l!l 111 ilill i;|!!ll liilijiliii liji i iii liii I ;|! [>iii*ii -(/''mm * ■ ' .ill: ' I ; * ' '' ; iiiiiliiiiliijiiiiiiiij |;;i rr! ( < 1 c < r A v^.f-sC •;--... Cor rvc.c .^ ^ en cc .'^'n< of Cinicv rnfuii- (latiis. More recently Patton has repeated these experiment^; not only with Cimcc rotunclafus but also with (J. lecfuhirius. In the latter series of experiments he found that the flagellate forms first produced give rise ultimately to small post-flagellate forms whicli have no flagellura. It is these post-flagellate forms whicli Patton thinks enter the body when the infected bug bites (prob- ably by a regurgitation from tlie stomach of the bug) and give rise io kala azar. The direct transmission of Iwthi azai' to animals by the bug has not been effected. In 1910 the autlior discovered tliat tlie bed-bug of liagdad {Cijuex rotiiudntus't) would take up Lcixhununa from Oriental sore and that in it the parasites developed into flagellate forms. This observation was later confirmed by Pattou, who was working with Orieiital sore in Cambay in India. Pattou came to th.e conclusion that the bug was also the transmitter of Oriental sore. In the author's report on (Oriental sore he contested the view that the bed-bug was the transmitter of Oriental sore and kala azar, and explained th.e development which took place in the bug as comparabh^ with that wjiich LeisJnnaiila would undergo ^\"hen introduced into blood-agar media in a test-tubo. Pattou rejects ihe author's view as to deve]oi)ment in the bug on the ground that the following Arthi'opoda — Cide.r fafif/ans, An()/)lieles (XrocelUn) sfephensi , Sfcf/o/ni/ia sur/nis, Oniifliodofvx .^n ri(j)i i/i , rediciii us capiijs, and Pediculus ]iiniin/ius (resti'menfi) — do not permit of these ])arasites develoi)ing to the flagellate stage, and that C*ambay boil will not develoj) in Sferjoniyla. The author experimented with Sfrf/oiiii/in in Bagdad and found flagellate forms in a large i)ercentage which had been fed on diseased jiersons and none in those fed on liealtiiy persons. Patton thinks there is some error of observation and that these flagellate forms seen were not really those of Jyelshniatiln. The author h()](U his observations to be correct and that Patton's negative results are inconclusive. The question as to whether the gut of the bed-bng affords a suitable culture-tube for flagellates the autlior regards as settled in the affirmative, and thinks it probable that the gut of the arthropods above-nauied contain some substance injurious to Leislnumtia. In in^oof of the innocuous nature of the contents of the gut of the bed-bug, he cites (1) his own observation that the spirochaetes of relapsing fever will remain active therein for seven days, and appear normal in stained films after three weeks in the bug's gut; (2) Brumpt's observation that SrlLizofrypainuii (28112—2.) Wt. P2601. 2.500 2/1:5. D & 8, cruzi will undergo development in tlie bed-bug and is infective for ten days when injected into animals. S. cruzi will develop not only in Ciine.t lectularius, but also in C. houeti and in Ornithodoius monhata, which are all unable to transmit the infection as does the true host of S. crvzi, a species of Conor- rlvinus; (3) Swelling-rebel and Strickland's -pTOoiilmi Trypanosoma lewisi will develop in the gut of C. lectularius ; the author has himself confirmed these observations; (4) the author's own experi- ments with bugs fed on rats infected with T. rhodesiense ; the gut yielded trypanosome and crithidial forms and rounded parasites seven days after feeding. Patton thinks that the parasite of Mediterranean infantile kala azar will be found to flagellate in Cimex lectularius. The author is of opinion that the same is true of the Leishinania of canine kala azar and of the dermal leishmaniasis of South America. The final stage of developTnent of Leishmania. Patton, in his last report on kala azar, lays great emphasis on the appearance in the bugs of what he calls the post-flagellate forms, which are rounded forms developed from the flagellate forms. In the life-history of a typical Herpetomonas of any insect such rounded forms are developed from the flagellates in the hind gut, and it is these which, protected by some kind of covering, pass out in the faeces, and are responsible for the trans- mission of the infection to a new host. The round forms of Leishmania found in bugs after the eighth day are compared by Patton with the post-flagellate forms of a Herpetomonas, and he is convinced that he has traced the whole development of the Leishmania from the forms ingested through the flagellate stage to the post-flagellate. In the bug, however, the post-flagellate forms are not found in the hind gut but in the mid gut, and it is supposed that they gain entrance to a new human host by regurgi- tation when the bug bites. It is very difficult to decide whether the forms seen in the bug are true post-flagellates in the same sense as those