and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society. —Sep., 1910. 275 



mosquito media. Continuing, he said coolies 

 arriving on estates often came with malaria and 

 should bo examined and treated if necessary. 

 He proceeded to describe the anopheles or 

 malaria species of mosquito, pointing out that 

 it could be distinguished by the fact that its 

 larvae rose to the water parallel to the surface 

 instead of at an almost direct augle as in the 

 case of the ordinary mosquito. Then again the 

 anopheles in popular words when sitting down 

 looked as if trying to stand on its head, and in 

 some cases a good guide was its having spotted 

 wings. The anopheles was the variety which 

 spread malaria and it was the female who was 

 the bloodsucker and generally they were night 

 feeders. And in regard to that he would like to 

 tell them that a mosquito curtain pulled tight 

 round the bed against which they might put an 

 arm or leg and so give the mosquito a chance 

 to bite through the netting was no use at all, it 

 should be arranged so as to prevent that possi- 

 bility. The anopheles had a preference in bree- 

 ding for water which was likely to be undistur- 

 bed, and that was one of the reasons why railway 

 and other opening works were accompanied by so 

 much sickness because large pits and places 

 were left which tilled with water and became 

 stagnant breeding grounds. It 'required very 

 careful attention to get rid of them but it could 

 be done by painstaking and careful work. The 

 great remedy in fever was quinine which was a 

 direct poison to the parasite and its destructive 

 effect could be easily and plainly demonstrated. 



TURNING THEN TO ANKYLOSTOMIASIS. 



This was the infection of the intestinal canal 

 by a small worm which fastened on the side walls 

 of the intestine and sucked the blood. The 

 irritation caused by the action induced a greater 

 flow of blood to the spot which increased the 

 mischief. In cases where these parasites existed 

 in great numbers they were a great danger. The 

 coolie became listless, antemio and had diges- 

 tive troubles and would in time die if not cured. 

 This disease was communicable not only by in- 

 gestion through fresh vegetable food, elc, but it 

 was now found actually penetrated the pores of 

 the skin and in time reached the intestines. It 

 would be seen, remembering the dirty habits of 

 coolies and where they walked that every cir- 

 cumstance was favourable for their getting this 

 illness. The disease if suspected could be dis- 

 covered by examination of the stools and should 

 be treated at once. Beriberi was sometimes a 

 trouble to them and was supposed at present to 

 be due to overpolished rice. In the cure the diet 

 should be generous and varied and parboiled rice 

 should be given. They sometimes met 



CHOLERA AND SMALLPOX. 



As to the former it could only be contracted 

 by entry through the mouth, it could not be 

 taken in with the air of a room. 'In all cases 

 immediate and thorough disinfection of the 

 place where the coolies had been vomiting and 

 purging should take place and the man re- 

 moved. This was the primal and most impor- 

 tant point, the disinfection of the area occu- 

 pied by the coolie. Nor could cholera be taken 

 in through wounds. Afterwards the water 

 supply must be immediately looked to, plenty 



of disinfectants used and good food and water 

 supplied. As to small-pox they must remember 

 it was carried in the air and they must in 

 disinfection therefore take care to disinfect not 

 only the place occupied but the whole area of 

 the barracks above aud below Coolies should 

 be vaccinated. 



The Doctor then proceeded to give some 

 valuable hints as to disinfectants, putting first 

 forma'ine on account of its bactericidal proper- 

 tie*, its possibility of use either as liquid or gas, 

 and its non-spoiling properties, he also referred 

 to the coal tar seribs of disinfectants. 



At the close Dr Brooke was heartily applau- 

 ded by the considerable audience which had 

 gathered to hear him.— S. F. Press, Aug. 20. 



INDIAN TOBACCO* 



The placing of a heavy import duty ou all 

 forms of foreign tobacco has raised the question 



WHETHER INDIA CANNOT GROW HE l{ OWN 

 TOBACCO, 



and manufacture it of a quality to take the 

 place of the imported article. Tobacco has 

 been grown in India for ages; and it is a moot 

 point whether she did not use the leaf in the 

 form of a narcotic stimulant long before Sir 

 Walter Raleigh introduced the American form 

 of it to Europe. The practical issues for consi- 

 deration are, however, whether this country pos- 

 sesses indigenous varieties of tobacco-yielding 

 leaf of sufficiently good quality, which is capa- 

 ble, after being put through the usual process, 

 of replacing the imported leaf to the extent oi 

 meeting the requirements of trade on the one 

 hand, and the tastes of the consumers ou the 

 other. For, after all is said, it is the consumer 

 who has to decide whether he will smoke any 

 particular tobacco or not. It does not matter the 

 least bit what the scientific investigator may 

 have to say as to the affinity of species, the ef- 

 fect of environment, soil and climate on growth, 

 or whether any particular species reproduces it- 

 self true to type or not under varying conditions, 

 whether rainfall, irrigation, cultivation or cross- 

 fertilization. If the resulting tobacco does not 

 commend itself to the consumer, it is little conse- 

 quence under what conditions it was produced, 

 or from what species or variety it was made. 

 At the same time, it is useful to examine 



SOME OP THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAVE 

 KEEN CARRIED OUT 



recently in India by Government experts, and 

 to see how far the findings of the scientist agree 

 with the actual facts. In this connection there 

 have been issued recently two important mono- 

 graphs, "Studies in Indian Tobaccos," by 

 Albert Howard, Imperial Economic Botanist, 

 and Gabrielle L C Howard (his wife.) The first 

 deals with the types of nicotiana rustica, the 

 yellow-tlowered tobacco and the other (first 

 issued) with the types .of Nicotiana tobacum. 

 The first species is largely grown in India, 

 chiefly in Eastern Bengal and Assam, the 

 United Provinces, the Punjab and as far 

 north as Kashmir, In some districts of the 



