Presentation to Dr. Ferguson and Lecture by Dr. Beebe. 155 



labourers, but ready under suitable conditions to produce the disease in 

 its more severe type, and at all times able to communicate the disease to 

 others. 



9. How to deal with these minor infectious, potentially dangerous to 

 their hosts and to others, was indeed a difficult problem, if the whole work 

 of the estates were not to be disorganised by treating large numbers in 

 hospital. 



10. Beginning experimentally with a few volunteers in November, 

 1908, Dr. Ferguson found that by a nightly dose of 10 grains af thymol 

 he was able to rid them of their parasit* s in a few months, without inter- 

 fering with their daily tasks. This was a great advance and gradually he 

 extended the method to the other estates of the Diamond group. 



11 In 1914 he was able to announce that he had dealt with a popu- 

 lation of 5,781, that 3,369 had been found to harbcur the hookworm out 

 of 5,446 examined, and of these 2,292 or 68 per cent, had been cured — a 

 notable achievement. 



12. Turning his attention to malaria in 1910 Dr. Ferguson began 

 his attack by the systematic administration of quinine, first of all to all 

 children under 12 and later to the adult population of the. estates. 

 Gradually a marked improvement in the malarial rate was soon apparent, 

 convulsions in children ceased to be common, and enlarged spleens 

 diminished from a percentage of 34 • 7 in January, 1911, to 91 in January, 

 1914. 



13. In the mean-time the death-rate on these estates had gradually 

 fallen from 247, the average for the 3 years preceding 1911-12, to 165 

 in 1913-1914, and the birth-rate had gradually risen in the same period 

 from 297 to 433 (Hear, hear.) 



14. This great improvement in the vital statistics of these estates 

 Dr. Ferguson admits also coincides with improved climatic conditions, 

 which were reflected in improved statistics throughout the colony. But 

 he invites comparison with the statistics of the villages, in the same area 

 during the same periods where no such sanitary and therapeutic measures 

 had been adopted and conclusively shows that no such marked changes 

 in the birth and death-rates had occurred in the villages and therefore 

 claims that the measures he had instituted had been largely responsible 

 for the improved health conditions on the estates. 



15. This valuable work has been presented to the Combined Court 

 at its Annual Session in 1914 and was the incentive to the Rockefeller 

 Commission to start work in the villages in the area, in which Dr 

 Ferguson had done so much for the estates. Its success has also led other 

 Medical Officers to do work on the same lines on other estates, and the 

 sugar planters, with a keen eye to the commercial aspects of the question 

 have not been slow in aiding them in prosecuting the good work of hook- 

 worm extermination, malarial prevention, and improved sanitation. The 

 results of such work have already been great and are destined in the 

 future to be still greater. Dr. Ferguson as the instigator must feel that 



