West Africa’s health administration outpaced France’s own by eighteen years

Evidence

Roume’s Inspectorate of Sanitary Services also preceded by eighteen years the formation of a Ministere de Sante in France. Both differences suggest that Dakar’s initiatives were shaped as much by the lack of vigorous public health legislation in France as specific conditions in West Africa. — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 222