MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S ACTION 7 



*' The importance of ensuring that all medical officers 

 selected for appointment in the tropics should enter 

 on their careers with the expert knowledge requisite for 

 dealing with such diseases as are prevalent in tropical 

 climates, and that it was very desirable that, before 

 undergoing such special training, the future medical 

 officers of the Colonies should be given facilities in the 

 various medical schools for obtaining some preliminary- 

 knowledge of the subject." ..." I would be prepared," 

 he added, " to give preference, in filling up medical 

 appointments in the Colonies, to those candidates who 

 could show that they had studied this branch of 

 medicine, especially if some certificate or diploma to 

 that effect were forthcoming." 



As the result of this letter the General INIedical 

 Council replied as follows : 



" That, while the Council is not prepared to re- 

 commend that tropical medicine should be made an 

 obligatory subject of the medical curriculum, it deems 

 it highly advisable, in the public interest, that arrange- 

 ments should forthwith be made by the Government for 

 the special instruction in tropical medicine, hygiene, and 

 climatology of duly qualified medical practitioners, who 

 are selected for the Colonial medical service, or who 

 otlierwise propose to practise in tropical countries." 



Two great ports in Great Britain having medical 

 facilities also replied favourably, and proceeded at once 

 to found schools of tropical medicine. 



In the autumn of 1898 the I^ondon and Liverpool 

 Schools were founded, so that commendable promptitude 

 was taken in these two cities to give practical effect to 

 Mr, Chamberlain's wishes, 



