4
to keep out of the dangerous zone. The missionary in charge of the island might also be asked to teach the people the nature and mode of propagation of the disease, and to assist the medical officer in dealing with the natives. The medical officer would be able to study with great exactitude the particular physical conditions which govern the distribution of the fly, and would also gain knowledge as to whether the distribution of the fly remains the same at all times of the year and under different climatic conditions, and whether any opening could be discovered for some practical measure for diminishing or exterminating the insect.
(iv) There is another important line of enquiry in regard to which the services of the medical organisation above proposed would be of great value the medicinal treatment of the disease. It might be found practicable to select another island having a manageable population, where this kind of treatment on a large scale might be tried. An attempt might be made to keep the whole of the infected inhabitants under the influence of arsenic for a prolonged period. The medical officer in charge of this island would, of course, study the disease and the fly on the same lines as his colleague, but, in addition, would note the effect of the arsenic. In all probability the intramuscular injection of the arsenic once a fortnight would be sufficient. After the lapse of a year or two, if the experiments could be continued so long, the difference of effect in the two islands might furnish valuable data for the treatment of the disease.
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on the banks of the Nile little north of the point where the 4° cuts the Nile. It was not found immediately above Gondokoro.
E. W. D. GREIG.
Gondokoro,
December 26, 1904.
12246
No. 2.
THE ROYAL SOCIETY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received April 14, 1905.)
[Copy to Treasury, Foreign Office, Local Government Beard and Commissioner (No. 112) May 31, 1905. L.F.]
SIR,
Burlington House, London, W., April 13, 1905. REFERRING to my letter to you of the 3rd instant,* on the subject of sleeping sickness, I am desired by the Royal Society to enclose herewith, for your considera. tion, a memorandum regarding the cause of sleeping sickness, which has been drawn up and signed by a few Fellows of the Society who have either taken part in, or have closely watched, the progress of the investigation of this disease. It is hoped that this strong testimony will show that although the pathology of the disease has not yet been completely made out, the fundamental facts have been ascertained which will fully justify the action which the Royal Society has recommended His Majesty's Government to take.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
ni
Reference :-
885
9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Royal Society.
Sleeping Sickness Commission.
MEMORANDUM from Captain Greig, forwarded by the Foreign Office, March 8, 1905.
In continuation of my memorandum, dated December 5, 1904, the further results of the special investigation of the occurrence of sleeping sickness and distribution of the Tsetse fly on the Nile are now submitted.
Having determined that undoubted sleeping sickness existed in the proximity of the Victoria Nile, the exact distribution of the disease and the fly along the banks, especially the north bank, was next investigated. The result of this observation showed that the Tsetse fly (Glossina palpalis) was present on both banks of the Victoria Nile, and extremely numerous on both sides of the river at Fajao. At Borigi, on the south bank, two patients, who presented the early signs of sleeping sickness were seen; on the north bank, at Kumoris, opposite Borigi, the Chief, named Ruenji, reported "that eight persons had died in his village last month (November) of sleeping sickness.” An examination of the general population of this village showed that a high percentage (13 out of 16) had marked enlargement of the glands, with rapid pulse (early signs of the disease). I should like to direct special attention to the remark regarding the prevalence of the fly at Fajao. It is found in very large numbers on both banks at this point, and this, taken in conjunction with the fact that numbers of men and animals coming from Uganda cross the river here, demonstrates that the factors for the propagation of trypanosoma infection amongst men and domestic animals are particularly well marked at Fajao. From a considera- tion of the above it will be evident that the question of the deflection of the traffic from this route is worthy of careful consideration.
At Wadelai a number of the surrounding villages were examined, and in one a Also fifteen of the man, undoubtedly suffering from sleeping sickness, was seen. general population were examined; in one trypanosomes were found.
Through the courtesy of the Commandant at Dufile, Monsieur H. V. Calseyde, I was permitted to examine a number of the general population there, and found trypanosomes in one man. Monsieur Calseyde informed me that several deaths from sleeping sickness occurred at Dufiile.
At Nimule I examined in all 87 of the general population, including 27 dis- charged Askaris from Afuddus, where the fly is very prevalent. I was unable to find trypanosomes in any of these.
The general result of the investigation shows that at present the chief infection is south of the Victoria Nile, but there is evidence that it is advancing northwards in the fly belt, but has not, so far, reached Nimule.
An examination between Nimule and Gondokoro shows the presence of the fly
I am, &c.,
ARCH. GEIKIE,
Secretary, Royal Society.
Enclosure in No. 2.
MEMORANDUM regarding the cause of Sleeping Sickness.
We, the undersigned, having been requested to state our views as to the causa- tion of the disease commonly known as sleeping sickness, here record our opinion that there is conclusive evidence showing that the disease is caused by the presence, in the blood and cerebro-spinal fluid, of a parasite (Trypanosoma) allied to that which occurs in the tsetse fly disease of animals; and that the parasite is transmitted from man to man by a species of fly of the same genus as that which transmits the tsetse fly disease parasite from infected to healthy animals.
Our reasons for arriving at these conclusions are :--
(1) The observations of independent observers, both in Uganda and other parts of Africa, and in England, have shown that the Trypanosoma is present in all cases of sleeping sickness.
(2) It has been clearly demonstrated that in Uganda the distribution of the fly Glossina palpalis and that of the sleeping sickness disease coincide.
(3) Experiments in Uganda and in England have shown not only that animals inoculated with Trypanosoma obtained from cases of human sleeping sickness develope an illness with symptoms similar to those of sleeping sickness, but that morbid changes similar to the very characteristic lesions of human sleeping sickness have been found in such animals.
• No. 1.
J. ROSE Bradford. DAVID BRUCE.
E. RAY LANKESTER.
M. FOSTER.
LISTER.
RONALD Ross.
J. BURDON SANDERSON.
C. S. SHERRINGTON.
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