Recipient of [S.P. James] to [Dr. Eastwood], 15th Dec. 1923.
15 Dec 1923
Description:

‘S.M.O.I.

[Dr.] Eastwood.

Apparatus required for continuation of enquiry into the treatment of General Paralysis of the Insane by malaria inoculation.

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The public health aspects of the treatment of G.P.I. by malaria inoculation, which is being carried out in a number of mental hospitals in England and Scotland, came officially before the Ministry this year on the questions whether the inoculated cases must be notified under the Malaria Regulations of 1919 and what steps may be necessary to prevent the spread of the disease from inoculated cases. (Files 2315/4901 Preston R.D. and 190577/23 City of London Mental Hospital, Dartford.) The matter is being dealt with in co-operation with the Board of Control and in consultation with the Ministry’s Legal Department and it is now under consideration whether the Ministry’s Malaria Regulations may have to be amended and what form of memorandum as to precautionary measures may have to be drawn up for issue to Medical Superintendents of Asylums and to the Medical Officers of Health of districts in which the asylums are situated. At the request of the Board of Control and under our Minister’s instructions I have visited the Mental Hospitals at Whittingham and Dartford to obtain information and to give advice on the subject and I must now visit for the same purpose the asylums at Hanwell, Cane Hill and Claybury. (Vide Dr. Bond’s letter of the 13th November on file).

2. It will be seen in my letter of 14th November to Dr. Bond that before the administrative questions can be answered satisfactorily it is quite necessary to ascertain whether the blood of inoculated patients is infective to anopheles mosquitoes in the actual conditions which pertain. The feeding experiments noted in my letter to Dr. Bond must be carried out for that purpose. The arrangements (made in consultation with Dr. Bond and Dr. Steen) for doing them are now ready but we are held up for lack of some items of scientific apparatus which are essential. I propose to carry out the incubating, dissecting and examination of the fed mosquitoes in co-operation with Dr. Eastwood at the Ministry’s Laboratory in Carlyle Place and I have discussed with him what supplementary apparatus not already available in the Laboratory will be necessary for the enquiry. The following is a list of these articles:

1 portable diagnostic microscope in leather case with objectives ¼”, 1/6th and 1/12th and sliding stage.

1 No. 18 microscope eyepiece.

6 mosquito cages.

1 entomological dissecting set.

3 clinical thermometers.

1 oz. each entomological pins Nos. 1 & 19.

6 yards mosquito netting.

The probable cost of these articles will be approximately £45. I beg that sanction to purchase them may be accorded as soon as possible.

[S.P. James,] 15th September 1923.’