CO885-9 — Page 282

CORRESPONDENCE

RELATING TO

SLEEPING SICKNESS, MEDITERRANEAN

FEVER, &C.

10938

I-SLEEPING SICKNESS.

No. 1.

SIR,

THE ROYAL SOCIETY to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received April 5, 1905.)

[Answered by Nos. 6 and 25.]

The Royal Society, Burlington House, London, W., April 3, 1905.

In compliance with your request made at the Conference over which you presided on the 22nd ultimo, I have now the honour to submit to you a detailed statement of the points on which, in the opinion of the Royal Society, action on the part of His Majesty's Government is called for in regard to the investigation of sleeping siekness.

The Royal Society recognises two lines of procedure which in its opinion His Majesty's Government may pursue in this matter:-

First. Scientific research under the supervision of the Society, and, second, the utilisation of the services of the local authorities of the Protectorates in obtaining information on many questions connected with the disease.

I. As you are aware, the Royal Society has for some years been engaged in carrying on researches along various lines in the study of sleeping sickness, and has at present three observers at work on the subject in Uganda. The Society is pre- pared to continue these investigations, but more extensive measures are now called for in dealing with the disease. Various problems press urgently for attention. Among these the following may be mentioned:-

(1.) Whether among the conditions that determine the presence and welfare in a locality of Glossina palpalis or other species of noxious fly, any special features can be discovered, such as might possibly be more or less readily dealt with, so as to lead to the diminution or extermination of the fly. This investigation can only be undertaken by a trained entomologist, and such an observer should be secured and set to work with as little delay as possible.

(2.) Whether some fly other than the Glossina palpalis also carries the infection of sleeping sickness. It is probable that an answer to this important question may eventually be furnished by the enquiries proposed under section II. of this letter. But there is ample room for research and experiment by trained scientific observers regarding the transmission of the trypanosoma of sleeping sickness by species of tsetse flies other than Glossina palpalis. Some progress had been made in this investigation by Dr. Wiggins and by Captain Greig, and in May of last year Dr. Ross, the Bacteriologist of the Protectorate, was sent to Kibwesi for the of carrying on this line of enquiry. It is to be regretted that before he had obtained purpose

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

885

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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