https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0945-2447
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Abstract
This article explores the main features and the implications of the colonial medical policies and legislation regarding Venereal diseases (VD) during the colonial period (the 1930s-40s) in Fiji. The British Parliament has intensively discussed the VD, enacted various regulations, introduced prevention campaigns to combat this deadly infectious disease, and rescued its military citizens. The current literature on the history of medicine in relation to the growth and implications of VD in Fiji needs to be studied more. Therefore, the analysis investigated how imperial VD, legislation in Fiji, and the loss of allied acts passed. The research represents the historical, ethnic, and cultural context of developing new markers of apparent predominance among Europeans, Indians, Natives, and others in the national population. This study objectively re-examines the un-researched quantitative and qualitative data available in the National Archives of Fiji and other repositories to document the growth and evolution of VD and it's cures in colonial Fiji.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
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22. 4D.42/4, dated 12th August 1933, Memorandum concerning to the incident of venereal diseases in the Colony, National Archives of Fiji, p.3.
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26. 4D.42/4, dated 12th August 1933, Memorandum concerning to the incident of venereal diseases in the Colony, National Archives of Fiji, p.4.
27. 4D.42/4, dated 12th August 1933, Memorandum concerning to the incident of venereal diseases in the Colony, National Archives of Fiji, pp.2–5.
28. 4D.42/4, dated 12th August 1933, Extract from District Medical Officer Macuata’s reports for 1932. p.3.
29. 48/14/5, Extract from F.18/2- Annual Reports for 1932 on district of Macuata, p.2.
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32. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.44.
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35. F48/103/1, Venereal Disease (Draft) p.42.
36. F48/103/1, Venereal Disease (Draft) p.42.
37. An ordinance, No XI, 1882, Fiji, pp.36–37.
38. An ordinance, No XI, 1882, Fiji, pp.36–37.
39. An ordinance, No XI, 1882, Fiji, p.37.
40. 4D.42/4, dated 12th August 1933, Memorandum concerning to the incident of venereal diseases in the Colony, National Archives of Fiji, p.1.
41. F. No 48/14/5, Extract from Annual Report, 1932, of District Medical Officer, Levuka.
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48. F. No 48/14/5, dated 23/8/1933, National Archives of Fiji, P.10.
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50. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.45.
51. F48/103/1, Venereal Disease (Draft) p.42.
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53. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell)) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.45.
56. F48/103/2, MD 42/4, From director of Medical services to the Colonial secretary, Dated 7th May 1942..
57. F48/103/2, MD 42/4, From director of Medical services to the Colonial secretary, Dated 7th May 1942..
58. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell)) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.4.
59. F48/103/1, Report of Senior health officer, 26th February 1944. National Archive of Fiji. He also mentioned about the 1943 cases returns from various districts. The total number of cases reported was 262 excluding 97 visiting troops cases.
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61. F48/103/1Extract from Annual reports 1935. p.10.
62. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.2.
63. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.2.
64. F48/103/1, Venereal Disease (Draft) p.43.
65. F48/103/1, Venereal Disease (Draft) p.43.
66. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.3.
67. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.3.
68. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.3.
69. F48/103/1, Governor General (Philip Euen Mitchell) Communication to Colonial Secretary, No.25, dated 29 February 1944, National Archive of Fiji, p.3.
70. F48/103/2: CFC48/3 Arrangement for treating with venereal disease, National Archive of Fiji.
71. F48/103/3, Venereal Disease hospital establishment of … on the Quarantine Island of Makuluva, National Archive of Fiji.
72. F.A.48/50/1 Report by Charles B. Brack to Task Force Surgeon, 19 October 1942. See attachment in File F48/103/3.
73. M.D.42/4. Venereal Disease hospital- establishment on Makuluva, Letter from Director of Medical Services to The Honorable the Financial Secretary, National Archive of Fiji. The reports mention about the salaries and wages to established venereal hospital. The capital expenditure involved was 750 pounds and total recurrent expenditure was 2182 pounds.
74. F48/103/2 Principal secretary to director of medical services; dated 16/10/1942..
75. F48/103/2 Telegram from The Secretary of State to The Governor, Dated April 29th, 1943, National Archive of Fiji.
76. Colonial Annual Reports 1947, Fiji, London, His Majesty’s Stationary Office, and P.33.
77. Colonial Annual Reports 1947, Fiji, London, His Majesty’s Stationary Office, and P.46.
78. See for details, Levine, Philippa. Gender and empire. Oxford University Press, 2004.p.57.
79. F48/103/1Circular from Director of Medical Services (A H B Pearce) to All District Medical officer, Native Medical Practitioners, Indian Medical practitioners and Medical Superintendent, CWM hospital, Dated 7th September 1937. p.11..
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81. See for example, Levine, Philippa. Gender and empire. Oxford University Press, 2004.p.127.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Mumtaz Alam
Dr. Mumtaz Alam is an Assistant Professor in History at Fiji National University. His research interest includes Climate Change and Health, Social and Cultural contexts of medicine, Interdisciplinary Studies, Sustainability, Climate history, and medical history. His book, ‘ Health, Medicine, and Encounter of Cultures in India’, published in 2022, He is a member of the American Historical Association (AHA), the Indian History Congress, the Pacific History Association, and the Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine (ANZSHM). Apart from academics, he is associated with various organizational and administrative work. Dr. Alam is on the editorial board of a number of Scopus index journals and regularly reviews other journals.
Nii-K Plange
Prof. Nii-K Plange is a Social Scientist by profession. He is currently acting Dean and a Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Research at the College of Humanities and Education at the Fiji National University. He was formerly UNAIDS Country Director in Papua New Guinea and Senior Programme Advisor in Geneva. His publications include “The Political Economy of the South Pacific” (et al. 1984), James Cook University, The Science of Society: Exploring the links between Science, Ideology and Theories of Development, Fiji Institute of Applied Studies (1996) and Generation in Transition: Pacific Youth and the Crisis of change in the twenty-first century. Fiji Institute of Applied Studies (2000).