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favourably with the special " fly tracts " of any other country. In Burma they are particularly bad
after the first few thunder-storms, i.e. the end of April and early part of May. Indeed they are so
troublesome that Burmans when obliged to take carts, &c., through them, take the precaution of making
torches of strips of bark of one of the wood-oil trees, I think the Dipterocarpus
Lœvis ; Burmese
(Kanyin-ni).
After lighting the torches they tie a bundle of green twigs with leaves on to make them
smoke well. One is tied to the yoke between the oxen, the driver carries another to protect himself,
and drive the flies from the back and sides of the bullocks. In spite of these appliances men and
animals are often severely bitten. Baggage elephants, with trunks and tails swinging, do record trips
through such places. I have not observed the cattle or ponies in these parts looking any worse than
animals out of these tracts. The Burmans laugh at the idea of these flies provoking any ailment beyond
sores, at times resulting from the bites. I have frequently examined many kinds of horse and cattle
flies in different tracts, and at different seasons of the year, but so far without results. If flies are
removed from the body of a Surra patient, hæmatozoa may now and again be seen, but I examined
many specimens before I detected them, and then only in a fly which had been feeding on soiled blood.
That flies may carry soiled blood I am prepared to admit. The ordinary Bara Dhang could easily do
this ; still I am of opinion that only a small percentage of animals become infected in this manner; how-
ever time may show that they carry the hæmatozoon about, a great deal more than we at present give
them credit for. Feeding on coarse rank grass which wounds the mouths, tongues, of animals endea-
vouring to eat it, affords ample means for the entry of the infusorian, especially so when they have to
eat marsh grasses, after a course of thatch grass, and drink bad water. There can be no question that
the hæmatozoon is the cause of the malady ; it is to be found in all cases of Surra, and all equines in
which it is seen, as far as my experience goes, will most assuredly die.
I have often heard men say that they have known Burman Doctors to cure Surra, and that when
stationed at such and such a place a Burman cured two cases, &c., &c., such animals having to their
certain knowledge worked for two years after. These were no doubt cases of that peculiar form of
bilious fever which very closely resembles Surra in many of its symptoms, and which I described to you.
You also met with the same disease in Poona. I think we can safely say that no Burman ever cured
a case of the disease we know as Surra.
I have given Burmese Doctors every opportunity and assistance, and have offered a large reward ;
though they have on several occasions accepted my offers, they have, after a week's trial, given the
patients up as hopeless, stating that they had mistaken the nature of the malady.
No doubt the most striking feature of the disease is the wonderful appetite of the affected animals,
and the manner in which they, in spite of food, rapidly become living skeletons. It is a distressing
sight to see an animal down, with its heart thumping violently, and veins of head distended, still
struggling to eat. I have many times seen an animal drop dead while eating, and have several times
propped them up when unable to stand into the lying posture, when they have at once commenced to
feed and have died in from twenty to thirty minutes after. Even with very high temperatures they will
always take grass but may refuse grain.
Urticaria is not nearly so common as in India. Œdema is common enough, especially among the
larger patients.
Constipation is the rule, diarrhœa the exception. The dung natural at first ; later on, it is of a
light brown colour ; towards the close it is frequently pultaceous and possesses a foul odour.
The urine from Surra patients varies a great deal, sometimes viscid, at others not; in colour it
varies from a reddish to a greenish yellow. As a rule, it is alkaline in reaction, but towards the close
is often slightly or distinctly acid. I have failed to detect the organism in the urine, but blood and
granular looking casts are common enough. In some cases small quantities of albumen may be
present.
Spiroptera nests are distinctly rare. During this season I have made upwards of sixty post-
mortems, and in only one case did I observe a nest.
Ordinary parasites are constantly met with, and now and again flukes. This year I came upon a
very bad case ; there must have been quite two hundred parasites in the liver, which organ was much
enlarged.
B 2204—11