The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-12

RIGA. Between the years 1901 and 1906
over 10000 natives died The traffic OF
the region suffered to such an extent that
the entire India rubber trade Of the Sese
Islands had 10 be abandoned
The symptoms OF the sleeping sickness
are recognized by the natives themselves,
and the inevitable issue calmly awaited.
low fever. headaches, lusterless eyes.
and a general apathetic appearance indi-
cate the first stages. Later come diff
Guilty OF motion. tremulousness. lethargy.
and insensibility. ending in death. The
duration Of the illness varies from two
months TO twelve. II seldom attacks
white people. but one noted instance at
tests its malignity. DR.. Tulloch, like DR..
Walter Reed. OF yellow fever fame, be-
came a martyr TO science. He died Of the
sleeping sickness on June 20. 1906. having
contracted the disease during the course
of his Investigations.
When England in 1902 awakened to her
duty scientists differed greatly as TO the
cause Of the fatality. The poisonous root
OF the manioc. a staple article Of food.
was one belief; bacteria another. One
expert declared that the disease was
caused by a thread worm akin TO the
vinegar eel. Others thought certain FISH
produced the evil
The foreign Office, anxious to have the
matter thoroughly investigated, and hav-
ing no funds for such purpose. appealed
10 the Royal Society for aid The latter
sent out three medical men. and to the
present day has supported a sleeping-sick-
ness commission. To one Of the first
three men, Dr. Castellani. belongs the
credit OF discovering the trypanosome
(animal organism), although he did not
place il as the actual cause OF the dis
ease 1t was left 10 DR.. David Bruce. sent
out the next year as director Of the sleep
ing sickness commission, TO prove that
the little organism, since called Trypano-
soma gambiense, causes all the trouble:
that II is carried by a species Of tsetse
fly known as Glossina palpalis. and thar
It ran exist in the human blood without
causing any inconvenience. As long as II
does not make its way into the cerebo-
spinal fluid, and thus TO the brain. no
damage is done. The immunity Of Euro
peans is due TO their habit OF wearing
Clothes and their general precautions
against flies. mosquitoes, and the like.
Unfortunately, DR.. Bruce was soon
obliged 10 return TO England. and there
are still many questions unanswered.
Such problems as the prevention Of the
disease. its cure, the reservoirs Of the
trypanosomes. the place Of deposit CT the
pupa Of the tsetse fly the duration Of in
lection in the fly, are all awaiting solu-
tons. Germany and Belgium have forces
IN the field, while England is doing three
fold work. being represented by the
army medical department, the ROYAL So
eiety Of London. and the Liverpool school
OF Tropical Medicine. In order that the
field should be covered by cooperative
measures Of the countries interested. an
international congress was held. II took
place in London in June 1907. II was
called the first conference. indicating thar
the participants realized that the battle
had only begun. The report IS published
In both French and English, and the
protocol opens thus:
The governments OF Germany. the In
dependent Congo state. France. Great !
Britain Italy, Portugal, and the Sudan |
having resolved to proceed to the con
slderation Of the measures TO be taken
10 combat the sleeping sickness in
tropical AFRICA &c. Lord Fitzmaurice. /
me president, in his opening address. l
mace an admission which hitherto no one
mad dared 10 whisper: Already" he /
said, mot few Europeans have died OF 4
the disease, and many Of those still alive
are known to be affected"
Tne conference adjourned after passing
certain administrative measures likely to
facilitate experiment and assist proven /
ton Not the least among them was the
establishment of a central bureau in 4
London, TO which all information should
be sent. and which would. from time 10 /
time, publish pamphlets on the subject !
Another resolution covered the prepara- /
uon OF an official map indicating the at
fected areas Again, all missionaries
going to Africa were to be invited to take
certain courses IN one Of the tropical
schools Of medicine
Mr.. Austen, OF the British Museum
identified the insect as one Of the seven
species Of tsetse fly found only in Africa.
BY careful observations Il was learned
that the disease was confined to distinct
ny areas" or belts. In these areas the
nies hourish-not in swampy ground, but
BY the side Of steep banks Of running
brooks. which are well shaded. With the
removal OF the producing veReta-
ton the flies disappeared They were not
externinated, they simply moved on.
Native boys were hired TO collect the
pests from a certain spot. and for several
years thousands were caught per day.
But the swarns showed not the slightest
oiminution in number. On the contrary
they seemed TO have increased Ordinari-
~ the fly is not found over fifty wards
away from his natural haunt. even when
following victim But, occasions Uy.
protected by a large hat OF an umbrella
one has been found at a distance Of two