103
" ous varieties of Anopheles in or near the railway stations and yards is a
" grave danger, for mosquitoes are frequently carried from one place to
" another in railway carriages and covered waggons, etc., and in this way
" malaria may be disseminated from one locality over a wide area."
273. A memorandum similar to the one addressed to the representative of
the G. I. P. Railway Company was submitted to the representative of the
13. B. & C. I. Railway Company also.
274. Action taken by the G. I. P. and B. B. B. & C. I. Railway Companies.—
The G. I. P. Railway Company appointed a European Inspector on Rs. 150
per mensem and a small staff of trained men for work in their yard9.
The cost of the special anti-malaria work carried out by them amounted to
Rs. 747 in 1909 and Rs, 1,418 in 1910. The B. B. & C. I. Railway Company
appointed two trained men to work in their yards and subsequently by a
joint arrangement with the G. I. P. Railway Company the European Inspector
engaged by the former Company was made responsible for the carrying out
of the work in their yards also. The B. B, & C. I. Railway Company also
expended a considerable amount in distributing sugar-coated quinine tablets
to their employees during 1909. The total expenditure on anti-malaria work
during 1909 and 1910 amounted to Us. 643.
275. In certain parts of the city preventive work of the similar nature was
undertaken. At the request of the Director of the Government Dockyard
several inspections were made of the premises there by the staff engaged in the
malaria investigation. The residents in these premises had suffered severely
from the presence of mosquitoes in 1908, and in 1909 a considerable amount of
malarial infection was found among the native servants there. Much good as
far as reducing the number of mosquitoes had been effected towards the end of
1908 owing to the measures adopted by the Director; but larvae of Nexellia
stephensi were found breeding in a number of open tanks by Captain MeKen-
drick and again after his departure in a few other places. A mosquito searcher
was supplied to the Dockyard from among the men trained during the enquiry,
and his services were entertained for a short time until certain of the Dockyard
subordinates were sufficiently experienced to continue the work.
276. During 1909 the P. & O. Company decided to institute a system of
quinine parades among the crews of all their vessels entering the port. Many
of their crews had suffered severely from malaria in. 1908 ; but in 1909, 25,000
quinine pills were distributed amongst them, and very few of them were affected
by the disease. The Company also deputed one of their subordinate staff to
inspect their private dockyard, workshops and quarters, where mosquitoes had
been found breeding in a number of places. The mosquitoes present were chiefly
Stegomyia and Culex fatigans, but Neocellia stephensi were found breeding in a
few water cisterns, and necessary measures were taken against them.
277. Meanwhile the distribution of quinine commenced by Captain
McKendrick had been continued, but it was decided to extend the distribution
to as large a proportion as possible of the poorer population in the most
seriously affected localities, instead of confining it merely to young children
suffering from enlarged spleen. Many adults in these areas had been
found infected with malaria and children not exhibiting palpable splenic
enlargement also showed the presence of numerous parasites on blood examin-
ation. The modification of the scheme of quinine treatment made it necessary
to confine the distribution to a smaller area than before, and as anti-mosquito
work was being commenced by the Port Trust and Railway Companies on a
considerable scale, it was decided to limit quinine distribution to an area round
the New Docks. The distribution of quinine was therefore stopped in the
North Port, with the exception of the portion adjoining the New Dock Works.
It was felt that, in areas like the North Fort, where the presence of severe
malaria was so obviously due to the existence of large numbers of anopheline
infested wells, the distribution of quinine was likely to postpone the
carrying out of the proper and more radical measures, the protection of these
wells; whereas in the area finally selected for treatment it was quite beyond