6
by routine work, laboratory examinations for the diagnosis of human diseases,
analyses of the waters of this Presidency and the want of more skilled assistance.
has left comparatively little time for research. A reference to the papers appended
to this report will however show that some special studies have been undertaken.
Mr. T. Seethapathy Iyer, Senior Laboratory Assistant, has been unremitting
in his work and without his services it would have been impossible to have-
accomplished the work that has been done.
2. Protozoology.—Our knowledge of the pathogenic and non-pathogenic protozoa
has advanced considerably during the year. To the three great epoch making
discoveries in the history of protozoology, the discovery of the malaria parasite by
Laveran, the discovery of Piroplasma, bigeminum, by Smith and Kilbourne and the.
nagana typanosome by Bruce, may well be added the late Dr. Schaudinn's
remarkable memoir on the life-cycles of trypanosoma and spirochœta
ziemanni. This latter work has undoubtedly stimulated further research not only
into the flagellata, spirochœta and allied organisms but on protozoa in general.
In the near future therefore important discoveries of great practical use may with
certainty be anticipated.
In last year's report a short resume (Appendix VI) of the work clone on the
development of the Leishman-Donovan body in the bed bug Cimex rotundatus,
Signoret was given and the Memoir describing those changes will be published
shortly. It will be remembered the parasite was traced from its early development
up to the formation of the mature flagellates and further a second process of
division was observed. In a paper attached to the present report (Volume I, No.
V) it will be seen that it is probable the parasite passes back to its non-flagellate
stage in the bug and is thus reintroduced into man. It has not been possible
yet to definitely settle this point as cases of Kala-Azar suitable for feeding
experiments were not procurable in the General Hospital, Madras.
The biological position of the Leishman-Donovan body is still a disputed point.
Rogor's suggestion that it is related to Herpetomonas, a group of insect flagellates,
depended. on the fact that in its flagellate stage it has no undulating membrane the
flagellum projecting freely from the anterior end. The characteristic human stage
has however been the obstacle and until it is recognised that these insect flagellates.
have a similar stage, the exact position of the parasite of Kala-Azar will not be
understood. The life histories of these flagellates of the genus Herpetomonas are
therefore being studied and recently a species named Herpetomonas lygœi has been
found in the alimentary tract of Lygœus militaris. The fact that this parasite is.
almost identical with the Leishman.-Donovan body undoubtedly suggests that the
parasite of Delhi Boil is a distinct species and is in no way connected with the well
known parasite of Kala-Azar as some authorities believe. Many Herpetomonas
are almost indistinguishable in their non-flagellate stages and can only be separated
when their complete life-cycles are studied. A. full description of Herpetomonas
lygœi will appear in due course in the Archiv für Protistenkunde.
An important memoir on the complete development of Piroplasma canis in the
tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus by Captain Christophers, I.M.S., a short resume of
which was given in last year's report (Appendix V) has recently been published.
This work clearly shows that Piroplasma earls has no flagellate stage, an important
point as considerable doubt still exists as to the biological position of the Piroplas-
mata. Miyazimal has however recently announced that Piroplasma parvum, has
a flagellate stage, he states that by cultivating the blood of an infected animal.
on nutritive bouillon after three or . four days large flagellates which were
indistinguishable from trypanosomes made their appearance. He further states.
that no trypanosomes could be found in 2 00 cattle examined by him,. and that
success was obtained with a single drop of blood which could be readily examined
in its entirety and that the presence of flagellates depended on the presence or.
absence of Piroplasma parcum in the blood. At first sight these results would appear
convincing but it should be remembered thatadult trypanosomes' may be missed in
ordi nary bl ood fi l ms (cf. . , Novy and MacNeal ' s resul t s wi t h t he t rypanosomes of
I Miyazima. The cultivation of bovine Piroplasma--Philippine Journal of Science ; T. 11. No. 2, Died : Sc., p. 32.