PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT—No. 7471—11S-6-29.

FROM

       LIEUT.-COL. G. JOLLY, C.I.E., I.M.S.,

Offg. Director of Public Health, Burma,                                                                                        

To

       THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BURMA,
                                                     EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

Dated Rangoon, the 29th April 1930.                                                          

SUBJECT.—Fourth Annual Report of the Harcourt Butler Institute of
Public Health.

SIR,

       I have the honour to forward herewith the Fourth Annual Report
of the Harcourt Butler Institute of Public Health for the year 1929.
The Report reveals that the Institute has had a busy year, and it is
gratifying to note the expansion in its activities, particularly in the
direction of investigation of problems affecting public health.

       In my letter forwarding last year's report, I referred to the fact that
the greatest need was for a whole-time Director. The efforts to recruit
such an officer on the terms of pay approved by the Finance Department
have failed, the conditions not having proved sufficiently attractive to
induce a suitable candidate to come forward. These conditions are now
under reconsideration by Government and it is hoped that they will be
improved. It is impossible that an active Institute of this sort
carrying out a large amount of important work should function
efficiently without a full-time Director. Great credit is due to the
existing staff for the way they have carried on during the year in the
absence of such a Director.

       The proposal to recruit a Public Health Analyst from England,
referred to last year, has materialized and the High Commissioner was
asked towards the end of the year to recruit a suitable officer.

       The rat-flea survey of Rangoon which has already yielded interest-
ing results, was pursued during the year. So far as it has gone, the
investigation indicates that climatic conditions generally are unfavour-
able to plague in Rangoon and that the disease is only kept up by the
extensive rat infestation which exists. The Port area of the town can
be considered as on the whole free from infection, and there is little
likelihood of plague being conveyed directly from this area to shipping.
It is hoped during the course of the next year to begin investigating rat
and rat flea conditions on the barges and lighters from which sea-going
vessels are loaded in the stream.