Transactions of the malaria conference held at Nagpur in January 1902.

Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Transactions of the malaria conference held at Nagpur in January 1902. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    the Administration had mainly to rely for introducing and directing sanitary reforms in their respective districts, the facilities which existed at Nagpur presented, as a first step, a most favourable opportunity for those Medical Officers, who, like myself, had hitherto not had the means at their command, of practically studying the subject of Malaria in all its bearings, but especially in connection with what is known as the Mosquito theory, and with the outlines, at least, of which I presume you are all more or less familiar. I accordingly addressed the Honourable the Chief Commissioner on the subject, suggesting that Civil Surgeons should be invited to come to Nagpur in parties of three or four at a time, for a course ol practical work under the guidance of Major Buchanan, who had gener- ously placed his laboratory at our disposal and offered the use of his own services for the purpose. The knowledge thus acquired would^ in my opinion, not only lay the foundation for the evolution of any practical measures for the prevention of Malaria, which might subse- quently be formulated, but would also tend to the earlier and more accurate diagnosis of its resultant diseases as well as to their more appropriate treatment. To these proposals I need hardly say that Mr. Fraser, with his usual kindness and sympathy with any measures intended for the welfare of the people over whom he has been placed in charge, promptly assented. On the Government of India coming to know of the efforts we were making to carry out their wishes, they telegraphed to the Administration, suggesting that Local Governments might be asked to be good enough to permit one or two selected Medical Officers from each province to join the Royal Society Com- missioners, who were then pursuing their researches here, and ourselves in prosecuting the desired object—a suggestion which we were only too glad to act on, and the results of which have exceeded our most sanguine expectations. In such manner, Ladies and Gentlemen, have been the inception and evolution of the Nagpur Conference on Malaria. To Major Buchanan is due the credit of having created the facilities for such a course of study and research as we propose to follow, and without which facilities the Conference would have been impossible. The work before us may be broadly divided into two parts—one the scientific and the other the utilitarian, the objects in the former