Created 'Services offered by the Laboratory Animals Bureau (Medical Research Council)' [1950] (FD 1/383).
1950
Description:

'...

2. Monkeys.

Arrangements exist for obtaining certain species of monkeys from West Africa at prices generally below that of Indian monkeys. The common ones are the baboon (Papio spp.) and the green monkey (Cercopithecus spp.), but others can be had. Requirements should be notified to the Bureau as long as possible in advance. It is not intended to import these monkeys during the winter months.'

Created 'Supply of Monkeys for Medical Research,' 28th April, 1955 (FD 7/1329).
Description:

'"Unclassified"

1. Numbers of Monkeys Required

The Chairman reported that on the 16th April he had written to Dr. C.G. Pandit, of the Indian Council for Medical Research, asking for his help in obtaining monkeys for medical research work in Great Britain, and saying that upwards of 6,000 monkeys a year would be needed. This figure was intended to include the requirements of Glaxo, Burroughs Wellcome, the N.I.M.R., the Virus Reference Laboratory, Colindale, and a small number for other university laboratories. No reply to this letter has yet been received. He had stressed in the letter that the monkeys were required for medical research only and he thought it important that monkeys to be used for Ministry of Supply purposes in connection with defence needs should not be included in any M.R.C. request. Sir Bennett Hance agreed that this was of the utmost importance, for the Indian Government appeared particularly sensitive to any suggestion that monkeys be used for nuclear physical experiments. (It was subsequently pointed out, however, by Dr. Lane-Petter, that for some years past the Ministry of Supply had regularly given certificates to the Indian Government that monkeys exported during the close season for work in their laboratories were for medical research, and their certificates had always been accepted.)

...

Estimated requirements by main users:-

                           To the end of June July-Sept.    Oct.-Dec.         Total

Glaxo                   300                      1750           2250           4500

Burroughs Wellcome        60                        150             180                  390

N.I.M.R.                50                        200             300             550

Colindale               25                        75               75               175

                           635                      2175           2805           5615

Other users and allowance for contingencies.......                               1385

                                                                        TOTAL          7000

Dr. Lane-Petter said that he did not think that these figures would be considered excessive by the Indian Government in view of the fact that exports of monkeys to the United States over the last twelve months were in the order of three to five hundred thousand.

...

3. Shipment and holding of monkeys.

(a) Arrangements in India. Dr. Lane-Petter said that Patterson, in New Delhi, was according to his information by far the most satisfactory dealer in India. He had previously been connected with Shamrock Farms (Great Britain) Ltd. in this country. Dr. Lane-Petter said that he would make enquiries to find out whether this was still the case. If the formal arrangements for collecting and concentrating monkeys for export, either by Patterson or some other agent, were not acceptable to the Indian Government, then difficulties might arise over collecting adequate shipments. It was agreed that, although this was contrary to normal Council practice, it would be advisable in this instance to appoint Patterson as the official agent of the Council in New Delhi, providing that he was still collecting for the Shamrock Farms and was acceptable to the Indian Government.

(b) Arrangements in this country. Dr. Lane-Petter thought that Shamrock Farms would be the most suitable firm with which to deal. He understood that they would increase their holding capacity, subject to two or three weeks' notice, to up to 1,000 monkeys and to perhaps three times this figure if necessary. It was agreed that it would be advantageous if the Council could assure the Government of India that they had inspected and approved the facilities at Shamrock Farms, near Brighton, and Dr. Lane-Petter and Mr. Whittaker would visit the farms within the next few days for this purpose. Subject to a satisfactory outcome, the Council would appoint Shamrock Farms as their official agent in this country.'

Created Advisory Committee on Supply of Laboratory Animals: Minutes of Fifth Meeting, 23rd November, 1949 (FD 1/383).
23 Nov 1949
Description:

'7. Activities of the Bureau.

...

West Africa Primate Project.

The Director quoted figures of costs of some of the monkeys which had been imported from West Africa this summer and drew attention to the disproportionate cost of the crates which were used. ...

... It was pointed out that the supply of Indian monkeys was getting increasingly difficult due to circumstances in India. Professor Glover regarded the following-up of the West Africa project as a long term policy designed to ensure supplies of monkeys when Indian sources became too difficult or expensive to rely upon. The Director was asked to follow up the correspondence which Professor Glover formerly had with Mr. Pasricha of India House. Dr. Paterson said that the Ministry of Supply had arranged to import for use at Porton large numbers of monkeys in two batches during the year, at the beginning and the end of the summer.'

Created Advisory Committee on Supply of Laboratory Animals: Minutes of First Meeting, 13th May, 1947 (FD 1/383).
13 May 1947
Description:

'ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SUPPLY OF LABORATORY ANIMALS

...

Arising out of a letter submitted by Mr. Bacharach, several members expressed the view that the new organization should be termed the Laboratory Animals Bureau.'

Created Advisory Committee on Supply of Laboratory Animals: Minutes of Second Meeting, 5th November, 1947 (FD 1/383).
5 Nov 1947
Description:

'MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SUPPLY OF LABORATORY ANIMALS

...

4. Monkeys.

The Memorandum drawn up by the Chairman was discussed. Mr. Whittaker explained that the consignment of monkeys which the Council had secured had been for their own workers, though they had been able to supply other persons from time to time. The Council was not anxious to import for other than their own workers, but if any difficulties arose the present arrangements might have to continue.

Mr. Glover stated that when the Bureau issued its questionnaire to users of small animals, those Institutes which might be interested in monkey supplies could be asked to indicate whether any special difficulties were being encountered in obtaining suitable supplies through the usual commercial channels.'