which occur in insects. The author considers Patton' s reliance on a staining reaction as misplaced, but the ultimate production of round forms in the mid gut of the bug is evidence of the siini- larity of behaviour of the Leishmania in the culture tube and in the intestine. Patton has shown that the flagellate forms in the bug are destroyed by a second feed of blood and attributes their absence in mail to the effect of the blood and argues that the round post- flagellate forms must be produced before infection can take place. Artificial cultures of Leishmania may produce both Oriental sore and kala azar when injected into animals. It must therefore be some more resistant form in these cultures— a post-flagellate — which causes the infection. The Development of Leishmania in the Bug is a very restricted one. Experiments with Oriental sore are much more difficult to conduct than with kala azar. The author emphasi,ses the fact that the number of flagellates found in the gut of a bug after a few days, varies directly with the number of parasites ingested, fn (Oriental sore tlie number of Leishwaiiia taken up must be very small and there is never a large infection with flagellates; while in Patton's last experiments, in which the bugs were fed on a heavily infected case of Kala Azar with numerous parasites in the peripheral bUxxi, he obtained large numl)ers of flagellates. If the bug were the true host of the Leishmania, complete infection of the gut would take place whether many or few para- sites had been ingested, a longer time only being required to show^ a large infection when the parasites were few. In insects infecting themselves with Herpetoinonas the author thinks it is not necessary that large numbers should be ingested to secure heavy infection. Effect of a second feed of blood on the flagellates in Insects. Patton has shown that a second feed of blood is fatal to the flagellate forms of Leishmania in the bug. This the author regards as fatal to the bug hypothesis. He kept fleas under observation, some infected with Herpetomonas and others with Trypanosoma lewisi. One flea had 16 feeds of human blood in two months. The faeces voided during feeding were constantly infected with Herpetomonas in large numbers, so that active multiplication must have gone on. Two other fleas in the same way showed the small infective trypanosomes, characteristic of T. lewisi, in the faeces on all occasions. The author argues that the flagellates were not destroyed because they were living on their true host. Patton has shown that the natural Herpetomonas of Culex fatigans disappears from the insect when it has a feed of blood, probably because, being really a flagellate of the larva of the mosquito, it finds itself in an unnatural environment. Miss Robertson has found that batches of Glossina fed on cases of human trypanosomiasis show a greater percentage of individuals infected if they have had only a single feed of blood. The explanation in this case is not clear, as it is known that an infected Glossina may infect a series of animals at intervals of several days. Patton regards this effect of a second feed of blood as explaining the tendency of kala azar to remain localised in Madras and Oriental sore in Cambay. But this assumption contains a fallacy. It is not as a rule the intermediate host which transports the infection from place to place, but the reservoir (frequently man himself) that travels about to places in which the intermediate host is to be found. Trypanosomiasis, yellow fever and malaria are carried about by the moving reservoir — Man — not by Glossina, Stegomyia and Anopheles ; and plague is carried by rats. This appears to be a far more reasonable view of the means of dispersal of kala azar and Oriental sore. The intermediate host may of course be transported, but this is a mode of spread quite subsidiary to that caused by the movements of man himself. 28112 A 2 E.rprriinenfs mi the development of Leishmniiia tropica /h- (Hill ex Ipctularius. Tlie OTitlioi produced in liimself Oriental sore by inoculation in Aleppo in August, 1911. Six and a half months later 3 sores (non-ulcerating') appeared. Of 105 bugs, bred in tbe laboratory and allowed to teed on tbe thin red epidermis over the sore, only 8 gave positive results. Tliese were dissected only 2 or 3 days after feeding ; the others 4-1) days after. The author regards tlie results as practically i)r()virig that no active multiplication of the parasite took place. The flagellates found resembled those of artificial cultures and the author is of oi)inion that the failure to develop beyond a certain point was due to failure of nutriment; as in exhausted culture media round or non-flagellate forms are found, so in the bug they appear when the blood is nearing the completion of digestion. E.i'/xtI nieiifs cnndiirfeil iriih Fleas. The author describes in detail Nrdler's jnethod of handling and feeding fleas for experimental purposes and then gives an account of tlie results of liis own experiments. Fleas which yielded negative results when fed upon uninfected persons were fed on the author's own sore and then found to pass free parasites in their faeces. All possibility of confusion with any Herpefomonas of the flea itself would thus appear to be removed. As the result of a number of careful experiments with CtenocephaJus catii< (the dog flea) and J^ide.r in-ifans the author arrived at the following conclusions: — 1. That the dog and human fleas, Cfenorepludvs ranis and Piile.r irritans, readily take up Leislnnaiiia tropica from the sore and that some of them are passed in the faeces voided during the act of feeding. 