CO885-9 — Page 92

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C0885

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

مملح

L.M.B. 381,06.

positively say

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that I sanctioned their employment on that understanding. I do not expect the Federated Malay States to support three highly paid Europeans in work of this kind."

The result of this ruling is that instead of two assistants for seven months and a further indefinite period I have only had one. With assistants liable to be transferred at any time for indefinite periods no plan of work can be arranged, and the time occupied in training them is wasted. If the assistants are only to be kept at the Institute when the medical services are not undermanned they are of no advantage, and such assistants cannot be counted as a part of the staff.

If the terms were explained to men in England instead of those embodied in their agreements or in R.G.Q. circular, No. 45/1902, paragraph 17, I doubt if men'wishing to do research work would have accepted the appointments. They could not be recommended to do so.

8. More definite information should be provided to candidates for these appoint- ments and in a three years' agreement I think that the condition laid down should be adhered to. The uncertainty entailed by the liability to transfer to the medical ser- vice and the recent decision to extend the period of probation will cause a feeling of unrest. The position of the European assistants we were informed in England was similar to the Government Medical Officers for most purposes, but I find that they are not on the pensionable list, and that the houses, particularly that provided for the 2nd Assistant Medical Officer, 3rd class quarter, is much inferior to any provided for Medical Officers, as it is small and has only a 4-feet 6 inches verandah-an unsuit- able house--and, as I have already reported, unfit for European occupation. I am also informed, unofficially, that the house to be provided for the Director will be 4 miles from the Institute. As regards the house first mentioned, the provision of a porch with a verandah over it and removal of some of the partitions would greatly improve the house provided for the second assistant. In my experience, uncomfortable quarters cause more persistent dissatisfaction that even insufficient pay.

9. In short, instead of a staff of a Director and two European assistants, there is a staff of a Director and two Europeans, liable to repeated and protracted transfers, occasionally supplemented by a private independent worker and more frequently by visitors who mainly wish to learn.

10. For such a staff the Institute is far in excess of what is required. A small laboratory such as that in Singapore would suffice.

The upkeep of a large establishment requires a considerable expenditure and constant supervision, and without workers this, as well as the capital expenditure, is

wasted.

11. With the extent of the buildings, grounds and appliances and the liberal maintenance and equipment allowance it would, I consider, be a mistake to restrict the work purely to human pathology, as there is opportunity and ample room for work in the lines of animal and vegetable pathology and the supervision is necessary in any case. This would be somewhat on the lines of the Institute in Manila where, in one block of buildings, various departments of research are undertaken, and this is, in my opinion, the best line for future usefulness of this Institute.

At present, however, there are no workers in any of these departments; there is no entomologist, no bacteriologist, no mycologist, no botanist, and no special officer of Public Health in the Federated Malay States.

I understand that the appointment of some or all of these officers is contemplated. In each case their services would be required for more than one Department, e.g., the services of an entomologist would be required for the Agricultural, Medical (including Veterinary) and Forest Departments. Bacteriologist for Medical (including Veterinary) and Agricultural. Mycologist for Forest, Agricultural and Medical. Botanist for Forest, Agricultural and Medical. Chemist for Agricultural, Medical, Police and possibly Geological and Mines.

The aggregation of all such officers in the large laboratory provided at the Insti tute would be a decided saving in buildings and equipment and administration, and these officers would be of mutual assistance to each other.

If these officers were on the staff of the Institute one permanent assistant would suffice.

With the minimum staff (a Director and two trained assistants on a permanent footing) I recommend, as the alternative, some work on these lines could be undertaken and help and room for work could be given to any specialist in other lines who may be appointed.

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12. In the past year various problems in connection with public health, veterinary work and general pathology have been referred to me and undertaken. Such questions, I understand, my predecessor did not work at as he came for a special purpose, the study of beri-beri.

2803/04

The decision of the Secretary of State appears to be that the exclusive study of B.C beri-beri should be again undertaken, and, as you are aware, this will entail my residence at places where beri-beri is epidemic, by preference public institutions, at present not at Kuala Lumpor. On this point I require definite instructions, as the expenditure on the Institute has been so great that without these I do not feel justi- fied in abandoning it for lengthened periods. Examinations, biological, of water used for drinking purposes has been undertaken to a considerable extent. These exami- nations are tedious, particularly in a country where so many of the organisms are new and interfere with other work seriously. Their importance for the public health in a country where intestinal diseases are common and virulent is great and, there- fore, I have undertaken them and also any other investigations that seemed to be of immediate practical utility, but I am quite prepared to confine my attention to any line of more purely scientific interest if so directed by you. It is to my personal in- terest to do so.

13. I should recommend that the decision which you arrive at as regards the present assistants should be communicated to them and that, in case they wish it, they should be transferred as soon as convenient to the medical services and that the plan advocated by my predecessor of having two specially trained men at a higher rate of pay be adopted.

14. I should be glad to have an interview with you in connection with these subjects at your convenience.

30733

(No. 54.)

I have, &c.,

C. W. DANIELS,

Director, Institute for Medical Research,

No. 158.

BERMUDA.

Federated Malay States.

MR. LYTTELTON to GOVERNOR SIR R. M. STEWART.

Downing Street, September 14, 1904.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegrams of the 24th of August and 2nd of September,* and to inform you that the Crown Agents for the Colonies have been instructed to transfer the sum of £100 from Bermuda funds to the Tropical Medicine Fund as the contribution of the Colony to the fund.

2. In view of Sir H. L. Geary's despatch, No. 10, of the 21st of January,† the Crown Agents had been instructed to transfer £250, but they have now been asked to adjust this.

I have, &c.,

31886

ALFRED LYTTELTON.

No. 159.

FEDERATED MALAY STATES.

COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR P. MANSON. [Answered by No. 161.]

Downing Street, September0, 1904. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to transmit to you (in original, to be returned), the enclosed despatch from the High Commissioner for the Federated

SIR,

Nos. 148 and 155.

↑ No. 20.

‡ No. 157.

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