RESEARCH IN BRITISH WEST AFRICA. 225 
vicinity, and a clearing made of all bush over an area of 200 yards outside the 
limits of the town; further, I would suggest that the same should be done with 
the village of Waslunga at Cape St. Mary. 
Clearing.—Much could be done at very little expense to minimise the risk of 
the spread of sleeping-sickness by some judicious clearing at wharves, ferries, 
&c. Details of various places have already been given, but the following 
wharves are of special importance :—Kerewan, Ballangar, Kauur, Kai-ai, Wassu 
and Tendaba. The following ferries should also be cleared of bush :—Lamin 
Koto, Boraba, Faraba and Essau. In all these places, the bush or mangroves, 
as the case may be, should be cut down on all sides for a distance of at least 
150 yards from the outermost house or store, or in the case of ferries, from the 
landing-stage. Of a more general nature, but even more important, are Bakau 
and MacCarthy Island. The nature of the vegetation around Bakau has already 
been referred to, but I might point out that it is not at all necessary to cut down 
the large trees but only the undergrowth and branches to a height of 10 or 
perhaps 15 feet, so that the sun’s rays may have access to the soil. This work 
could be commenced early in the dry season, and the brushwood burnt on the 
ground cleared, so as to destroy any pupae which might be lurking there. The 
same applies to MacCarthy Island, but I would suggest that the nearest cluster 
of bush should not be closer to the new hospital at one end, or to the trading 
station at the other, than 400 to 500 yards. 
Rest-Houses.—The rest-camps (fig. 12) in the Gambia are certainly better than 
Fig, 12.—Typical rest-camp in the Gambia. 
any others I have seen in West Africa, but unfortunately a few have mud walls. 
This fact has been remarked elsewhere, and as these camps are not used in 
the wet season, mud should certainly be avoided in their construction if possible. 
