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 receiving this drug, but the results were nothing like what they theoretically should have been, nor were they consistent.

Thus — Ross.

Average admisBions July to December inclusive : (2 years no quinine) ... ... 150

Admissions with quinine 1902 ... 296

Aberdeen.

Average admissions July to November :

(2 years do qninine) ... .. 960

Admissions with quinine, 1902 ... 922

Some 300 increase in strength of station.

Haddo. Average admisaions, July to November :

(2 years no quinine) Admissions with quinine, 1902 ... Some increase in strength of station.

Southern District.

Average admissions, July to November ;

(3 years no quinine) Admissions with quinine, 1902 ... Considerable increase in strength in Southern District.

WlMBERLEY GaNJ. Average fever admissions, July to November : (2 years no quinine) ... ... 1,671

Admissions with quinine, 1902 .. ... 1,759

Considerable increase in strength of station, so that fever admission rate per mills of strength is lower.

Female Jail.

Total fever admissions 15 months —

(a) receiving quinine ... ...362

Average stay m hospital 5 5 days.

(b) not receiving quinine ... ... 695

Average stay in hospital 7*35 days.

Strength of each class nearly the same.

At first sight it would appear that the issue of quinine has done little or no good, or at most that the results have been inconclusive. But 1902 was a particularly unhealthy year, and it may fairly be assumed that but for the quinine the malarial admissions would have been even higher than they were. Thus in the two unhealthy districts (Southern District and Wimberley Ganj) the fever admissions in the pre-quinine period of 1902 were very much higher than in previous yeats, whilst after quinine was given, the figures assimilate very closely.

Southern Distuicjt. Ifo quinine.

Three years average mala- rial admisssions Janu- ary to June inclusive 1,988

Malarial admissions, same period 1902, no quinine .. 2,938

Increase in admissions in 1902 ••. ... 955

Average, July to Novem- ber ... 1,234

Same period 1902. with quinine ... 1,374

142

WlMBERLEY Ganj.

2 years average malarial Average, July

Malarial admissions, Same period

same period 1902, no 1902, with

quinine ... 2,668 quinine ... 1,739

Increase in admissions in 1902 ... ... 519

88

admissions, January to to

June inclusive ... 2,149 her

Novtm-

1,671

Thus quinine seems to have brought the very unhealthy year back to the level of the pre- vious ones, although the population has increased.

It is possible that the prevalent type of malarial parasite is largely responsible for the inefficacy of quinine as a prophylactic. One of the commonest parasites is the malignant ter- tian, and this, as is well known, is particularly resistant to quinine.

This fact, with the known frequency of malig- nant crescents existing without fever or symp- toms, has an important bearing on malarial prophylaxis.

4. The keeping of the whole population '^fit " hy guarding them from unnecessary exposure and cold.

This suggestion has been already discussed above under the relapse theory, and little more requires to be said.

It is obvious that the better general health our men are in, the less likely they will be to succumb to malaria or other disease. But here the great difficulty is the interference with discipline and with the work of tlie administra* tion.

If labour in swamps, forests and brickfields is prohibited, if work is to stop at every shower of rain, then I do not doubt that the sickness will decrease, but it does not appear advisable to recommend any such procedure or to attempt to interfere with necessary forms of convict labour in the Settlement.

Apart from any such steps we may improve the cooking and food supply, we may introduce drying rooms, issue extra ch^thes and so ensure that the convict shall have dry things to sleep in. Sanitation, air space, and so on can be attended to, and an occasional extra ration may be issued when the labour is excessively trying or hard.

With this object in view it is proposed to utilise the Aberdeen drying room for one parti- cular section of convicts during the coming wet season, to make such arrangements as will ensure dry clothes to them and possibly to make special arrangements about their food. Contrasting with these there will be another section doing the same work, living in the next barrack, but not receiving the special advantage of dry clothes. The results will be of great interest and will be carefully noted.

I have detailed above the four principal methods in which we may combat malaria; it is now necessary to discuss their relative merits and practicability.

It has been pointed out that, as far as actual admissions go, the mosquito net undoubtedly has the best eflect, espegiaJlj Jn the_ case qf2