Papers relating to the investigation of malaria and other tropical diseases and the establishment of schools of tropical medicine.
- Colonial Office
- Date:
- 1903
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Papers relating to the investigation of malaria and other tropical diseases and the establishment of schools of tropical medicine. 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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![all parts of the world and being moreover within easy reach of the Colonial Office and therefore likely to be in close touch with that office. These considerations decided me to approach the managers of this hospital in preference to endeavouring to make whatever arrangements might be possible for attaining the object in view, at the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar or the Royal A^ictoria Hospital for soldiers at Netley, at which latter hospital officers of the Indian Medical service receive instruction in tropical diseases. 5. On the 2nd of February, 1898, a letter was by my directions addressed to the Committee of the Seamen's Hospital Society, asking whether, in the enlargement of their branch hospital at the Albert Docks, it might not be possible to provide accommodation for the contemplated tropical school. The letter stated that it was not probable that more than six officers would be under instruction at any one t^'me, and that the course of instruction should last for three or four months. The committee of the hospital were asked on what terms and conditions they would be prepared to make the necessary arrangements. 6. Answering on the 16th of April the Committee stated their opinion that there was in the society's hospitals and dispensaries clinical material for the study of tropical diseases which could not be found elsewhere in the United Kingdom in the same amount and variety. They estimated that, if a school for tropical diseases was to be formed in connexion with their branch hospital at the Albert Docks, it would be necessar}^, instead of enlarging the number of beds as they had already arranged from 18 to 30, to raise it to 45 ; that this new wing would cost in construction approximately £10,000, and in maintenance £2,000 per annum, and that the school buildings would cost in construction approximately £3,500, and with six students to be resident on the premises, in maintenance £1,100 per annum. They suggested that the fee for a course of not less than 4 weeks should be £ s. d. Resident students per week ... ... ... ... 4 40 Non-resident students per week ... ... ... 22 0 and they added that they would propose also to admit to the school students other than those sent by the Colonial Office. 7. On the 30th of June following, after communication with the Lords of the Treasury, I was able to accept the scheme which the Committee had put forward, on the terms— (1) That a contribution of £3,550, the exact sum given in the estimate as the initial cost of school buildings, should be made on behalf of the Colonies and Protectorates concerned ; (2) That the fees should be as stated in the Committee's letter ; (3) That a representative of the Colonial Office should be admitted to the Board of Management of the hospital. These terms were accepted in a letter of the 14tli July, 1898. To the allotment of the expenditure which was thus guaranteed further reference will be made. 8. On the 11th of March, 1898, I caused a letter to be addressed to the General Medical Council and the leading Medical Schools of the United Kingdom, pointing out the importance of ensuring that all medical officers selected for appointment in the tropics should enter on their careers with the expert knowledge requisite for dealmg with such diseases as are prevalent in tropical climates, and stating that, while special arrangements would be made for giving clinical instruction in tropical medicine, it was very desirable that, before undergoing such special training, the future medical officers of the Colonies should be given tacilities in the various medical schools for obtaining some preliminary knowledge of the subject. It was added that, in order to encourage the study of tro|)ical medicine in the schools, I would be ])repared to give preference, in tilling up medical a])p()intments in the Colonies, to those candidates who could show that they had studied this branch of medicine, especially if some certificate or di])loma to that effect were forthcoming. Most of the answers to this letter Avere sym})athetic and encouraging, and the correspondence showed that in upwards of twelve British medical schools, some of them](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24398378_0006.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
