E(().\(l.M US OF 1:AST coast fever. _'l(J 



was the greatest drought since i.SOj, and caused a most -crious 

 situation on account of the conse([uent famine I, at a time when 

 the trans[)ort arrangements were (hsorganised, and insects of 

 all kinds were more abundant than usual, working havoc in the 

 few plants which persisted through the drought. A minimum 

 harvest was the net result. In addition, the milk supply of 

 the people was cut off. The native has three staple foods — 

 mealies. Katir l)eer. and aiiiasi, the last-named being milk partlv 

 soured. Not onl\-. then, did the loss of cattle affect the whole 

 <lomestic milk supply which atlorded the protein nourishment 

 of the j)eople, l)ut also the supply of mealies and Katir corn 

 was much less. The report of the Chief Alagisti-ate for 1912 

 well illustrates how acute was the situation caused directly bv 

 the East Coast Fever in conjunction with the severe drought, 

 and in order to prove that the contents of this paper are not 

 without corroboration from the situation acknowdedged in offfcial 

 re])orts. it has been thought wise t" <[Uote Air. A. H. B. Stan- 

 ford's words : — ''■'' 



Hast I'oiisl i'"cvcr lunl ilecinialed iheir lienls. and so. tlie iiii'.k .>ui)])l.\- 

 being in many plncos cut off, an extra strain was thrown on the mealie 

 pits. Soon these became exhausted, and a cal! was made upon the sli(>])s, 

 whose stocks were inadequate for more than a passing demand. The 

 <lrons?ht continued, and tlie ])astura,<ie drjed up: team after team of oxen 

 was withdrawn by iinverty or deatii : such transport as remained was 

 vexed and impeded by "" breaks " on the line, exigencies of dipping, the 

 general ctimber of East Coast Fever regulations. Carriage rose to 

 figures ordinarily termed ijroliiljitive, as much as />. 6d. iier 100 lbs. being 

 cTtarged for a journey of .^o miles; in places monev could not secure it. . . 

 As the ploughing season jiassed without sign of rain, something like a |)anic 

 seized upon the natives. . . . Traders' stores were thronged with would- 

 be purchasers of grain; mealies soUl at as much as 55s. a ba.a:. Wliere 

 nuiney was wanting or money could not buy, people were reduced to sub- 

 sistence on roots ; else\\;]iere they abandoned tlieir homes for Ijetter >upplied 

 localities. 



This graphic picture, as set forth in the olffcial report of the 

 Chief ^Magistrate, mav be accejjted as at least not an over-state- 

 ment, and therefore no one will be sur])rised to learn that the 

 health of the natives suff"ered nuich under the ordeal. At no 

 time are their powers of resistance against disease very high, 

 and very naturallx' these powers were reduced still further, 

 j^neumonia claimed many victiius. For the want of an ade- 

 quate suppl}' of milk many jiatients, es])ecially the aged and th.e 

 very voting, were overcome and died. It seems, too. that ;'.s 

 a result of this shortage the rate of infant mortality was ( /uid 

 still is) ver\- high — and the ."^tale cannot afford so great a loss 

 as that of a single native child. 



In a territory in which Colonial law i> not yet fully estab- 

 lished, and the registration of births and deaths is even yet 

 imperfect, it is not possible to give accurate figures illustrating 

 this ])oint, and in this statement one can oidy appeal to what 

 has been observed in the course of one's movements among the 



\niiual Report, loi-'. p. i.^. 



