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An examination of school teachers and nurses for certificates in Elementary Sanitation was held on the 28th of May. Thirty-three candidates presented them- selves for examination; of these only fifteen failed to pass. This is decidedly satis- factory, especially in view of the fact that, with the exception of school teachers, the candidates were not specially trained for the examination.

Eastern Province (Calabar).

More and more attention has been given each year to the teaching of hygiene in both Mission and Government schools. All the children are now instructed in this subject from the first Standard upwards. The text-book used has been Dr. Collet's Elements of Physiology and Public Health." In some schools, notably the Hope Waddel and Bonny Government Schools, a very complete knowledge of the subject has been attained.

Central Province (Warri).

Some Elementary Sanitation was taught in the schools as an obligatory subject under the head of General Knowledge.

HENRY CARR,

Acting Director of Education.

119

despatch which his Lordship addressed to the Officers Administering the Govern- ments of Crown Colonies and Protectorates on the subject of the teaching of the rudiments of hygiene in the schools in those countries, and to inform you with refer- ence to the fourth paragraph, that the Acting Commissioner of the British Central Africa Protectorate has requested that lantern slides as under may be sent out for use in the Protectorate:-

A set illustrating malaria. A set illustrating dysentery.

A set illustrating bilharzia.

Lord Elgin would be glad to know whether arrangements could be made by the London School of Tropical Medicine for the preparation of suitable sets of slides, and, if so, what would be the cost.

Lord Elgin would also be obliged if you would indicate any other subjects which may be considered suitable for lantern lectures in connection with instruction in hygiene in colonial schools, and the probable cost of sets of slides.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

8857

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

Education Office,

Lagos, August 22, 1907.

32906

No. 70.

BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA PROTECTORATE.

ACTING COMMISSIONER PEARCE to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(No. 182.)

MY LORD,

(Received September 14, 1907.)

[Answered 31 October, 1907. 36722 : not printed.]

Government Offices, Zomba, British Central Africa,

July 31, 1907.

In continuation of my despatch, No. 161, of the 19th of July,* on the subject of the teaching of elementary hygiene, I have the honour to state that I have heard from Dr. Laws, of the Livingstonia Mission in the northern part of the Protec- torate, and he informs me that he would be very glad if I could obtain for him the following sets of lantern slides illustrative of :—

1. Mosquito, culex and anopheles, and the malarial parasite.

2. Mosquito and parasite of filaria.

3. Tick and parasite of tick fever (ornithodorus monbata).

4. Tsetse responsible for sleeping sickness, and its parasite.

I was unable to inform Dr. Laws of the cost of these, but he informs me that he would be willing to pay a sum up to £5 for the slides above detailed, but he points out that if they are obtainable for less he will be better pleased.

35679

No. 72.

TRINIDAD.

ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. T. CARTER to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received October 8, 1907.)

(No. 316.) MY LORD,

Government House, Trinidad, September 12, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's circular despatch of the 28th March last,* forwarding a précis of the reports received from the Crown Colonies and Protectorates in the tropics, on the progress made during 1905 with the teaching of the rudiments of hygiene in the schools of those countries.

2. Referring to the last paragraph of your despatch, I beg to transmit the accompanying copy of a report by the Acting Surgeon-General, from which it appears that, while some instruction in the natural history of the mosquito has from time to time been given in the schools of this Colony, there has been no systematic teaching of hygiene during 1906, the subject not being a compulsory one under the Education Code. It is, however, intended that this important branch of elementary education shall receive due attention as opportunity offers.

I have, &c.,

G. T. CARTER,

Acting Governor.

Enclosure in No 72.

31216

No. 71.

I have, &c.,

F. B. PEARCE,

Acting Commissioner.

BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA PROTECTORATE.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE LONDON SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE.

SIR,

[Answered by No. 73.]

Downing Street, 4 October, 1907.

I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit to you a copy of a circular

No, 67,

REPORT BY THE ACTING SURGEON-GENERAL.

September 7, 1907.

THE HON. COLONIAL SECRETARY,

THERE has been no systematic teaching of hygiene in schools, for the reason chiefly that this is not one of the compulsory subjects of the Education Code.

From time to time, however, demonstrations have been given in the natural history of the mosquito by the teachers who attended the course of lectures in 1895.

Copies of Dr. Prout's book on "Elementary Hygiene and Sanitation, with special reference to the Tropics" were distributed to all head teachers.

It had been arranged, after consultation with the Inspector of Schools, that a regular course of lectures should be given by the Assistant Medical Officer of Health at the training school and at one or two country centres during the early months of the year, but owing to pressure of work this proposal has not been carried out.

• No. 51.

↑ See No. 67.