East Africa, 16th June, 1915. WITH reference to my despatch No. 687, of 22nd July, 1914, I have the to transmit herewith in duplicate the returns of game killed in the East Protectorate during the year 1914-15.
I have, &c.,
H. CONWAY BELFIELD,
* No. 89 in Miscellaneous No. 287.
Governor.
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
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