811.20 Defense (M) Bolivia/1302: Telegram
The Ambassador in Bolivia (Boal) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:13 p.m.]
1634. The Foreign Minister95 this morning told me that after the Argentine Government had consented to renting two locomotives and selling a third to the Bolivian Antofagasta Railroad for use in Bolivia the Argentine Ambassador96 had approached him on the subject of quinine products. The Ambassador said that his Government was in great need of anti-malaria products for use in the Argentine part of the Grand Chaco where malaria is very prevalent and primitive conditions make it desirable to have quinine sulphate and totaquina available. The Foreign Minister said that in view of the impending quinine agreement he wanted to discuss this with me. He felt that their relations with Argentina made it imperative to “give and take” on such matters in so far as possible. He understood that the amount the Argentines would want to have of both of these products from the Government factory would not be large—he did not know how much this would be.
I told him it was my understanding that atebrin for such purposes was as good as quinine sulphate and better than totaquina. I told him [Page 574] I would like to have a short time to discuss the matter with our technicians. The Foreign Minister indicated he would like to have our views by tomorrow October 9 the object being to establish a quota. I have consulted with EFEA [the FEA?]97 representative here who is of the opinion that the point might be in particular if we would be prepared to allow the Argentine Minister of Public Health to receive from the United States a quota say of 100 kilos of atebrin in lieu of quinine sulphate and totaquina for this area on purely humanitarian grounds.
I would appreciate having a telegram on this and your view in general on the subject by tomorrow if possible.