PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.885
18 PUBLIC RECORD_OFFICE, LONDON
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the breeding places in the same way as we do those of the mosquito, our task would be much lightened and simplified. If, on the other hand, the pupae are found to be deposited in a more or less haphazard way along suitable foreshores, we shall remain in much the same position as we were before, and must hope, in clearing the natural range of the fly, to destroy the breeding places at the same time.
The fact of the pup having been first discovered in a banana plantation should not be allowed to associate these plants unduly with breeding places in the minds of investigators. More or less of a bank, loose earth with vegetable débris, and shade, are evidently the chief requirements, and the fact of the banana plants affording the last will probably prove to be exceptional in most localities.
(2) Experiments on the Longshore Flight of Glossina Palpalis. These experiments are most interesting and ingenious, and give valuable informa. tion. The limits of flight along shore or bank, however, must be carefully distin- guished from the flight inland or across water, which is much more circumscribed. It must be taken that the distances of flight recorded in the experiments refer to a river bank along which there was practically continuous shade. Cleared spaces have been found to form breaks in the fly distribution, and further experiments are needed in order to show what extent of shadeless or cleared bank is necessary to form an efficient barrier to longshore flight.
The experiments show how important it will be, in clearing banks and foreshores, to destroy the breeding places, since a cleared foreshore, if flanked on either side by long stretches of shaded foreshore, will probably be continually invaded by fresh flies as often as ever the undergrowth in such a clearing is allowed to make any headway. They also point to the manner in which seasonal variations in the number- of flies can occur on rivers or lake shores in accordance with the varying physical conditions of shade, water level, &c., which from time to time prevail.
Apart from the ordinary physical conditions necessary to a fly area, the number of flies infesting any given spot must depend chiefly on food supply (e.g., native markets and traffic, crocodile or hippopotamus banks, &c.), and when such places are cleared we diminish food supply, and must eventually decrease the actual number of flies. Any point on a bank or foreshore at which human or vertebrate blood is available as a food supply will be infested, until it is cleared, by flies from any or every breeding place within the limits of longshore flight, and not separated from it by a cleared or fly-free interval of sufficient extent to form a barrier.
AUBREY D. P. HODGES,
Medical Officer in Charge.
APPENDIX C. to the First Half-Yearly Report in the Sleeping Sickness Extended
Investigations.
REPORT ON THE EPIDEMIC AMONGST SESE ANIMALS BY DR. Van SomerEN.
To the Medical Officer in Charge of
the Sleeping Sickness Extended Investigations.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to report to you the result of my investigations into the alleged epidemic affecting the cattle, goats, native dogs, fowls, &c., in Sese.
Acting on your instructions, No. 27/S.S.E., I crossed over from Katebo, as being the most convenient point, on the night of the 7th instant, landing at Bomanji next morning.
I had some difficulty in obtaining suitable canoes and paddlers there, as a result of the past sleeping sickness mortality in those parts, and eventually had to send across to Sese for them.
From the native chiefs I learnt the following:-
That the disease as affecting cattle has cropped up at intervals for the past 30 years, and was known as Naotoka" (cattle plague) till lately, when certain folk, who did not eat the flesh of the dead animals, as appears to be the custom, declared
That is, the "fly-range," as understood in this report.
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the sickness to be sleeping sickness for, as far as I could make out, the following
reasons:-
(a) Because the almost moribund animals hung down their heads in a listless manner, and were sometimes greatly emaciated and at others swollen
out.
(b) Because on opening the animals, much fluid was found in the thorax and abdomen, which they said resembled sleeping sickness in so much that sleeping sickness patients pass a great deal of water.
The sleeping sickness view appears not to be generally held, as many say the sickness was present years before sleeping sickness made its appearance.
The last epidemic amongst cattle occurred last year, when one chief lost 180 head out of a herd of 280, the animals dying two and three a day sometimes.
Goats were most affected in 1904, and fowls in 1903, but not since. Dogs I am told were little affected, if at all, in those parts at least.
During the height of the epidemic fowls and goats died sometimes at the rate of 10-15 a day, according to their statements.
The only animal affected now appears to be goats, and in the north-west of the
Island, dogs also, but in very small numbers, one here and there.
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They tell me that on cutting open the animals (cows and goats), the liver and lungs were found to be "rotten in all cases.
The statement of the French pères was similar to the above, though in saying it started three years ago they evidently are referring to the last only.
During the time previous to my visit, I could hear of only one goat (a kid), which
had died, but unfortunately it was eaten the day I arrived.
One of the chiefs also added, that when killing a bull about five weeks ago, which was apparently well, they found its liver to be "rotten" also. It is possible this was tubercular condition. I examined all the sick animals I could obtain, and held post-mortems on two.
On
On the 23rd a père, who had just been to the north-west of the Island, told me of some sick dogs, he had seen, one of which he had asked to be brought to me.
After receiving this dog, I shifted my camp to where the others were said to be.
my arrival here I made enquiries, but could find only one animal, the natives assuring me none were ill. However, on subsequent days, my men secured three others from various parts. On getting positive results in some of these, I examined the district for fly other than Glossina palpalis, but as far as I can make out, all appear to be Glossina palpalis, though many were caught at some distance from open water, in some cases quite 200-300 yards inland.
This is an exception to my past experience. Some of the shambas were much infected, as were also many of the forest paths, and if subsequent examination proves these animals to have trypanosoma gambiense, it would be accounted for by the fact that they are daily exposed to the flies, even by the huts.
I regret I have been unable to examine any waterbuck, as I am told they are numerous here, and it would have been of interest to see whether they harbour the parasite, being constantly in the fly areas as they are.
Some of the rubber collectors tell me they are bitten when working in the forest, though not close to the lake. However, I have observed this only in one spot.
Shortly, my results are as follows:-
4 Goats ill gave negative results in all cases. 6 Dogs ill gave positive results in two cases. Some 20 birds examined, all negative.
I append short clinical notes on the animals:-
Goats.
1. Adult female said to have been ill a fortnight. Coat not in very good condition, otherwise does not appear to be very ill; cats extremely well; no diarrhea. Blood examinations constantly negative. Temperature ranged from 101° to 1046". 2. Kid, female, about three weeks old, coat good condition, man says it is not taking its milk.
Blood negative. Temperature on the days examined 101'6° an-1 102.80
3. Kid, female, about two months old, said to have been ill two months; coat Justrous; cats very well; heyond weakness shows nothing particular.
28167
G1
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