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motions, to assure myself in what manner they unite. I am inclined to think that
their respective heads and tails are in the same direction, overlapping each other; but
Dr. Haig was inclined to think, on the contrary, that they fasten with their tails in
opposite directions. What they do it for I do not know, perhaps for copulation; but
a combatant officer on one occasion, looking at a fresh drop of blood and seeing the
parasites unite in that manner, exclaimed: " By gad, now two of the little devils are
fighting for a piece of corpuscle which one of them had broken off." I mention this
because that officer had not been told before that they did sometimes fasten together,
so that he was not in a state of mind called " expectant attention." He said after-
wards that he "had observed a small particle of corpuscle at the head of one of the
two before the other rushed up to tackle him."
36. With reference to the surra parasites which I transferred from the horse to
the dog (vide appendix I), and which I submitted to Dr. Lewis for his opinion as to
what they are, I received the following communication from him on the 8th instant:
—"They appear to be very closely allied to the flagellated parasites which were
detected by myself in a considerable number of apparently healthy rats during 1878,
and which were described shortly afterwards in a report on micro-organisms in the
blood published in this office annual report for 1877.* I have not been able to
examine the organisms which you have found with sufficient care as yet to venture
to express an opinion as to whether or not they are specifically identical with those
found in the blood of rats; but as you have been so kind as to make over the puppy
to me I shall take an early opportunity of comparative examinations of them."
37. Dr. Lewis went to Calcutta for winter duties on the day I received the
above, and I have written to tell him that if he can find a rat with these organisms in
its blood CI believed he found many of them at Calcutta), I will inoculate a pony with
it to see whether surra can thus be produced.
No. 28 B., dated 13th November 1880.
Forwarded to the Secretary to Government, Punjab, for transmission in accordance
with instructions received by his office No. 4197, of the 10th instant.
N.B.— Appendices A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K, attached.
APPENDIX A.
SURRA.
Case 1.—Bay Mare, aged 19. Regimental No. 298.
September 19th, 1880—Previous history.—This mare went to Draband outpost on the 29th
November 1879 ; returned to head-quarters, Dera Ismail Khan, 28th February 1880. On the
1st April went to Tank outpost, and remained there until the 30th May 1880 ; returned to
Dera Ismail Khan, 10th June 1880, and was admitted on the sick report for surra, 21st
August, with the following symptoms (related by the salutri):—" Sluggish gait. Small appetite
for grain, but ate grass with relish. Great thirst. Urine normal in color, but increased in
quantity. Some reddish substance visible on the dung, with unpleasant odour. Visible mucous
membranes yellowish, dark red spots on the inner side of eyelids. Slight swelling of the legs.
Respirations increased."
The treatment adopted was as follows:—" Take of cinchona bark 4 drams, spirit nitre 1
ounce, sulphuric acid diluted 1 dram, water 12 ounces. Mix. One-ninth part to be given three
times daily." This did not appear to do good, and the following was tried :—" Take of tincture
of iron perchloride four drams, chiretta powder four drams, water 12 ounces. Mix, One-fourth
part to be given twice daily. When the breathing was heavy 2 drams of carbonate of ammonia
were given in a pint of water."
Present symptoms—Morning.—Pulse 54, soft and very thrilling ; respirations 30, short and
irregular; auscultation and percussion sounds normal; temperature within the rectum 100; tongue
pale and moist; eyes watery with claret-colored petechiae on the conjunctiva; principally on
* Vide Microscopical Journal, January 1879.
19