David Livingstone and the Myth of African Poverty and Disease

Sjoerd Rijpma (1931-2015) worked as a medical doctor in Africa and the Netherlands and held a PhD degree in agricultural sciences.

• ForewordPreface Preface to the 2015 EditionSome Basic Data (Tables I and II)David Livingstone ChronologyAcronyms and Abbreviations PART IAFRICA’S PAST: SURPRISING N EW ASPECTS Introduction to Part 11. ‘Health and nutrition’ or ‘disease and hunger’?- What is the actual meaning of ‘malnutrition’?- Poverty in precolonial Africa- Malaria, malaria and ‘fever’- The correlation between health and nourishment- What is meant by resistance?- AssumptionsPART IIDAVID LIVINGSTONE IN TROPICAL AFRICA 2. 1849–56: Missionary Travels and ResearchesSojourn and travels in southern Africa (1841–49), the ‘missionary travels’ (1849–53), the trans-Africa journey (1853–56)A paraphrase of a number of aspects of the book- The first ten years in southern Africa- The Kololo- To Luanda (1853–54)- Luanda (1854); back to Linyanti (1854–55)- From Linyanti to Quelimane (1855–56); reflections on Livingstone’s Missionary Travels; Missionary Travels comparedPreparations for the Zambezi expedition3. 1858–64: Narrative of an ExpeditionExploration of rivers and lakes; return to Linyanti with the Kololo. A paraphrase of various aspects of the second book- Investigating the Zambezi- Exploring the River Shire and Lake Malawi- Intermezzo: a journey on foot from Mozambique to Linyanti and back- The Universities’ Mission; the Ruvuma explorations- The end of the expeditionReflections on Narrative of an Expedition; Narrative of an Expedition compared; once again to Africa4. David Livingstone: a usable source of ‘general’ information?PART IIIUNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES IN TROPICAL AFRICA Introduction to Part 35. 1849–56: Missionary Travels and ResearchesSojourn and travels in southern Africa (1841–49), the ‘missionary travels’ (1849–53), the trans-Africa journey (1853–56). A paraphrase with the emphasis on health and nutrition- The first ten years in southern Africa- The Kololo- To Luanda (1853–54)- Luanda (1854); back to Linyanti (1854–55)- From Linyanti to Quelimane (1855–56)Reflections: health and nutrition in Missionary Travels6. 1858–64: Narrative of an ExpeditionExploration of rivers and lakes; return to Linyanti with the Kololo. A paraphrase with the emphasis on health and nutrition- Investigating the Zambezi- Exploring the River Shire and Lake Malawi- Intermezzo: a journey on foot from Mozambique to Linyanti and back- The Universities’ Mission; the Ruvuma explorations- The end of the expeditionReflections: health and nutrition in Narrative of an Expedition7. 1866–73: Waller’s 'The Last Journals of David Livingstone'; searching for the sources of the NileA paraphrase of Waller’s 'The Last Journals of David Livingstone'- To Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Mweru and Lake Bangweulu (1866–68)- From Lake Bangweulu to Lake Tanganyika and back (1868–73). Reflections on Waller’s The Last Journals of David Livingstone Reflections: health and nutrition in The Last Journals8. What David Livingstone really discovered in tropical Africa- Children without ‘malnutrition’- Health and limited sickness- Full value nourishment and food supply, and green revolutions- His opinion on health and nutritionSOME CLOSING REMARKS LITERATURE Books consulted, not citedINDEX MAPS: from David Livingstone and the Victorian Encounter with Africa.

"[...] this volume would be of interest to the student of southern African history pre-1880, especially Africans themselves in order to appreciate their heritage (rather than just the often negative colonial version of it), and those interested in re-thinking how agricultural practices could be environmentally sensitive and appropriate to southern African soils." - Margaret O’Callaghan, Australian National University, in: Australasian Review of African Studies 37.2 (December 2016), pp. 149-151"[...] In conclusion it may be said that Rijpma provided a modified depiction of the historical significance of Livingstone as explorer. In his data the author found confirmation for many things reported by others, but he was unable to accept Livingstone’s plea for the colonization of Africa. Because of this plea the explorer did not do justice to the authentic value of African culture and society." - Jaap van Slageren, in: Exchange 46.1 (2017) pp. 85-87