TOLL OF THE TROPICS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1930, Page 18

TOLL OF THE TROPICS

EMPIRE'S VITAL CONCERN

NOT DOING ITS BEST

The Empire ■ was not doing its best to combat malaria, said Sir Andrew Balfour, director of the London School of nygienc and Tropical Medicine, speaking.on "Health and Empire" at the British Medical Association Hall, London. '

"Look where we will, we find evidence that tho British Empire has been built upon the bones of dead men and of dead women, the majority,. beyond all doubt, victims not of want, but of pestilence," said Sir Androw. "Happily there is another side to the shield, and it behov.es us to consider how a great change has been wrought, how we have passed from darkness to light, though, at the same time, it is essential to remember that the 'fight against the forces of diaease is far from, being whollyv.Vjon. i. ::; ■ , ... .! ..".It must also be remembered that if, in the olden days, • the Empire paid scant heed to < the health of its white populations, it' paid even less to that of the native iraces which passed under its sway, excejit. here and there in the case of slaves iwiio possessed monetary value. Now, however, it has shouldered the white man's burden, and throughout its length and breadth tho care of the health of native communities is a feature!; of modern administration.- To do thus country justice, she usually cleaned up places on which she laid her claws, at least after she had learnt to keep herself clean; or, in view of present conditions, should we say- -fairlyvclean':?*' .. :v /' ■;;.- ;• ■ Sir Andrew ooridenined the* practice of "dumping" people in ill-health in the colonies. He referred, to the: old idea bf: sending convicts :to Australia, and the victims of pulmonary tuberculosis on the South African Karroo and in Kenya.

r Kef erring to early pioneer, work in founding,'(the Empire, Sir* Andrew said: ■%'it was indeed a path of* loss and misery qs well as of glory and of great deeds." And yet, perhapsj; there,,is 'another side to the picture, for, If in that great struggle for domination too much account had buen taken of sickness and pestilence, it is conceivable that the goal would, never .have been reached."

■• Sir Audrew spoke -of the necessity for applying the resulte of research and pleaded for the establishment of demonstration' centres anid the provision, where they are lacking, of clinical laboratories in hospitals., He said that we have not as an Empire done our best to cope with' malaria. 'lii many places the .methods of ;Eoss ha*ie not been applied with the energy and skill necessary. , ■ ; ' \

.Regarding ankylostoimasis, tho insidious malady due to *he hookworm. he said it is a foe to b© fought on a large-scale. The Americans have done much, particularly the ' 'International Health Division of the Bockefeller Foundation. Very properly it plays the part of Providence upon conditions. In most places the colonies have loyally fulfilled the conditions,- but sometimes they have failed to continne the good work when outside help was withdrawn.