The San Francisco call., 1909-05-06
SLEEPING SICKNESS
A SIGHT FOR TEDDY
Roosevelt Asked to Visit the
Segregation Hospitals

MoMBASA, British East Africa, Sat
urdsy, April 5--The sleeping sickness
commission hopes that Theodore
Roosevelt viii pay a visit to the expe-
diricn's camp at Sesse. Uganda, where
Sir David and Lady Bruce are in charge
Of the segregation hospitals. The gov
ernments OF Germany. France. Belgium.
as well as the government of the
United Kingdom. are endeavoring to
hnd a cure and preventive for the sleep
ing sickness. Altogether seven Euro
pesn doctors have succumbed TO the
fatal disease since the attempts TO
cope with the evil were commenced.
Governor Sir Hesketh Bell, in ap-
pealiug TO the miilionaires of the
world and others benevolently disposed
fer money gifts TO enable him 10 pur-
>hase stock for slaughter TO crafty
the one and only craving of those
whose suffering is so intense. which is
summed up in the word meat" de-
scribes his latest visit 10 the camp in
part as follows:
The patients were lodged in large
matched dwellings and were divided
according 10 sex and the various stages
Of the disease.
In one Enclosure we saw a number
Of infants, in whom the first outward
signs OF the scoUrSe were just appear
ing Unaware of their impending
doom, the little black mites PLAYED and
romped 10 their hearts content in the
shade Of the banana grove, and only
the swelled glands at the base of their
necks showed that their fate was
sealed.
In a row of sheds surrounded by the
banana. groves, which supply the food
for the patients, we saw numbers of
those who had reached the second
stage OF the disease Most OF them ap-
pesred TO be suffering acutely.
Many Of them were in the peculiar
state of Iethsrgy which has, doubtless,
been responsible for the misleading
name by which the disease has become
commonly known. Unfortunately.
sound sleep rarely comes to the relief
OF the doomed ones, and the torpor in
which they lie comes from the con-
stsnt strain of never cessing pain.
Many OF them. IN an unguarded mo-
ment put an end to- their miserable
lives, and it is a wonder that more
Of them do not do likewise.
Farther in we came TO those who
were in the last stages OF the dis
ease. Lying about on beds or with
cred leaves they had reached a degree
Of emsciation that was horrible 20 see
The unhappy creatures looked like
skeletons and only their dolefuI moa n
ing indicated the presence OF life in
The wretched remains.
"A few. in whom nature was strug-
Cling hard, had gone raving mad and
in spite of the fact that the poor crea-
lures had perforce to be chained to
heavy logs to prevent their doing
harm. one almost envied them their in
sensibility to the tortures that af-
hicted their fellow victims.
The frenzied laughter OF these un-
fortanates seemed particularly dread
ful. IN that abode of suffering and
death
1T is generally accepted that a
, variety of the tsetse fly, the gIossina
1sIpalis. Is the principal If not the only
gent for the transmission of the dis
ease. This fly exists in enormous num-
hers on the shores of the Victoria
. Nyanza and also on the borders OF some
other lakes and rivers OF Uganda.
out OF some 200. .0o0 souls inhabiting
The shores of Victoria Nyanza and the
islands in the great lake over 200, 600
have already been swept out of exist
ence and IL remains TO be seen whether
The remainder can still be saved
The exterminz tion of the tsetse ap-
pears to be a hopeless task, and il has
therefore been decided 10 remove ali
the surviving population out of reach
OF the natal ny.
1T is estimated that more than 10000
sick now remain to be dealt with, and
they are being located in large camps
capable Of accommodating about .0e0
1T a time