Quinine Problem

Foresight of Anglican Mission

OWING to the remarkable foresight of Archdeacon Thompson, the Anglican missions in Papua and New Guinea, under the control of the Australian Board of Missions, are well supplied with quinine.

The occupation of the Dutch East Indies by the enemy has cut off the main source of supply of this important drug.

As a rule the Anglican mission purchases only small quantities of quinine at one time, but towards the end of 1941 Arch deacon Thompson purchased 1,000 ounces of quinine from the Dutch East Indies at a cost of over £4oo—and the mission, in consequence, entered this most difficult war period with a supply calculated to last from two to three years.

Because of war conditions, there are, and will be for some time, larger num bers of Europeans in the malaria-ridden territories of Papua, New Guinea, Solo mons, and the New Hebrides, than ever before, and they will all require quinine; but, owing to the supply having been cut off at its source (Netherlands East Indies) it may be expected that the demand now is far in excess of all sup plies in sight.