2. That if a flea is infected with flagellates the faeces voided during the feed will contain some of these. 3. That the Lei.diviania taken up do not develop into flagellate forms or produce an infection of the flea's gut. 4. The fleas that have not become infected with Leish mania maybe infected with Try pan 0x0)11 a leinsi. b. When once infected with Herpetonionas or T. leuusi the fleas remain so infected for long periods whether they feed upon human or rat's blood. The human blood appears to be quite favourable to the develo])ment of T . leiri.si in the flea. (). T. leirisi ai)])cars to undergo its development in Piile.r irritans as well as in the dog-flea, CtenoceplKdus cams. 7. As Noller has shown, it is the faeces passed by the flea which, when licked uj) by the rat, ])roduce an infection. The act of feeding itself apparently does not infect. This has been con- firmed by feeding the dog-flea on a T. lewisi rat, feeding it sub- sequently on a second rat, and giving the faeces passed during the feed to a third lat. It is only the third rat that becomes infected. The incubation period was six days in the rat. (S. Tilt' small ()>al encysted foniis of the ffciixtoiiioiuis passect by the Hea are n ery resistant structures. They will withstand dryiu<>- for '-24 hours, and then g-ive rise to a culture of Ilerpe- foinoiuis when introduced into NNN mediuni. The author thinks that, iiiasnundi as the flea may coutain a natural II erpetoinonds ahnost indistins that if one develops in sntdi a host as the flea it would be expected that the other would at least show some indication of siudi a develoj)- ment. He is in accoid with Xicolle and Jiasile that tlie kala azar (d' the Mediterranean districts is the same disease in (diildren as in dogs. Patton and Gabbi regard them as distinct, but the fact that the two occur together in all the endemic centres is in itself almost (-(Uivincing. The fact of a (diild, a dog and a cat being found all infected on an isolated farm near xVlgiers and that kala azar nuiv be i)roduced in dogs by inoculation with the human virus, seems to be all but i)roof that the two forms are identical. The distribution of the Mediterranean kala azar in children and dogs points to the flea as a likely transmitter of the nuilady. The mos(|uito may be the transmitter, as it feeds hoth on dogs and man. The author thinks that in India the bed-bug may be the carrier, but until the ex])erinu'nt (d' transiuission has l)een carried out. we must be content to keej) an o])en mind upon this subject. Stan'Ion (Dr. A. T.), bacteriologist. Institute for Medical Pesear( h. Federated Malay States. The Anopheles Mosquitos of Malaya and their Larvae, with some Notes on Malaria-carrying Species.—//. L,>nd. Srh. Tn>p. Med. 11., part 1. Dec., I!)!'-.'. I)p. .'Ml. Since the publication of the nionogtaph by \^v^. (i. l'\ Leicester and ('. W. Daniels on the CrniciDAE of Malaya in l!)()8, sevei'al new obseivations have been nuide whi(di ap])ear to be of sufficient \alue to justify a re\ ision of the grou]) of Malayan AnopJiclcs. An examination of specimens from different countries in the (Oriental region and of the types preserved in the British Museum of Xaturtil History has shown that miudi confusion still exists in mosquito nomenclatuie. In certain cases the same mosquito is known under different names — for example, fulijjiiKisus of India is identical with iiiripcs of Malaya; while in other cases different mosquitos are known under the same name — for 6 example, tvillmori of Malaya (Leicester) is different from wilhnori of India (James and Liston). One regretable result of this confusion is that the knowledge gained of malaria- carrying species in one country is rendered valueless in its application to the circumstances of the other. The present pax^er embodies the results of a study of a large series of Malayan Anopheles and comparison of these with specimens of the Indian species and with the type specimens in the British Museum. The individual species are not described, but a table is appended showing how those may be recognised which are considered to be of undoubted validity. The species recognised, with their synonyms, are as follows: — Anopheles aitkeni, James, 1903. Stethomyia fragilis, Theobald, 1903. Anopheles treacherii, Leicester, 1908. Neostethopheles aitkeni^ James & Liston, 1911. Anopheles umbrosus, Theobald, 1903. Anopheles asiaticus, Leicester, 1904. Anopheles albirostris, Theobald, 1903. Anopheles rossi, Giles, 1899. Anopheles ludlowi, Theobald, 1903. Anopheles tessellatus, Theobald, 1901. Anojjheles punctulatus, Theobald {nee Donitz), 1901. Anopheles leucosphyrus, Donitz, 1901. Myzoniyia ( ?) elegans, James in Theobald, 1903. Anopheles maculatus, Theobald, 1901. Nyssorhynchus willTnori, Leicester (nee James), 1908. Nyssorhynchus psendowillmori, Theobald, 1910. Anopheles nigrans, nom. nov.