This volume investigates the complex intersection of colonial administration, medical intervention, and public health outcomes in tropical Africa during the colonial era. The editors, E. E. Sabben-Clare, D. J. Bradley, and K. Kirkwood, compile scholarly contributions from a 1977 symposium held at New College, Oxford, to analyze how European medical policies influenced indigenous health landscapes. The text provides a structured examination of the successes, failures, and long-term consequences of colonial health initiatives across various African territories.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational academic resource for understanding the historical trajectory of medical policy in Africa. Scholars frequently cite the text for its detailed documentation of colonial health administration and its role in shaping modern public health discourse in the region.