04 
SANITARY NOTES. KHARTOUM 
Conditions 
modifying the 
climate 
Mosquito 
work 
An outbreak of 
malaria 
The rainfall, as will be noted, varies within considerable limits. In some years there are 
only a few heavy showers, in others, rain falls freciueutly over a period of several months, and 
the town, ill-prepared for such deluges, is repeatedly Hooded, necessitating the construction 
of emergency trenches, and entailing considerable trouble and discomfort. At the same time 
rainy summers are usually cool summers, and thus bring their own compensation. 
The damp period of the year, such as it is, occurs in September and October, and it is at 
this time that hot unpleasant nights may be experienced. Otherwise the nights all through 
the summer are comparatively cool, although, of course, this is not the case inside houses, 
which have been heated by the sun all day until they resemble ovens. The cool night is 
experienced by sleeping on the flat roof of the house or well away from it on the ground. 
There can, I think, be little doubt that proximity to the Nile modifies the climate of 
Khartoum, which is certainly slightly different from that of the desert villages to its immediate 
south. Doubtless also the presence of numerous gardens, plays a small part in adding 
humidity to the air and diminishing the temperature. On the whole, however, Khartoum 
possesses a desert climate with all its advantages, and though at certain periods distinctly trying 
and disagreeable, it cannot be termed unhealthy or relaxing. What ill effects it produces are 
to be attrilmted to its monotony and to the action of intense sunlight and heat on the nervous 
system, together with the irritation induced by the habouhs. These latter, indeed, to some 
extent, play the part that mosquitoes enact in other parts of the Tropics, that of keeping their 
unfortunate victims awake and miserable, and this leads us to the consideration of the— 
Moxiiaito llorA-.—On this occasion there is no need to enter much into detail regarding 
the mosquito brigade work in Khartoum. After nearly five years’ experience we are in the 
position of knowing, with considerable accuracy, what can he accomplished in the way of 
mosquito reduction work in Khartoum and Khartoum North by a brigade of seven native 
inspectors, controlled by a couple of British sanitary inspectors. One of these latter is 
responsible for Khartoum, the other for Khartoum North, while the steamers and boats are 
looked after by a special native inspector. It has been found that of the places liable to 
become infected, some 800 in all, these being for the most part wells, the number infected 
can be kept at from to 4 per cent. In the summer after heavy rain the number may rise 
to 7, 8 and even 10 per cent., but is quickly reduced. With the means at our disposal we 
have not been able to completely abolish the mosquito, but that insect is now distinctly 
rare in Khartoum, and is, as a rule, only represented by one species, Culex fati<janji. It is 
true that occasionally Steyami/ia fasciafa has re-appeared, hut it has never gained a footing 
in the town. The same is true of the anopheline, Pi/i-etoplw)-iis contalis, and as regards this 
mosquito a few notes may be of interest. 
It has recurred on several occasions, but only once did it establish itself for any time, 
and, as previously, its presence was associated with a small outbreak of malaria. The facts 
are interesting. 
The mosquitoes, which bred out in river pools above and beyond the confines of the 
town, acquired their infection from old and recrudescent malaria cases in the British 
Barracks. Several men sleeping near these cases in hospital developed a quartan infection. 
The next victims were three out of forrr boys, who, it was found, were accustomed to sleep 
under an electric light at the Gordon College Workshops—the building, be it noted, which 
is next the British Barracks on the w'est; following this a Government official was attacked, 
and about a week before he fell ill I saw, but failed to kill, a female Pyretophorus costalis in 
the house adjoining the one in which he lived. In all these cases the infection was quartan 
and locally acquired. The only other case, cropping up at the time and also quartan, was 
that of a cook at the Grand Hotel. With the destruction of the few larvDe found, the small 