* Nyssorhynchus karwari, James in Theobald, 1903, Anopheles fuliginosus, Giles, 1900. Anopheles lencopns, Donitz. 1901. Anopheles janiesii, Liston, 1901. N yssorhynchus nivipes, Theobald, 1907. Anopheles sinensis, Wiedemann, 1828. Anopheles jesoensis, Tsuzuki, 1902. Myzorhynchus peditaeniatus , Leicester, 1908. Anopheles barbirostris. Van der Wulp, 1884. Anopheles albotaeniatus, Theobald, 1903. Anopheles kochi, Donitz, 1901. Christoplcersia halli, James, 1910. Alcock (A.), C.I.E., F.R.S. Description of a new species of Anopheles from the Malay Peninsula. — .//. Lond. Sch. Trop. Med. II. Dec. 1912. pp. 1-2. (2 figs, in text.) Two specimens of a remarkable species of Anopheles have been bred by Dr. A. E. Wellington from larvae found in a reservoir ol' drinking water in the Larut Hills in the Malay Peninsula, at * [According to the generally accepted rules of entomological nomenclature this species should st;uid as Anopheles karv^ari, James, there being no necessity for a new name. — Ed.] an elevation of 4,000 feet and quite close to jungle. The new species, described as AnopJieles (MyzorJiynchus) wellingtonianus , has many points of resemblance both to " Lophoscelomyia" asiatica and to Anopheles (MyzorJiyncJius) harbirostris. It cer- taiuly supports the opinion that, wliatever view be taken of the limits of the genus Anopheles^ all these three species are con^'eneric. Carter (H. F.). Descriptions of Three New African Species of the Genus Tahanus. — .1///;. Trap. Med. &,■ L'aias. VI. No. 4. Dec. 1912. pp. 435-442. 1 plate. The species described are as follow : — (1) Tahinius /if/amiensis, sp.n. Habitat: Ngamiland, S. Africa; Dr. AV. R. W. James, 10.xii.1910; fourteen females. Somewhat resembles Tahanus diver sus, Ric. (2) Tahanus fulvicapillus , sp.n. K large dark species, closely related to Tahanus trigonus, Coq. Habitat: Banana, Congo Free State; Dr. Etienne; two females. This very striking species cannot be mistaken for any other hitherto recorded from the African Continent. (3) Tahanus dovaJdsoni, sp.n. Habitat: Bromassi (two hours from Coomassi), Ashanti, W. Africa; Dr. A. S. Donaldson; one female. Three further examples from Dr. J. B. Adam, Calabar, S. Nigeria. The types of all three species are in the collection of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. GuiTERis. Bubonic Plague in Havana. — J I. Am. Med. Ass. Nov. 16, 1912. (Abstract Jl. Trap Med. 1st Jan., 1913.) The author reports 3 cases, describes the present sanitary conditions of the city and says that they are favourable for the control of the disease.. In the laboratory 8,909 rats were examined and none were found to be infected with plague. The author says tLat Kitasato lias drawn attention to the fact that it is not rare to have summer epidemics of plague without find- ing plague rats. Another point in favour of the disease being rapidly stamped out was that it appeared in summer, a time when the flea population of rats is at its lowest in the tropics. The author has bred Xenopsylla oJteopis, the common rat flea of Havana, for several years, and the decrease in their numbers in summer has been very striking. GoRGAS (Colonel). Sanitary Organisation of the Isthmian Canal. Journal of the Association of the Military Surgeons of the U.S. (Reviewed in Jl. Trap. Med. cf Hyg. XYI. Pt. 1. 1st Jan., 191.".. pp. 4-5.) The writer describes the Sanitary Organisation of the Isthmian Canal, especially in its bearing on anti-malarial measures. The Canal is the centre of a strip of land 10 miles wide and 45 miles 8 iu leng-tli from north to south. The population to he protected against malaria consists of about 5U,00U labourers and their families and is scattered all over the 500 square miles, though perhaps more concentrated on the line of the Canal and especially in some 40 camps and villages near this line. The local climatic conditions are such that mosquitos will breed freely all the year round and even in the four months in which there is practically no rainfall. The differences in the level of the land through which the ("anal passes do not affect the question, as there is water enough on the high ground for the breeding- of Aiioijheles. During the 5 years of the American occupation, 250,000 persons have been broug'ht into the area and the author thinks that the experience (jf Panama