1911.] Anniversary Address by Sir A. Geikie. 



439 



be made by the Eoyal Society, and the Council, approving of the proposal, 

 has granted a sum of £450 for the purpose of supplying an additional 

 observer for two years, after which some other more permanent arrangement 

 must be provided. In the meantime the Council has been gratified by the 

 gift of £200 from Mr. Matthew Gray for the purpose of assisting the progress 

 of seismology at Eskdalemuir. 



Fellows are aware that for many years past the Society has been 

 conducting researches into the cause and prophylactic treatment of tropical 

 diseases, and that these researches are still in progress. Much information 

 has been collected, and it is satisfactory to know that, since steps have been 

 taken to remove the native population from the fly-belts, the areas affected 

 by one of the most terrible of these maladies, Sleeping Sickness, have been 

 considerably restricted. But much remains to be accomplished before the 

 knowledge of the subject can be made as complete as it should be. As will 

 be seen from the Eeport of the Council, the investigation is now about to be 

 extended far beyond the bounds originally contemplated. It has been 

 plausibly suggested that Sleeping Sickness may be transmitted from 

 other sources than infected human beings, and the question arises whether 

 the wild animals of tropical Africa may possibly supply the trypanosomes of 

 that disease. Accordingly, at the request of the Colonial Office, the Eoyal 

 Society has organised and despatched a new Commission, under the director- 

 ship of Sir David Bruce, for the purpose of studying on the spot what may 

 be the relation of the native fauna of Nyasaland and other parts of Africa 

 to the spread of human trypanosomiasis, and what trypanosome diseases 

 may affect the domestic animals of that region. The composition of the 

 staff has been carefully considered with a view to secure adequate 

 attention to each of the various branches of investigation that are embraced 

 in the wide enquiry which is projected. It is interesting to know that 

 Lady Bruce, who has all along been one of the most efficient observers in 

 Africa, again accompanies her husband on this fresh expedition. I may add 

 that she is not the only lady engaged under our auspices in Africa; 

 Miss Eobertson, who has had considerable experience in the study of 

 trypanosomes, has volunteered her services in Uganda, and is now at the 

 Mpumu laboratory, tracking the development and transmission of the 

 organisms to which trypanosomiasis is due. 



To what is said in the Council's Eeport regarding the progress of the 

 National Physical Laboratory I have one important addition to make. The 

 Fellows of the Society who may not have previously heard will now be 

 grieved to hear of the serious illness which last month attacked our esteemed 

 and accomplished colleague, the Director of the Laboratory. After a time 



