An outline of the history of Medical Research Institutes in the Sudan.

Recorded medical research in the Sudan commenced with the foundation of the Wellcome Research Laboratories at the Gordon Memorial, College, Khartoum, in February1903. The objectives of these laboratories were as follows: To promote technical education. a) To promote the study, bacteriologically b) and physiologically, of tropical disorders especially the infective diseases of both man and beast peculiar to the Sudan, and to render assistance to the officers of health, and to the clinics of the civil and military hospitals. To aid experimental investigations in c) poisoning cases by the detection and experimental determination of toxic agents particularly the obscure potent substances employed by the natives. To carry out such chemical and d) bacteriological tests in connection with water, food stuffs, and health and sanitary matters as may be found desirable. To undertake the testing and assaying of e) agricultural, mineral and other substances of practical interest in the industrial development of the Sudan. These laboratories were situated on the first floor in the· east wing of the College and formed three separate laboratories: Bacteriological, Entomological and Chemical, under the Directorship of Sir Andrew Balfour the first Director of the laboratories.All the equipment and apparatus of the laboratories were donated by Hendry Solomon Wellcome, an American pharmacist, who settled in England in 1880 and together with Burroughs founded the world famous firm of Burroughs and Wellcome. In later year the name of the Laboratories became Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories. The Laboratories were an autonomous body independent both from the Medical Department and the Department of Education and so Balfour was in sole charge though nominally owing allegiance to the Director of Education Sir James Currie. The initial staff consisted of the Director, a laboratory assistant and two attendants. In 1904 a chemist joined the staffDr W. Beam, and in 1906 Mr. H.H. King was appointed entomologist. In 1907 the work of the laboratories was augmented by the addition of a floating laboratory which was housed upon a special barge towed by a launch. This was of great value to research workers particularly to Dr. Wenyon the travelling pathologist and protozoologist