may be useful in the military occupation of tropical countries. Anti-malarial measures consist of: — (1) destroying the habitat of the Anoplieles during the larval stage within 100 yards of dwellings; (2) destroying- within the same area all protection for llie adult mosquito; (8) screening- all habitations so that mosquitos cannot have access ; (4) where breeding-places cannot be done away with by draining, use is made of crude oil (Phinotas oil aud sulphate of copper) for the destruction of larvae. These measures are based u^ion the knowledge that the A/iopli elf's larvae only live as a rule in clear fresh water in which there is a plentiful supply of grass and algae, and that the adult is weak on the wing-, does not fly far, and needs an ample supply of g-rass and brushwood for protection against wind. In order to carry out these measures the 500 square miles was divided into 17 districts each under the charg-e of a Sanitary Inspector with the necessary clerks and o assistants, one of whom was ( ompetent as to mosquitos, another as to ditching- and drain- ing, and a third in general executive work. I*iach of the distri(-ts lias an inspector in charge, with 40 or 50 labourers to ditch and drain, carpenters to keep the screening iu repair, and one or two (juinine dispensers, who were kept constantly going round giving 8-g-rain doses of quinine to those wlio wished it. !N^o compulsion Avas exercised in this matter. The district physician reported daily the number of cases of uudaria to the central ofh(;e which made a weekly report on the whole area, a copy of which was sent to each district inspector who was held responsible for any excess of malaria in his district ; thus, if the rate rose during- the week above 1^ per cent., some- thing was i-onsidered to be wrong aud the assistant to the (Tiief Sanitary Ins])e(-tor was sent to the district to enquire into the cause. In ordci' tc (Id away with breeding-jdai-es of larvae tiled drains Mere ])ut down wherever suitable. The author considers this the most effective and economical form of drainage, as on(-e done it requires no furtlier attention, affords no breed ing-plac-e for mosciuitos, and a nuu-hine or scythe can be usetl for cutting the grass over it. Where this plan was not possible, open concreted dit(-hes weie adopted. These are objectionable because they require (-onstant sweeping and cleaning in order to prevent the formation of little puddles of water in which the mosquitos will breed, if neither of these ways ccmld be adopted, then open (iMclies were du^', Imt lliis is llie least effective and most expensive tnnii (it (Iraina-ie. TJiey till up (luickly with j^iass and have to be cleaJied out once a foituif^lil . Ill order to destroy cover for tiie aduH mosquito, Hie grouud was cleared of brnsliwood and ^rass foi' 100 yards round the place to be ])rote('ted. If the locality was to be occupied for a year or more ii -was more economical to level the ground and plant grass which c(U[Jd be kept down by machine nr scythe. A limited anu)unt of shrubbery oi' a few i rees near a dwelling are allowable. The aiitlnu' emphasises tite necessity dl constani supervision of screens, the use of g'ood nmterial and good worknuuisJii]). as, if properly made in wire, they will last o years. There are plenty on the market that will not last six months. Prophylactic quinine was supi)lied in ^J-grain doses, either in solution, as a tonic, or in pills. It Avas placed on the table at all the messes and g-iven to any emjjloyee Avho ai)i)lied for it. The three disjjensers of ea(di district also went round to the villages offering- quinine to all who w^ould take it. In this way about 20,000 doses were supplied daily to a population of -10,000. The author regards prophylactic quinine as a most important measure. Phinotas oil and co})i)er sul])hate were used in places which could not be drained ; oil for temporary pools on construc- tion woi'k. or in temporary camps wheie drainage would be too costly, or in any i)lace in whicdf drainage was not cairied out. It was also used for killing larvae in the algae and grass along the edges of lakes, swamps or streams. Sulphate of cojjper was used in the same way. The author considers that the only jjraidical ])rotection for 1roo])s on the niandi in a malarious country is i)ro])hylactic (|uinine. Real exjjosure to malarial infection can only occur in a town. With a fresh cam}) every night it is ])robable that such A. 