Created Conference on the Supply of Laboratory Animals, 24th September, 1945 (FD 1/382)
24 Sep 1945
Description:

'Memorandum passed by a Meeting of the Conference on Monday, 24th September, 1945, and submitted by the Conference to

The Agricultural Research Council

The Medical Research Council

The Ministry of Supply (Directorate of Medical Supplies)

...

...

PART II - SURVEY

(a) Preamble

It is generally agreed that adequate stocks of healthy animals are essential for the routine diagnostic work of public health and hospital laboratories, for accurate biological assay of therapeutic substances and especially for long term experiments such as those involved in work on immunization and nutrition. These stocks are not readily available and the recurrent shortage of healthy animals seriously hampers activities in all these fields. The present dependence on supplies from commercial animal dealers involves constant uncertainty as to the quantity and quality of the animals available... Some reputable establishments engaged in the preparation of therapeutic substances for treatment and prophylaxis have found it impossible to carry out long term observations during certain seasons of the year, owing to animal mortality from intercurrent [sic] disease. This is probably due to latent infection in the animals, related in turn to the dietary and other conditions in breeding establishments. Scientific workers pay much attention to the use of clean glassware and pure chemicals and to accurate measurement of materials; it must be emphasised that experimental animals are test reagents and should be of the highest quality if consistent results are to be obtained with a minimum of effort and expense.

...

PART III - CENSUS

...[re: collection of information - use of HO list of institutions registered as experimenting on animals, MAF data on ration provision for animal breeders]... [5-6]

(b) Suppliers

...

...[7-9]...

... In addition to those who breed wholly or in part the animals that they sell, there are a number of dealers throughout the country whom as far as can be ascertained, breed no animals whatsoever. They collect animals mainly from the smaller breeders, but occasionally also from the larger ones, and they carry out this operation in some instances through two middlemen, though generally only a single collector is interposed between the small breeder and the commercial supplier. This means that there will intervene between the breeder and the final user two or even three stages at which the animals are subject to the various hazards of infection, exposure and malnutrition...

These circumstances are unfavourable for supplying the ultimate user with the animal most suitable for his work, but the true position is even worse than these facts indicate. It has been found that a considerable proportion of the dealers [9-10] are illiterate. A number of them cannot spell their own names in block letters and we suspect that their notions of animal husbandry may be as primitive as we have sometimes found their grammar. Several refer specifically to outbreaks of disease that have decimated their stocks. The picture is complicated, they say, by shortage both of proper food and of suitable materials for constructing pens and cages.

As is pointed out elsewhere in the report, biological investigators of all kinds are coming more and more to rely upon experimental animals as living "A.R." reagents; the impression gained from examination of the returns, and more particularly of the accompanying correspondence, suggests very strongly to the Conference that in this matter many laboratory workers are living in a fool's paradise.

PART IV - PROPOSALS

...

Other functions of a Central Bureau would undoubtedly develop later. For example, just as great advances were made by the use of the hamster for studying experimental Leishmaniasis... Again the use for experimental purposes of the smaller farm animals - goat, pig and sheep - is in its early stages but already shows great promise. Studies along these lines might well be encouraged, or even initiated, by the Bureau, as might more attention to diseases of wild fauna...

The Conference has also received valuable aid by way of accommodation, printing or duplicating services and hospitality, from the Royal College of Surgeons, Imperial Chemical (Pharmaceutical) Industries, Ltd., Glaxo Laboratories, Ltd., and the Wellcome Foundation; for all this help it wishes to record its indebtedness. The Conference is especially grateful to the last mentioned for a generous grant that made possible the printing of this Memorandum.'

Created Laboratory Animals Bureau - Report of Meeting with Scientific Societies, 1st February, 1951 ( FD 1/383).
1 Feb 1951
Description:

'(1) Supplemental the Laboratory Animals Bureau Report which had been circulated, Dr. W. Lane-Petter stated that the importation of monkeys from West Africa had met with certain difficulties, and that it was not intended this year to repeat the attempt. However, the supply of Indian monkeys was becoming easier.'

Created Laboratory Animals Bureau - Report of Meeting with Scientific Societies, 9th December 1949 (FD 1/383).
9 Dec 1949
Description:

'...

5. Monkeys.

During 1949 the Bureau had set up an organisation for collecting and sending to the United Kingdom supplies of monkeys from West Africa. Some 35 monkeys had been received in this country this year: these included 18 baboons, 10 green monkeys, 6 red monkeys and 1 colobus. The average price delivered to the laboratory had worked out at £5.6.8. per monkey including the cost of crates, which were expensive and therefore should be returnable, but excluding any allowance for the capital expenditure in setting up the organisation in West Africa. A copy of the report by J.K. Irons, who had gone out to the Gambia for this purpose, was offered to the Meeting.'

Created [Laboratory Animals Bureau - Report of Meeting with Scientific Societies, 24th November 1948] [December 1948] (FD 1/383).
Dec 1948
Description:

'Representatives of various Scientific Societies were invited to attend a Conference at the Royal College of Surgeons on Wednesday, November 24th at 2.30.p.m. to discuss the activities of the Laboratory Animals Bureau...

...

5. Monkeys were still difficult to obtain in large numbers and those of the Rhesus type were expensive. The possibility of securing supplies from West Africa - in particular varieties of Cercopithecus - was being examined and a note was recently circulated inviting comment on a scheme for the importation of monkeys into this Country.

...

Points arising from this report were discussed and various suggestions were made by members which may be summarised as follows:-

...

It was agreed that if it proved possible to organise supplies of monkeys from West Africa these might be used on an increasing scale provided the cost was reasonable.'