PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.—No. 4406—11S.-6-29.

FROM

LIEUT.-COL. G. G. JOLLY, C.I.E., M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H,. I.M.S.,

Director of Public Health, Burma.

To

THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BURMA,
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

Dated the 15th April 1929.

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

SIR,

    In forwarding herewith the third Annual Report of the Harcourt
Butler Institute of Public Health, I have the honour to state that the
work of the Institute has developed considerably during the year. The
greatest need is for a full-time Director, and this matter has now been
referred to the High Commissioner for India to recruit a suitable officer.
The Institute combines most happily the work of a Public Health
School, Provincial Public Health Laboratory and Research Institute in
problems of Public Health. Attention is particularly invited to the
large amount of teaching which has been carried on throughout the
year. This has put a heavy tax on the staff of the Institute and of the
Public Health Department, and it is impossible to increase the work
now being done in this direction without an increase of staff. A
proposal has been submitted to Government for the engagement of a
Public Health Analyst to take charge of the Chemical Section when
U Thein Kin, B.A., F.C.S., retires towards the end of 1929. The
recruitment of such an officer is very necessary in view not only of the
large and increasing amount of important analytical work which is being
carried out in the chemical side, but also because of the impending
introduction of Food and Drugs legislation, which requires the services
of a highly qualified and experienced analyst.

    The most important investigation work carried out at the Institute
during the year was the Rat-Flea Survey of the Rangoon Port area.
Seven thousand two hundred and ninety-three rats and 18,884 fleas were
examined and the results showed an overwhelming predominance of
X. astia in the port area, the figures being:—

while the average number of fleas per rat was—