'Id //heirs as ])it the men wnuld not be infected. If one cam]) were used for a week or mine the ground should be (feared and draiued. Col. (lorgas IS \ery sliongly of oiiinion thai Ihe sanitar\ officer should himself lune the superintendence of this work; that is to say. it must be done by a man who understands why it is done in order that it may be done })r()perly. With the sjiread of knowledge the rng'iiieer, (|ua]ier-mastei' or jirovost of the camp might be entrusted with the work; but it should be a, sz/ic (jiid iioii that ihe sanitary otHcer should be hvdd i-es[)onsibl(* ; he niusi therefore liave an immediate control of the working force. If this is not the case the work is foredoomed (o fail. Brei.ni, (A.). Direcfor. Ausiralian Inst, 'i'rop. Med. Report on Health and Disease in the Northern Territory. — BuUcfin of tlic Noi-tJieni Terr/ for ij. No. la. July, 1012. pp. 10-24. Cases of malaria in the Northern '^Ferritory of Australia vary greatly in number from year to year. The average number of cases of 7nalaria 1i<"ated in Ihe hosjtital al Darwin for the years 10 1897 to 1906 inclusive was six, from 190T to 1910 twenty-three. The most severe epidemic of recent years occurred in 1905. During- a journey made by the Medical Uliicer, throughout the Territory, blood-smears were taken from as many suspected sufferers as possible in order to obtain an estimate of the general prevalence of the disease. The mining camp at Umbrawarra Creek, 13 miles south of Pine Creek was visited, and numbers of the miners found to be suffering from fever. All about the camps were pools of stagnant water, often swarming with fish ; others barely a square yard in area and several inches deep were filled with decaying vegetable matter. These were simply abounding in mosquito larvae and pupae. The dry season (May to September) is considered the worst season for fever. All the men in this camp were either suffering or had suffered from fever, and in some cases the number of parasites found in the blood was very great. Two of these men had come from New Guinea where they had contracted the disease. The New Guinea type is characterised by the extreme severity of the first attacks, and if the sufferer does not succumb at this period he becomes more or less immune to the action of the parasites. If no re- infection occurs the patient lapses into the chronic stage of the disease and is a constant source of danger to his neighbours. The probability that malaria has been introduced in this manner from New Guinea is very great, as the Umbrawarra fever i^ of the same type as that in New Guinea, and mosquitos capable of transmitting malaria are found in great numbers. Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) annulipes is probably the distri- buting agent. Numerous larvae and pupae were collected frotn the water-holes and the adult insects bred out and identified. It has been proved by Kinoshita, in Formosa, that this species of Anopheline is capable of transmitting malaria. Preventive measures suggested are : — (1) removal of the camp to a distance of at least half a mile from the river; (2) regular oiling of the pools; (3) compelling the miners to take quinine during the fever season, about 15 grains twice weekly, and to sleep under mosquito nets. Several other mining camps were visited and in all of them cases of fever of a similar type to that of New Guinea were found. Several of the miners affected had come from New Guinea. Mosquitos were found in all these stations. The Medical Officer is of opinion that the evidence of impor- tation of the fever and its subsequent distribution by the local mosquito is conclusive, and that if the population increased so would the malaria spread, owing to the presence of already infected persons. The "wild " aborigines were found to be free, but those em- ployed on the stations were subject to fever. The Medical Officer suggests that a blood exnmination of new-comers, and action taken upon it, might materially assist in keeping down the disease, and that the miners and the children in the public schools should be taught the history of malaria ond the general principles of the means of prevention. 11 It is iuterestino' to note that one or two new species of mosciuitos belono'ing- to a g'eniis prevalent in the East and Malay States were found in the Northern Territory. This seems to point to the fact that an introduction of insects from the East is taking place. Taylor (F. H.). Description of Mosquitos Collected during the Expedition of 1911. — Bulletin of Xorthcni Ternturtj. :No. la. July, 1912. pp. 25-36. The following is the list : — Anopheles (MyzorhyncJius) bancrufti, Giles. — Common. Toxorliynchitex speciosa, Skuse. — 1 at Darwin. Mucidus alternans, Westw. — 1 at Darwin. Stegoinyia fasciata, F. — 12, all at Dnrwin. Culex quinqucvittatus, Say (fatiyans, A\'ied.) — 12 at Darwin. Culex parvus, sp. n. Culex palpalis, sp. n. Culicelm annulirostrU, Skuse. — Specimens taken _ closely resemble both Skuse's and Theobald's descriptions but may prove to be a distinct species. Culicelm ? alhoannulata, Macq. — 1 damaged specimen. Culicelsa alhirosfris, Macq. — 1 damaged specimen, probably of this species. Chrysoconops acer, AValk. — Widely distributed from Darwin to New Zealand. Mamonioides (Mansonia) unifonnis, Theo.