Visitors 



INTRODUCTION 21 



(millet). His results are detaileil iu his paper. In this eouiiectiou (HK! would gratefully 

 acknowledge the kind help receive<l from I)i'. Power and Mr. 0. J. S. Thompson of 

 the Wellcome Chemical Research Laboratories, London, who furnished records of the 

 literature on the subject to which we could not otherwise have easily gained access. 



Dr. Beam, himself, has succeeded in finding a colour test for the detection of 

 hashish, a most useful discovery the value of which has been confirmed by Professor Schmidt 

 and Mr. Lucas in Cairo, and has been concerned in all kinds of analytical and advisory 

 work, the outcome of questions brought before the Central Economic Board. 



Mr. Goodson, who has been elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, has 

 rendered valuable assistance and has also had charge of the meteorological work for 

 Khartoum, a duty which I am informed he discharges in a most satisfactory manner, 

 but which naturally trespasses somewhat on time which might well be devoted to 

 chemical investigations when there is so much to be done. 



The library increases slowly, for our funds are limited, but our exchange list The Library 

 has attained formidable dimensions and the work of checking, acknowledging and 

 cataloguing reprints and other jmblications is no light matter considering we do not 

 possess a secretary or librarian. 



The laboratories have been visited by a number of persons interested in their work. Distinguished 

 I have mentioned Sir David and Lady Bruce. Captain F. P. Mackie, I. M.S., followed 

 them, also on his way from Uganda. Monsieur A. Solvay, of Brussels, came and saw 

 and, as on a previous occasion, most kindly gave us a generous donation whicli enabled 

 us to purchase a special microscope for the chemical department and to secure some 

 books of which we had need. I only wish more visitors to Khartoum would follow 

 M. Solvay's example. Perhaps they would if they understood the laboratories stand, 

 in some degree, for health, and health means comfort and prosperity and a good many 

 other things which make life worth living. It is Emerson who says, " The first Wealth 

 is Health," a motto which might suitably be inscribed upon our walls and exhibited at 

 intervals to those who control our finances ! Lord Kitchener also inspected us and, with 

 his Indian experience, showed himself a keen, though happily a friendly, critic. One has 

 also to record Mr. Wellcome's return to the Sudan. Needless to say we were pleased to 

 see him, and he went fully into all matters pertaining to the laboratories, and, as ever, 

 showed much interest in their development. He had recently been in Panama, studying 

 the Sanitary Department work, and it is remarkable how many of the problems in the 

 Sudan resemble those in the Canal Zone though, of course, on an infinitely smaller scale. 

 There are, however, the same difficulties and disappointments in both places, and one 

 derives a kind of vicarious comfort from such a reHection. At the same time we still 

 retain the support of H.E. the Governor-General, while to Mr. Currie, to whose far-seeing 

 grasp of affairs the establishment of the laboratories was primarily due, we are more 

 than indebted. Under a less sympathetic, a less influential, or, I may add, less determined 

 chief I am quite certain that the development of the laboratories would more than 

 once have I'eceived a serious check, not from any hostility towards them but from a 

 lack of knowledge of their needs and a lack of ap}ireeiation of all they represent and 

 of Emerson's sound dictum. 



In the past, one has always concluded an Introduction by considering the future, and, 

 after eight years of experience, one has now a good idea of what is and will be actually 

 required to keep these laboratories abreast of the times. In our Third Report [ spoke 



