On the hygienic management of labour in the tropics : an essay with which is incorporated the Labour code by courtesy of the F. M. S. Govt.

  • Gerrard, Percy Netterville.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: On the hygienic management of labour in the tropics : an essay with which is incorporated the Labour code by courtesy of the F. M. S. Govt. 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 task, which I have set myself in this essay namely: The exposure to the Planters of some of the commonewt pitfalls on the road of Hygienic Estate Management, and the measures by which they can be avoided, has been one of great pleasure to me, and the friuts of the task I shall eagerly look forward to, namely im- provement in the Health of the Labour forces. It must be remembered that in dealing with Tamils one is dealing with what I must call a delicate nationality, deeply infected with intestinal parasites and frequently half starved during their youth. The Javanese case is hardly so serious as their Kampong life has been more healthful. The Chinese case it is hard to make any general statement about as a great deal depends on the part of China from which they come, but on the whole I should say the Chinese cooly is the most resistant to disease of any of the nation- alities we have to deal with, and when we prevail upon him to adopt Kampong or parboiled rice instead of tlie Beri Beri pro- ducing polished ]'ice, they will be an exceedingly valuable—if expensive—Labour force. One thing is certain in connection ^ith Labour all over the world and that is; that any labour badly housed on imaniiary siieft with questionable water and food supplies and insufficient medical attendance, must break down. Such is the case from the economic standpoint, but the other side of this picture is perhaps more serious although far otf as regards Tropical Labour namely:— When the labour forces begin to realise that they are not being treated under reasonable Hygienic conditions then the troubles will commence in earnest. The secret of the prevention of labour troubles will I am convinced be found to lie in the provision of Healthy Houses and surroundings, health giving sports, aids to personal cleanliness, and good and cheap food stuffs. To the Planters of Malaya I would say forgive my short comings, my friends! and work continually for the improvement of the conditions under which your labourers live. Eemember Disraeli's famous dictum when defending the Public Health Act in 1875 :— Sanitas Sanitatum omnia Sanitas. If by happy chance you find help in the essay, if by following the precepts I have written you can produce and maintain a healthy labour force, then shall we rejoice together in the reward of our mutual efforts. P. N. G. Kuala Kangsar, January 191S.
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