282 STRONG AND CROWELL. 



in a public institution as in all such in these States Beri-Beri is known 

 to be endemic. 



Various places were visited with a view to securing satisfactory con- 

 ditions, and it was finally decided to carry on observations with regard 

 to some three hundred Javanese indentured labourers employed in the work 

 of road construction in a remote part of the Jelebu district in the State of 

 Negri Sembilan * * * the places in which the labourers were at this 

 time located * * * [the fifty-first mile and the fifty-eighth mile from 

 Seremban] were sufficiently remote from the nearest village or town for 

 the purpose; Malay settlements in the district were few in number and 

 small in size. In connection with these latter it should be remembered that 

 abundant evidence exists to show that Malays in such situations do not 

 suffer from Beri-Beri. 



Under the terms of contract the rice issued to these laborers 

 was supplied by the employer. It may be added that the Java- 

 nese prefer white rice, which is the kind consumed by them in 

 their own country. 



In the early months of 1906 Beri-Beri occurred among them, and in May, 

 June and July of that year it was a serious source of invaliding and 

 mortality. From August 2nd, 1906, the employer, adopting the sugges- 

 tion of Dr. Braddon, issued only parboiled rice instead of white rice 

 [hitherto issued] ; thenceforward it is stated, and this statement is confirmed 

 by the hospital records, no case of Beri-Beri occurred. 



Here then the conditions seemed to be in every way suitable for an 

 inquiry into the part played by rice in the causation of Beri-Beri, because 

 these labourers without exception still desired to return to a white rice 

 diet and at this time the evidence of a connection between the consumption 

 of white rice and Beri-Beri was by no means convincing either to the 

 general body of medical and scientific workers or to ourselves. The im- 

 portance of reaching some conclusion regarding the origin of the disease 

 cannot be over-estimated as the number of its victims in this Peninsula 

 alone runs into many thousands annually. 



Throughout these States no labourers other than Tamils will consume 

 parboiled rice unless compelled to do so and while there was any doubt 

 as to the harmful influence of white rice no effective measures could be 

 taken for the suppression of Beri-Beri. 



By acceding to the wishes of the group of labourers comprised in this 

 investigation opportunity would be afforded for a thorough testing of the 

 position of dietary factors as causative agents. The labourers were there- 

 fore given the option of returning to a white rice diet after it had been 

 fully explained to them that by so doing they ran the risk of contracting 

 Beri-Beri. Without exception they chose the white rice but as for the 

 purpose of comparison two parties were required, half the number only 

 were allowed this diet. It was hoped also that by continuous observation 

 of a large party of men on a parboiled rice diet it might be determined 

 whether, apart from its disagreeable musty odour, any grounds existed for 

 the objections made to the consumption of this rice. 



[At the time the investigation was commenced, April, 1907] The 300 

 labourers were divided into two parties of approximately equal numbers 

 and were housed some miles apart. Before beginning the experiment an 

 examination was made of each person and the presence of cases of existing 

 or recent Beri-Beri was thereby excluded. 



