STRONG WILL HEAD QUEST IN LIBERIA

An undertaking unique in the history of Harvard exploration is the expedition of Dr. R. P. Strong, SeD '16, which will leave for Liberia on the west coast of Africa early in June. The plans and general purpose of the expedition were made public by Dr. Strong last night.

Dr. Strong, who is Professor of Tropical Medicine at the Medical School, has been engaged at various times in research and practice in the Philippine Islands, Europe, and South America. Seven doctors an scientists from, the University will accompany him on this expedition which is the first one ever sent out by the Medical School to Africa.

Dr. Strong and his seven associates are going to Liberia first to investigate the conditions of health and certain prevalent diseases there. Of these they are particularly interested in making a study of the sleeping sickness and the effects certain drugs have on it.

Liberia a negro republic about midway down the west coast of Africa presents a large area of almost unexplored territory.

The members of the party who are primarily interested in botany and zoology hope to find some hitherto unknown material for study there. The country up until this time has been particularly inaccessible to foreigners because of the hostility of its inhabitants, who have not attained to a high degree of civilization. The present expedition hopes to carry on its explorations with greater facility through the friendly influence of the President of the Republic who is a Harvard graduate.

Following its work in Liberia the party intends to sail south to the Belgian Congo and then procede by boat and foot through the interior of Africa, finally coming out at Membasa on the east coast. The whole expedition is expected to take nearly a year.

Party to consist of 250

Each of the eight scientists will have about 30 porters to carry their personal and scientific impediments so that the entire party will consist of about 250 persons.

Dr. Strong's companions, are all members of the University. Dr. George C. Shattuck, Assistant Professor of Tropical Medicine, has been associated with Dr. Strong in the Philippines, Serbia, and on their recent trip to the Amazon. Dr. Joseph Bequaert, Assistant Professor of Entomology, was a few years ago entomologist of the Belgian Commission on Sleeping Sickness which spent some time in Africa. Dr. G. M. Allen, is a lecturer on zoology at the University and also secretary of the Boston Society of Natural History. He has spent some time in British East Africa and has become familiar with the fauna of that region.

Dr. Max Theiler, instructor in tropical medicine will act as the official bacteriologist of the expedition. D. H. Snider '21, who will serve in the capacity of botanist and mycologist has already carried on similar work in Cuba and Guiana. Loring Whitman '25, now a first year student in the Medical School will be the photographer. During his Senior year in college he was Chairman of the photographic department of the CRIMSON and is an expert photographer of wild animals and insects. H. J. Coolidge Jr. 27 will accompany the party as hunter and assistant zoologlst. He has been particularly interested in zoology durine the last few years, and recently submitted a report to the Smith sonian institute on the study he made last summer of the habits of bears on an island off Alaska.