Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-07-09
TO HELP IN FLY WAR
ROOSEVELT WILL AID SCIENTISTS
WHILE NE is IN AFRICA.
Winged Pest That Causes Fatal asleep.
InQ Sickness" Is Decimatin0
the Population In Many
Districts.

MISUNDERSTANDING are hoping to
combat tho deadly sleeping sickness
of Africa with the cooperation of ex-
President Roosevelt The distin-
guished hunter, 1t ia rumored, will con-
tribute sample of his blood to be
used as an antitoxin In the treatment
of the lazy disease, and 1t is conf
IDENTIFY predicted that the virile fluid
which caused SO much commotion
among Americans in the last seven
years will put the African microbe to
rout.
His admirers. however. even fear
that MI. Roosevelt may fall a victim
to the disease conveyed by the fly, and
though he escapes with his life. may
return to civilization changed man
so quiet and lassitudinous as to be
unacceptable by Indicators and
other undesirable citizens.
That the sleeping sickness has At
tanned the dimensions of serious
plague may be judged from the fact
that In the last eight years 1t has de-
stroyed over 100000 natives In Uganda,
or two-thirds of the total population.
1t 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. Rhodesia
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 cure. An English commits
sion headed by Sir David Bruce, ono
of the scientists who discovered the
deadly work of the sleeping sickness
fly, has established laboratory on the
northern shore of Lake Victoria. The
French government has set up sleep
ing sickness laboratory at Brazzaville.
in the French Congo, under the direc-
ton of DIR. G. Martin.
The mystery of the sleeping sick
ness was partly unveiled In 1902 by
DR.. Aldo Castellani. who found bac-
terium 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-fying insects re-
sembling the common flies of northern
zones. They infest thickets. fords,
marshes 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
dies some years ago.
After incubation the human victim
feels an irritation around the bitten
part This ceases after few days
and is followed by fever, accompanied
with weakness, loss of weight. head
ache, sore eyes. cramps In the legs and
incipient drowsiness. Red spots appear
on the body, and there is an abnormal
sensitiyeness. a slight pressure or
blow causing intense pain. In case of
fatal termination, which may be four
or eight months after Infection, there
is a paralysis of tongue and limbs re-
sulting in mumbling speech and shut
fling gait; the patient becomes ex.
tremely emaciated and falls into q
coma which proclaims the approach OF
death.
The comatose symptoms, intensified
in the last stages, are responsible for
the name sleeping sickness"
Mr.. Roosevelt, however, Is scheduled
to do some hunting in Uganda The
white hunter may protect himself by
wearing gloves and netted helmet. but
some unguarded moment may bring
him within peril greater than encoun.
tering lions, elephants or rhinoceroses.
Unless science finds means of de.
stroying the fly or gaining immunity
against the disease, 1t Is evident that
great areas of Africa must be closed
to human habitation.