A Liberian Journey

Creator

President Lowell

Date

November 29 and 30, 1926

Coverage

Atlantic Ocean, S.S. Wolfram

Transcription

November 29th.

I enclose a copy of a letter just written to President Lowell giving a summary of the visit in Liberia; also the letters and statements already referred to and a copy of my letter to Mr. Castle at the State Department following my cable.
So endeth the first epoch of the work in Liberia with which I have been connected. “And yet the mill roll’d onward, like a wheel in even motion, by the love impell’d that moves the sun in Heaven and all the stars.”

Copy of letter to President Lowell from R. Strong.

Harvard African Expedition
On board s/s Wolfram
November 30, 1926.

My dear President Lowell:

As I have cabled you, the Expedition has completed the investigations in Liberia, and we are now on our way to the Congo.

During the four and a half months spent in Liberia in intensive work and with almost no interruptions, we had abundant opportunity to observe conditions, both in the interior and on the sea coast. I do not think that the Expedition as a whole would have been justified in staying in Liberia for an additional length of time, since it would not have been sufficiently repaid by further delay. Although some additions to the zoological and botanical collections could have been made in this time, these additions as the collections became more complete would have come more slowly than hitherto.

The work undertaken related primarily to a biological and medical survey of the country. After studying conditions in and about Monrovia, the Expedition moved into the interior and established base camps in different localities, where the scientific work was continued in the vicinity. The country was first traversed in a northeasterly direction from Monrovia, to its border on French Guinea, near Garimou. At one of the base camps, located at Gbanga, near the geographical center of the country (about latitude 7º north, longitude 9º 30' west of Greenwich), the Expedition was divided into two parties. One of these, after passing to the northeastern border of Liberia, near Garimou, returned to Gbanga, and then crossed the country in a southeasterly direction, reaching the eastern border on the Ivory Coast near Saura (Taoulo). From this point the country was again crossed in a southwesterly and southerly direction, reaching the coast at Sino. The route of travel then continued along the coast, a surfboat being employed from Sino to Grand Bassa and Monrovia. The journey from Monrovia to Cape Mount and thence again to Monrovia was made by steam tug or launch. The second portion of the expedition returned from Gbanga to Monrovia travelling westward and southwestward, particularly in the direction of the course of the St. Paul River. By this arrangement a very large part of the country, which was least known, was covered, and observations were made among almost all of the important tribes of natives in the country, except those in the extreme northwest.

The scientific investigations carried on were of a zoological, botanical, entomological and medical nature.

The fieldwork in zoology was carried on largely by Dr. Allen, assisted by Mr. Coolidge and Mr. Whitman, Mr. Coolidge was particularly interested in the collecting of the larger mammals and their skins, in organizing the work of collecting and in securing and instructing native hunters. Mr. Whitman, when he could obtain time from his photographic duties, devoted much of such time to ornithology. Dr. Allen and he were able to prepare some 350 bird skins, containing probably over 150 species, among which are undoubtedly some which have not before been reported from Liberia.

Dr. Allen devoted his time to collecting and preserving mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. A fairly good representation of these was secured, which Dr. Allen believes will be of great value for study and comparison with the collection of the University Museum at Harvard, where there has hitherto been no material of this nature from Liberia. About 500 skins of birds and mammals were obtained. A critical comparison of this material with that from other parts of West Africa will undoubtedly result in a considerable addition to the more precise definition of geographical range and variation of many species; while the notes made on habits and haunts will be valuable to a more thorough understanding of the biology of the forest animals. Of reptiles the collection includes probably 80% of all those known to occur in Liberia; while of amphibians a large variety of species were obtained, a study of which Dr. Allen believes will increase several times the list of those already known from the country. The zoological collections on a whole will obviously add greatly to African material available for study in America and undoubtedly to the sum of our knowledge concerning the fauna of a country (Liberia) already rapidly changing from human influences. The Expedition was clearly most fortunate in having a zoologist of such wide attainments as Dr. Allen in charge of this section of its work.

The botanical work has been carried out particularly by Dr. Linder and Dr. Bequaert. Dr. Bequaert’s wide knowledge of the African flora and botanical work in general has been of exceedingly great value to the Expedition. In the base camps a large wood fire was kept burning day and night under a canvas roof for drying the botanical specimens prior to mounting. Dr. Linder reports that the botanical collection from Liberia includes 1574 numbers of plants. Each of these numbers contains from one to ten specimens. Approximately 1300 are flowering plants and 200 are cryptogamous. The collection contains a far greater number of species than those given by Stapf in the most recently published list of plants from Liberia. Certain groups of plants are also more fully represented. Dr. Linder reports that the number of orchids known from Liberia has been increased from the dozen listed by Stapf to three times that number. Similarly the numbers in certain other families have also been added to. In addition to the mechanical part of collecting, Dr. Linder has made full notes for each species including not only the character and habitat of the plants but also the uses to which the natives put them.

