The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-22
THE TsETsE Fly.
An African Insect That Kills Horses,
Oxen ana shecp.

CAfh aAA i1iithns
From the New YORK. Tribune.
An interesting and important contrlbu-
ton TO sanitary science has been made
10y Capt. Bruce. through his investigations
OF the tsetsa ny and the disease associated
with it. TAis insect was first made known
to the world or. at any rate first ac-
curately described. by livingstone. 1t IS
a creature much resembling in appearance
the common house fly though a trinc lar
ger 1t is found an abundance thr0uphOut
central Africa, especially IN swamps,
woodlands and other uncuillvaLed and
unnhablted places. Its bite Is annoying,
but MOI uhiSerois, nor even serious 20
man, 10 goats, huHalocs, antclopes, Zebras
and other creatures; while to dogs, horses,
oxen sheep and asses IL Ia almost inVa-
riably iatal, causing fever, anaemla,
drOpsy and other form dable symptoms
Tor winch no remedy has yet been found.
The common theory has hitherto been
mat the fly secrctes and transmits to it's
victims specific virus OF its own, just
as do YenOm3us serpenIs.
Capt Bruce, however, contrOverts that
theory, apparently with success. The fly.
ne says does indeed transmit specific
virus, but not Of It's own secretion. 1t Is
merely passive agent for conveying the
poison from one creature 70 another The
poison, moreover rs living organism,
prOtOzOOn, closely rcsembl ng that which
Is known to be the cause Of the "surra'
disease in India, and similar to, ii not
ltcuAlcdl Win, lndL EOuuN ~ Inc blood
OF rats and hamsters IN Europe. The
method Of conveying the virus IS sim
pie. The fly bites an animal already in
fected with the disease. sucks It's blood.
ana thus becomes charged with the uOX-
iOus parasite, Then il bites an uninfected
ANIMAL and not only sucks its blood,
but introduces some Of the parasites into
us veins, where they speedily multiply
and produce the characteristic result.
The next step Will be to ascertain the
natural habitat Of the tsetse parasite.
Htgf1anfINF Q ga mn 10 nff I'll
nestle animals, since the parasite is
pathological TO them. II IS probably to
be found in the blood Of certain wild ami
mails, where the parasite is either ems
disorder. II Is well known that VarioGB
parasites are thus harmless to some ami
which causes the "surra" disease In
India exists innocuously In the blood OF
rats; AND the germs of anthrax, 50 fatal
to the sheep Of Europe, have no evil
effect upon those of Algeria. This theory
is further indicated by the fact that the
tsetse fly is found, or, at any rate, is
harmful, only where big game" Is also
found. As soon as all large wild animals
are exterminated in any Considerable re-
gion domestic animals may safely be IN
troduced. 1t is scarcely necessary to
suggest that fun confirmation of the
theory. will greatly hasten the destruc>
ton of the native fauna Of Africa, as a
prerequisite to civilization.
1t IS interesting to observe the close
accordance between the theory thus for
mulated concerning the tsetse fly and that
recently elaborated by entirely independ-
ent research, concerning the mosquito
and its agency for the propagation of
malaria. Other blood-sucklng creatures
may be found to play similar parts IN
the spreading of diseases by means or
minute hagellated organisms, and a vast
new field in the science of human patn-
ology may thus be opened up to bene-
ficent cultivation. IT Is understood that
Capt. Bruce is to continue his invests
cations of the tsetse. In that work re
should have all possible encouragement
and support, for the results may be CT
incalculable value to mankind.