Reports of the trypanosomiasis expedition to the Congo, 1903-1904, of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Medical Parasitology / by J. Everett Dutton, John L. Todd and Cuthbert Christy / with a comparison of the trypanosomes of Uganda and the Congo Free State / by H. Wolferstan Thomas and Stanley F. Linton.

  • Dutton, Joseph Everett, 1876-1905.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reports of the trypanosomiasis expedition to the Congo, 1903-1904, of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Medical Parasitology / by J. Everett Dutton, John L. Todd and Cuthbert Christy / with a comparison of the trypanosomes of Uganda and the Congo Free State / by H. Wolferstan Thomas and Stanley F. Linton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (C) In Gambia there is an undoubted trypanosome disease in horses which is characterized, in its first stage, by the absence of obvious symptoms ; and later, by fever, emaciation, and weakness. ‘The course of this disease may be chronic and death delayed for a long period. We have a horse, in good condition, under observation in Liverpool, which was first found to be naturally infected on October 30, i1g02. A letter, dated January 18, 1904, from an officer in Gambia, says that his horse, found naturally infected in April, 1903, ‘ could not be better, and is in excellent condition.’ This Gambian horse disease seems to present a striking analogy to the human trypanosome disease seen in the Congo. ‘The dull, listless expression, the weakness, the wasting and lack of energy, the irregular elevation of temperature, the frequent disappearance of the parasite from the peripheral blood (to ordinary examination), and the chronic course of the disease, are features characteristic of both infections. The similarity seems to us to be a point in favour of the casual relation of trypanosomes to Congo sleeping sickness. . (D) The sleeping sickness of the Congo is known to have a long latent period. Symptoms are said to have developed in some cases two to five years after leaving an infected locality. It is interesting to note that natives may be infected with trypanosomes for many months without showing signs of illness. We have just heard that a Gambian native in whose blood trypanosomes were seen over a year ago is still in the very best of health. Dr. Zersint, State Physician at Boma, has just sent us a report on cases observed by us in Boma during October last. His report is based on either his own observations or on the statements of heads of departments in those instances in which the cases had passed from his care.. The report on five cases 1s indistinct or vague. Five had been in perfect health during the whole six months. Three have had surgical troubles, but are now well. One has had persistent diarrhoea, but has quite recovered and has been sent to the Upper Congo. ‘Two cases have died of pneumonia, and the remaining four, only one of whom was in perfect health when we saw them, show slight oedema, lack of energy, or some other ailment. In none is there any suspicion of sleeping sickness. (E) Europeans”*+* infected with Trypanosoma gamédiense show symptoms which are quite comparable with those observed in uncomplicated trypanosome infections of Congo natives. (F’) In Gambia, where cases of sleeping sickness are rarely seen (Dr. M. Forpg, Principal Medical Officer at Bathurst, stated that perhaps one case a year came under his care), only six out of one thousand odd natives were found to be infected,*> by the examination of fresh cover-slip preparations. In an almost exactly equal number of a similar class of natives examined in the same way in the Congo, forty-six have been infected In Uganda, where the disease occurred in epidemic form, the percentage of infection among the general population was still higher.® Lal ° Guérin, Archives de Médecine, VIe séries, vol. 14, Paris, 1869. 2. Manson, Brit. Med. Jour., March 28, May 30, 1903. 3- Dutton, Todd, Christy, Brit. Med. Jour., January 23, 1904. 4. Broden, Les injections 4 Trypanosomes au Congo chez l’homme et les animaux. (Extrait du Bulletin de la Soc. d'études Coloniales, Févr., 1904). 5. Dutton, Todd, Ibid.