The entomological work was particularly attended to by Dr. Bequaert, who has aimed not to make a miscellaneous collection of all orders of insects, but rather to obtain as complete a representation as possible of certain groups of special interest from a biological or pathological viewpoint. At least 36 species of blood-sucking Diptera were collected, including 10 species of mosquitoes, 12 of tabanids, 1 black-fly (Simulium), 1 punky (Culicoides), 3 species of tsetse flies (Glossina), 3 of stable-flies (Stomoxys) and 6 species of bird-f1ies (Hippoboscidae). To these should be added some 15 species of fleas, lice, bugs, ticks, and other sundry parasites. Perhaps the most valuable part of our entomological collections are the bird-flies, practically all of which were secured through Dr. Allen’s keen interest in the parasites of birds, so that many valuable host records could b e noted. Several of the mosquitoes were bred from the larvae and we were also successful in locating the breeding place of the black fly, Simulium damnosum, an insect of considerable medical importance in West Africa.

The medical and pathological work has been carried out by Dr. Shattuck, Dr. Theiler and myself. A clinic was established in each place that we stopped and microscopical and other laboratory examinations for diagnosis were performed, as well as clinical examinations; while medicine or other treatment needed were given the natives. House to house inspection in the villages was also made in order to detect other cases of disease, so that comparatively few sick in the neighborhood escaped our notice.

Whenever the opportunity presented itself, microscopical and clinical examinations were made of large groups of people (adults and children), particularly for evidences of animal parasitic infections or for evidence of early or latent disease. Such examinations were carried out on children in the schools of Monrovia, Cape Mount and Tappi Town. A large number of pathological lesions were excised and preserved for section and microscopical study on our return to Boston.

There is no Doctor of Medicine in the interior of Liberia and no pharmacy of any description. Many cases were seen which required surgical operations.

As there is no record of any previous medical survey having been made in the interior of Liberia all of our medical and pathological observations were new for the country concerned. Among the tropical infections noted in Liberia for the first time may be particularly mentioned infections with Schistosoma mansoni and haematobium as well as with Onchocerca volvulus. A trypanosome was found in one tsetse fly (Glossina Palpalis), as well as in five children with enlarged lymphatic glands. Amoebic dysentery was found to be much more common near the coast than in the interior. Malaria was most prevalent and generally was also more severe near the coast. Infections with Filaria bancrofti, F. diurna and F. perstans were also noted, and elephantiasis was found to be more common near the coast. Leprosy was found to exist particularly in the interior, the anaesthetic form being much more common than the tubercular. Parasitic diseases of the skin were very common and were identified. The common nematodal infections of the intestine were encountered both upon the coast and in the interior. The hookworm infections were usually mild, but in a few instances were severe. In the course of the survey opportunity for investigation occurred particularly in connection with Onchocerca infections (especially the finding of the parasite in the intermediate host, Simulium damnosum, and in the human host, and the method of the production of the tumors); with certain mycotic diseases of the skin; as well as with some of the infections of animals and plants. In the work of finding Simulium damnosum and the filarial parasite therein, Dr. Bequaert was also associated with the investigations.

In the great majority of instances, the various forms of life collected were examined either living or soon after death for evidences of infection and a number of interesting parasites discovered. Many permanent preparations of animal and vegetable parasites and more than a thousand microscopical preparations have been preserved for teaching purposes and further study.

Mr. Whitman has acted as official photographer of the Expedition. The photographic collection consists now of about 675 negatives, of which comparatively few are duplicates, and of about 7700 feet of moving picture films. The photographs relate particularly to the subjects of zoology, botany, entomology and medicine, as well as to conditions in the different towns, industries of the people, and various other miscellaneous subjects.

I have tried to give you a brief outline of the scientific work performed. As I have already written at some length, I shall not describe the work concerning organization, transportation camp duties, and methods of dealing with the chiefs of the different tribes, etc.

When I return, I shall want to discuss with you at length some of the political and social questions regarding Liberia. Some of the conditions that exist there are really very distressing. Having observed them and become thoroughly cognizant of them, I cannot but feel some responsibility with reference to trying to bring about a change therein. In this connection I feel sure you can give me some goad advice.

In spite of the fact that much of the travel and work connected with it was a severe physical task, the men stood it well and are all well and in good physical condition now, even though most of them had, when in Liberia, some fever at one time or another. I cannot speak too highly of their work and example throughout. They are a splendid lot of men.

We all, of course, greatly miss Dr. Allen. He will give you further details in which you may be interested.

I trust that Mrs. Lowell and you are both well. With kindest regards and much appreciation of all your interest in our work,

Yours very sincerely,

Richard P. Strong

Type

Diary

Citation