New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-25
THE SLEEPING SICKNESS.
international Congress to Cope scith
Deadly South african Disease.

London. July 1.-THE international conference on
sleeping sickness opened last week al the For
eIgn Office. It would be hard 10 exaggerate the
Importance of the problem which it is considering.
The disease is peculiar TO Africa: while at present
confined to the centre, it is rapidly spreading
from the Atlantic TO the Indian Ocean and pushing
north and south. It has already appeared IN Oar
fur and the Egyptian SoUdan the north. II has
entered Rhodesta, and II is threatening Zululaud.
Even the most temperate regions Of South Africa
are not certainly safe from IT, White
more immune than black, and II IS not known by
what climatic conditions the habitat of the fly
which transfers the germ from one infected per-
son TO another IS determined.
It has been established that the fly haunts regions
TiCh in va Ter and foliage, bur there IS enough OF
these throughout the temperate belt Of South
Africa, and. as Lord FitZmaurice said 10 the con
ference, every new line Of communication that IS
opened helps the advance Of the disease. II the
disease should penetrate into the white settlements
its progress would be unurecedently rapid for
district IS linked up with another. and not one
would ESCAPE infection 70 a greater less degree.
II might even, If the worst happened. prove fatal
10 European colonization in Africa for no epidemic
destructive is known. In the infected area Of
have died Uganda II IS true. IS the most stricken
OF all, but the Two other chief centres-the Congo
and the Gulf of Guinea-are hardly less unfortu-
nate. and everywhere the disease Is mortal n every
case.
The programme which Lord Fitzmaurice laid be
fore the conference indicated the point at "hch us
deliberations might commence and the lines along
which they might prohtably proceed
1T has been established says The London
Standard" THAT an animal parasite, the Trypano-
soma GaIn5iense, IS the cause, and that the para
site is Injected by the bite OF fly akin to the
tsetse fly fatal 20 cattle It cannot Be SAID
with certainty this fly is the sole bearer OF tho
parasite and that some transformation undergone
IN the body OF the fly necessary 10 the parasite
These are probable oonjectures, and one Of the
first tasks Of organized investigation IS either TO
confirm upset them -
Another subject for inquiry IS whether any meas
ures can be devised FOR the destruction Of tho hy
If without tho fly there can be no sleeping sick
ness then to destroy the fly IS TO stamp out the
disease which IS infectious, but not contagious
The fly breeds wherever there are water and brush
wood and these hardly lend themselves to eAHllna-
ton. More promising IS a policy Of segregation
Communication might possibly be stopped between
infected and virgin districts. but only the most
these can be applied over half a continent IS nor
very obvious. IN any case. II the disease once
penetrated into South Africa they would prove I'm
practicable.
only by the discovery OF remedy can anything
Ike complete success he secured. such rem
eEv." saws The Standard, has not yet been
found but medical science knows where TO look
f9r II. Sleeping sickness resembles malaria dis
ease not Influenced ny the indirect action OF
serum. but Influenced by direct chemical action
The may have its drug IS the other has us
guiuue. and the drug prove 10 he arsenic
Quinine does not wholly destroy the nacrobe Of
malaria for a return Of malaria II always posi-
bic but Il dominates Il that the attack OF the
7arast. need not 5e mortal. II has been found
lar fashion upon the L Icr0be Of sleeping sickness;
they check II. But, unfortunately. hitherto no
compound has been devised to dominate II; the
TrypanosonIa Carlticuse returns. and death ensu"s
Still. enough has been done 10 permit the hope Of
q completer success