The Cairo bulletin., 1909-05-08
TO HELP IN FLY WAR.
ROOSEVELT WILL AID SCIENTISTS
WHILE HE is IN AFRICA.
Winged Pest That Causes Fatal "Sieep
Ing Sickness" Is Decimating
the Population In Many
Districts.

/ combat the deadly sleeping sickness
OF Africa with the cooperation OF ex
/ President Roosevelt. The distin
| srished hunter, il is rumored. will con.
| tribute "a sample of his blood 10 be
used as an anti,toxin in the treatment
of the lazy disease, and 1t is conf.
IDENTITY predicted that the virile fluid
which caused so much cOmmotlon
among Americans in the last seven
rout.
Ills admirers, however, even fear
that Mr.. Roosevelt may fall victim
| To the disease conveyed by the fly, and
| though he escapes with his life, may
return to civilization q changed man
SO quiet and lassitudinons as to be
| uhrecognizabie by malefactors and
other undesirable citizens.
That the sleeping sickness has at.
tanned the dimensions of serious
plague may he judged from the fact
that in the last eight years it has de-
stroyed over 10000 natives in Uganda,
or two-thirds of the total population.
Ii is rapidly spreading over Africa.
having decimated the population OF
some sections of the Congo Free State,
and invaded the French Congo the
Soudan. German East Africa, Rhodesa
and the British Central Africa protec-
torate
Not few Europeans have been at
tackled by the disease, some OF them
developing the symptoms after return
ing apparently unscathed to their
northern homes Several government
commissions are now in the field
studying the malady and endeavoring
to find a cure. An English commits
sion headed by Sir David Bruce, one
of the scientists who discovered the
fly. has established a laboratory on the
northern shore of Lake Victoria. The
French government has set up a sleep
ing sickness laboratory at Bra2zaville.
In the French Congo, under the direc-
ton of DR. G. Martin.
The mystery of the sleeping sick
ness was partly unveiled in 1902 by
DR. Aldo Castellani, who found a bac-
terlum called trypanosome in cerebro-
spinal fluid taken from patients whom |
he had under observation at Entebbe, |
Sir David Bruce then demonstrated |
that the fly conveyed the germ to the
human system.
There are now known to be eight
specimens of tsetse flies, all of them
blood sucking. day-hying insects re-
sembling the common flies OF northern |
zones. They infest thickets, fords, |
and lake regions. attacking |
wild and domestic animals and men
with equal zest. The Beers lost thou.
sands of oxen by the agency OF the
flies some years ago.
After incubation the human victim
feels an irritation around the bitten
part This ceases after a few days |
and Is followed by fever accompanied
with weakness, loss of weight head.
ache, sore eyes. cramps in the legs and
drowsiness Red spots appear
On the body. and there is an abnormal
slight pressure or
blow causing intense pain. In case OF
fatal termination, which may be four
lr eight months after infection, there
S paralysis OF tongue and limbs re-
;uting in mumbling speech and shut.
Hing gait; the patient becomes OK
remely emaciated and falls into a
coma which proclaims the approach OF
lcath.
The comatose symptoms. intensified
n the last stages, are responsible for
he name sleeping sickness"
Mr. Roosevelt however, is scheduled
o do some hunting in Uganda The
white hunter may protect himself by i
wearing gloves and netted helmet, but
some unguarded mament may bring /
him within peril greater than encoun.
ering lions. elephants or rhinoceroses
Unless science finds a means of de.
itroying the fly or gaining immunity
against the disease. Il is evident that
treat areas OF Africa must be closed
o human habitation.