- From 6 locali- ties. Danielsia niinuta, sp. n. Danielsia alhoannulata, sp. n. Aedomyia vcnustijjes (?) Skuse. Dr. C. l! Strangman, in charge of the expedition, collected a number of ticks infesting the Brama cattle. All were ft)und to agree well with Boophilua australis, Fuller, the Australian cattle tick, as described and figured by Salmon and Stiles, Bureau, xVnimal Ind., F.S.A. Ann. Eep. 1900, p. 426. Hesse. Parasitic Mould of the House 'Ely.— Brit. Med. Jl. 4th Jan. 1913. p. 41. Mr. Hesse a year or two ago began the investigation of Evipusa inu-scae and in the beginning of July last sent to the Local Government Board a sample of what he believed to be a success- ful attempt to cultivate this organism. The Board caused the specimens to be examined by Dr. J. Bernstein, who reported that the organism present was, in fact, Empusa muscae. In the same month Mr. Hesse succeeded in killing 3 species of fly, Sto/noxys calcitran.^, Musca doinestica and Fannin canicularis , by feeding them on food impregnated with this artificial culti- vation, (the first of these facts was recorded by Mr. Hesse in the English Mechanic and World of Science for 12th July, 1912, and a somewhat inaccurate version of this communica- tion was published shortly afterwards in the American press). 12 Since tlieii Mr. Hesse lias goue fuitlier by poisoniiio' iLUiiiure with the artificial cultivation and attempting' to develop the fly larvae therein. The result was encouraging. The larvae assumed the pupal form but did not hatch out. A further experiment by Mr. Hesse tends to show that the zygospores if swallowed by the fly wJien disseminated in syrup, are thrown off as conidia by the Hy, thus completing the life-cycle of the fungus. The interest of these observations lies in the fact that hitherto the spores have been supposed to work their way into the fly through the surface of its abdomen, whereas it would now appear from Mr. Hesse's experiments that they are swallowed and probably germiiiate in the crop. Maetix (C. J.). Horace Dobell Lectures on Insect Porters of Bacterial Infections, delivered before the R. Coll. of Physicians. —Bnt. Med. ./I. 4th Jan. liJi:;. pp. 1-8; and 11th Jan. 1913. pp. 59-U8. In the first of these lectures the author deals with the house-fly, and discusses the evidence which exists as to the carriage by this insect of various epidemic disorders, especially typhoid and infantile diarrhoea. In the second lecture the rat ffea, as the carrier of plague, and the human flea aie discussed. The reason why the human flea is ineffective in the transmission of plagaie, is because in human cases the average degree of septicaemia before death is so much less than in rats that the chance of a flea imbibing even a single bacillus is small. Possibly in the middle ages when the intensity of the septicaemia in man may have been greater the human flea may have played its part in i-arrying infection. Typhus, relapsing fever and poliomyelitis may hv transmitted by insects. Typhus fever has been shown to be capable of trans- inission by the agencv of bodv lice by Nicolle, Comi)te and Conseil (1909) and by Ricketts and Wildei' (1911). The last insect dealt with in the lectures is the bed-bug, of which the author says, there is no real evidence to incriminate this insect in the case of either tyi)hus or relapsing fever. Plague has been transmitted experimentally by bugs but there is no epidemio- logical reason tor supposing that this takes i)lacc to any extent in nature. Tli(> rei)ort of these lectures is veiy fully illust i alcd witli draw- ings of the mouth and other i)aits of tlic inserts named and a very full bibliography is given. Mrr/M.\TN (M. B.). Collected Notes on the Insect Transmission of Surra in Carabaos. /'/lili/t/jiiw Af/nc. I'cr. (\rlj/.). V. l^o. 12. Dec. 1912. pp. iiTO-USl. E.vpcri iiiciitdi T i(in.'ii of Siirni hij Lice. The Carabao is a variety of tlie Indian buffalo (Buhaliis. hiihdlis) ;ind is connnonlv regaided as being indigenous to 13 il)e Pliilippiiies. Tlic ;iiitlu)r''s first enquiry was into the dis- l^ersal of the lice of this 1)utt!ih» and their role in the transmission of Trupanosoma evansi. The transmission of T. leinisi hy the ap:ency of lire has heen effected ])y many woi'kers, l)ut it does not appear that T. evansi lias been experimentally transmitted. Observations were made on four beosts, two had been kei)t for 3 months in screened stalls and two others in a separate shed, bnt not screened. The blood was reo'ularly examined, the tem- perature token and o'uinea-])io's inoculated with the blood. At the end of (i Aveeks, neither luiffidos nor <^'uinea-pi<^s sho\vin.<4' any trace of trypanosonies, the fornier were reg'arded as suit- able for observation. On rjtli Dec. !!)](), a Ihousand lic!> (//aenidfopinu.