CO885-(20-21) — Page 46

CO882 & CO885 Colonial Office Confidential Prints 理藩院機密印刊 All

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

། ། ། །

C.O.

Reference :-

885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

46

it is put forward that the trypanosome, like other protozoa, has probably two phases in its life-cycle the animal body, viz., phase A., in which the organisms are found in the blood; and phase B., in which they are absent from the blood, but assuming some other form in some part of the body reappearing in the blood as phase A. at intervals,

It was found by Moore, Nierenstein, and Todd that after the trypanosomes had teen completely driven out of the peripheral blood by atoxyl recurrence again took place, although the investigations of organs and tissues other than the blood had failed to demonstrate anywhere a storage of the ordinary phase of trypanosome.

Phase B. in the life-cycle of the trypanosome has been more completely investi- gated by J. E. Salvin-Moore and Breinl, who have clearly shown the existence of such a phase. It was with this knowledge of the double phase in the life-cycle of the trypanosome that the bio-chemical principle of treatment was tried on rats infected experimentally with Trypanosoma Brucei with the following results:-By means of atoxyl, a compound of aniline and arsenic, phase A. was successfully treated, and the trypanosomes driven out from the peripheral circulation; then by means of the bichloride of mercury beneficial results were at once obtained, for while the entire series of rats treated with atoxyl alone succumbed, nearly 70 per cent. of the rats given the double treatment survived, never showing any recurrence of trypano- somes, and of the remaining 30 per cent., only 8 per cent. showed recurrence of trypanosomes.

The article says further that it may be emphasized that the mercury salt alone has not the slightest effect on the ordinary phase of the trypanosome as seen in the peripheral circulation.

9. The Experiments conducted were as follows:-

Dog A was the first case. He was brought from Yola by me, and became infected on the 3rd September, 1907, when passing through a tsetse-fly belt on the banks of the river Loko some 30 miles north of Yola. By September 14th the dog began to show signs of fatigue on the march, and on arrival at Maifoni, on the 18th September, the dog was decidedly ill with the following symptoms:-Running from the eyes, staring coat, very dull and sleepy, photophobia, ophthalmia, both eyes, cornes of both eyes nebulous.

On September 22nd the blood was examined, and showed the presence of trypanosomes, and

Dog B was inoculated with 1 c.c. blood from Dog A

On September 22nd treatment was begun by injections of 1 c.c. subcutaneously of the mixture of methylene blue and perchloride of mercury, as mentioned on page 44. These injections were continued daily for 10 days up to the 1st October, during which period the temperature ranged between 103° and 105° F., and blood exami- nations made on the 27th and 29th September showed presence of trypanosomes.

On 1st October the injections ceased.

On 3rd October the blood was examined and trypanosomes found present. The dog rapidly grew worse, and slept almost continuously; he had to be roused to take milk or water. From the 6th October his temperature showed marked morn- ing and evening variations, and finally he died on the night of the 8th October.

Dog B-(See Charts Nos. 3 and 4.)

22nd September.-Inoculated with 1 c.c. of blood from Dog A, his blood having been previously examined and found free from trypanosomes.

27th September.-The examination of blood gave a negative result. 29th September-Examination of the blood still gave a negative result.

1st October.-Dog's temperature 105 4° F. Examination of the blood showed a great many trypanosomes. Treatment by subcutaneous injections of 1 c.c. begun.

8th October.-Examination of the blood showed the presence of trypanosomes. 10th October.-Tenth day of treatment.

11th October.-Examination of the blood showed the presence of trypanosomes; treatment continued.

15th October.-Fifteenth and last day of treatment.

16th October.-Examination of blood showed presence of trypanosomes.

21st October.-Great oscillations in temperature begun.

27th October.-The dog died.

Horse A.-Poor in condition. (See Charts 6 and 7.)

27th September.-Blood examined and found free from trypanosomes. Inoca-

lated with 5 c.c. of blood from Dog A.

I

12th October-Blood examined and trypanosomes found.

47

13th October.--Temperature very high, 105 4° F., and a great many trypano- somes in the blood.

Treatment now begun on 16th day after inoculation 16th October.-Blood examined and trypanosomes found. Great oscillations in temperature.

22nd October.-Last day of treatment.

23rd October.-Horse died suddenly at 11 a.m., and blood films taken two hours after death showed the presence of trypanosomes.

Horse B.-An animal in good condition. (See Charts Nos. 8, 9 A, and 9 B.) 29th October.-Blood examined, no trypanosomes found.

Animal inoculated with 5 c.c. blood from Black Government Ox No. 1 with natural infection.

5th November-Temperature 104 4° F. Trypanosomes very numerous in the blood.

6th November.-Treatment of the horse begun.

8th November-Blood examined and no trypanosomes found. At this stage Calf B was inoculated with 5 c.c. blood from this horse.

15th November.-Tenth day of treatment.

17th November-Blood examined and no trypanosomes found.

19th November.-10 c.c. of blood inoculated from this horse into Dog E. 5th December-Blood examined and trypanosomes found to have reappeared. Temperature 102.4° F.

30th December.-Blood again examined, and trypanosomes again found to have disappeared from the peripheral circulation.

Remarks. Although trypanosomes were found to be absent from the blood on the 17th November, the temperature from the Chart will be seen running an abnormal course, and hence the animal was still kept under careful observation: the temperature was taken regularly, and when on the 5th December it was found to be 1024° F., the blood was examined, and a positive result obtained. On the 8th December the temperature again shot up to 103° F., and after this it continued to run an abnormal course until the 23rd December, when it kept normal up to the 29th December although the morning fall of temperature was very great. On the 30th December, when the temperature again rose slightly above the normal maximum, the blood was again examined, but with a negative result.

It will be interesting to note that Dog E (as will be seen from the case following this), which was inoculated with 10 c.c of blood from this horse on the fourth day after the treatment ceased, and when the blood did not show any trypanosomes on examination two days previous to the inoculation, has not developed the disease, for although the temperature of the dog has on several occasions exceeded its normal maximum of 1024° F., yet four careful examinations of the blood on such occasions gave a negative result, and so did the last examination of the blood, made on the 30th December. It is now one month and twelve days since the dog was inoculated. From the foregoing it may be stated that the treatment in this case had the effect of removing the trypanosome from the peripheral circulation, whereby phase A of the organism (according to Sir Rubert Boyce see page 45-on the life history of the trypanosome) passed into phase B of its life-cycle, and that during this period a quantity, as much as 10 c.c., of blood could be inoculated into a dog without reproducing the disease, which, apart from microscopical examination, is very confirmatory proof of absence of the organisms from the peripheral circulation.

If, again, according to Sir Rubert Boyce (page 45) it may be accepted that mercury alone has not the slightest effect on the ordinary phase of the trypanosome, viz., phase A. then it may be concluded that the result of the treatment was really achieved by the methylene blue, which removed the trypanosome from the blood, and phase B of the life-cycle resulted. In this horse, therefore, since a relapse of phase A has occurred, and is likely to recur again, another course of injections of perchloride of mercury is indicated, as this agent has been found to be specially effective in phase B of the organism.

This horse will continue under observation, and will be subjected to further treatment by injections of perchloride of mercury so as to try and destroy completely phase B of the organism, and thus prevent the recurrence of phase A, and so eradi- cate the disease from the system if possible. From this case of Horse B it is clear that the effect of intravenous injections of methylene blue and perchloride of mercury may remove the trypanosome from the peripheral circulation, during which period a quantity, as much as 10 c.c., of blood may be inoculated into a dog without reproducing the disease, but it cannot be concluded that a complete cure has been

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.