-i hifvhercuhif us, Nitzsch) were colle(^ted from a carabao heavily infected with trypanosonies. These were divided into five lots of 200 eaidi ; one lot was set aside as a conti'ol, but all died within 3 days. Two hours after removal from the infected host one lot was placed on the hair of carabao No. 8 (screened stall) and 10 hours later another lot on carabao No. T (screened stall). I'wenty-four hours after removal from their infected host a lot was ])laced on carabao No. 16 (unscreened stall) and the next day carabao No. IT (unscreened stall) leceived the last lot of lice. The beasts were then all seg-re- pated in fly-screened stalls. All remained normal till l\vd Jan. 1011, 22 days after introduction of the lice, when No. 8 became feverish and the blood showed tryjianosomes (1 per 50 fields, l-12tli obj.). A g'uinea-pifi' (Al) was inoculated with 8 cc. blood from the ear of this carabao and daily blood examinations were made. On 9th Jan. No. 8 which had remained normal since the last rise now reg-istered 40-2 C ° (104-;;ro). On 10th Jan. a native horse and two ]i examined daily showed no try})anos()nies until 21 days after inoculation. The others inoculated with the horse showed them in 10-12 days. Tlie other three carabaos after a month showed no sio'ns of infection, either by temiiei'ature or blood tests. How far the lice may act as carriers of surra the author is not prepared to state. It would seem that they must find a new host within a few hours of the death of the i)revious one and bepin their attack almost at once. The lice have been observed not to (dianpe their position until the body of the dead host has become quite cold. The quantity of hair on the beast is an important factor, old animals shed mucdi of their hair and tlierefore have few lice. TJie author thinks tliat wliere beasts are confined in considerable numbers, e.r/., in ((uarantine, and contact is probable, ex(dunipe of lice may take place to a con- siderable extent. Beasts that have ample ojijiortunity of bathinp- and wallowinp have fewer lice than others. The author cites ( ases of Indo-Chinese bulhxdvs dyinp of surra and infested by lice undistinp'uishable from tliose of the carabao. Rx])eriments are beinp' made as to the ])ossible transmission of carabao lice to this varietv of bullock. 14 Trari^^fer nf the J Ace hy Flies. The carabao louse lias been found attached to the legs of a species of Lyperosin, common in the islands, on an average of one in three, 1,800 flies collected in five days yielding 620 lice. This lasted till the middle of MarcK, when the Lyperosia gradually disappeared and the stable-fly, Stonwxys calcitrans, predominated in vast numbers. The louse was never found attached to the latter nor indeed to any other species than the Lyperosin. The parasite in question was undoubtedly the larval form of the carabao louse. No other species was collected from carabao on which the infested flies were found. None of the lice found on the flies had imbibed mammalian blood. How far the flies may act as distributors of the lice is unknown, but it seems probable that they can and do act as such. An Experivient to demonstrate Periods of Non-infectivity in Carahaos ajfected with Surra. An emulsion of 150 Lyperosia sp., which had bitten a surra carabao on a day when its blood was negative, when injected into a horse and two guinea-pigs gave no reaction, but an emulsion made from flies collected on the same carabao when positive gave a definite surra reaction. The author argues that if the blood of the animal had been used in place of the fly emulsion the result would have been the same. From the results of a number of experiments in blood inoculation the author concludes that, (1) during the negative stage of the disease the carabao is not a source of danger as an active focus for fly dissemination ; (2) it does not become imperative to verify micro- scopical findings (when carefully performed) by animal inocula- tion in suspected cases of surra in carahaos, for it is not convincing or significant during negative periods ; (3) when the trypanosome is not found during protracted stages upon microscopical examina- tion it should not be ossumed that the nnimnl is free from infection. Ento77ioloc/iral stvdy of a Si/rra Outhreak among Carahaos la the region of La> Carlotta, Occidental Negros. Investigations at 7 haciendas : — (1.) 105 cattle, 115 carahaos, 6 horses; all permitted to pasture together freely; 8 cases carabao surra and 1 bullock, horses free. Over 80 per cent, of the flies found were common to all three Ivinds of animals and Avere all Lyperosia. (2.) 90 cattle, GO carahaos; 1 horse affected with surra, but had come from a farm close by only 4 weeks before. The flies collected were all Lyperosia; no Stomoxys whatever. (3.) Indo-Chinese bull badly infected, 50 carahaos, in same pasture, free; few Stom,oxys, dense swarms of Lyperosia around tbe bull, which also yielded carabao lice. 15 (4.) 90 carabaos (12 infected), 2 mares with colts, free. Sire of these colts infected and had been removed to a surra-free liacienda :t mile away. Did the horse contract surra from the carahao? (5.) 2;) cattle, 53 carabao, all healthy; lice almost absent; good mud wallows. No Tabanidae; Lyi)ero!