52 Arachnida and Myriopoda 



causing transitory muscular paralysis. Dr. Temple, of Oregon in 

 the United States, has published observations on a number of cases 

 of paralysis in that State caused by ticks. In all he mentions 

 thirteen instances of this kind, all the victims being children. The 

 paralysis is of an ascending nature, affecting the motor nervous 

 system, and it is apparently quite rapid, becoming complete from 

 three to five days from commencement, and often ending in death. 

 The legs are generally first affected, the patient being unable to 

 walk or even stand. Patients usually recover if the tick is removed 

 before the heart or respiratory organs become affected, and proper 

 treatment is given. Tick-paralysis is also found in British Columbia, 

 human beings, sheep, and probably other animals as well con- 

 tracting tbis complaint. The tick causing it is said by Hadwen to 

 be Dcrmaccntor venustus, Banks. Seven cases of tick-paralysis in 

 British Columbia are recorded by Dr. John L. Todd ; six of the 

 patients were children. A number of experiments with Dcrma- 

 ccntor venustus were performed at Cambridge by Hadwen and 

 Nuttall, and one of them gave interesting results. A female tick 

 of this species was placed on a dog, and paralytic symptoms very 

 like those occurring in the Australian and other cases appeared. 

 A curious feature in this experimental case is that the dog recovered 

 before the tick was removed. 



Dermal Leishmaniasis. 



In several parts of South America there occurs a skin-complaint 

 which is very like Oriental Sore (Aleppo Boil) in appearance. 

 Both Flu and Migone have suggested that this complaint is 

 probably spread by the bites of Ixodidae. Other authors are of 

 opinion that it is conveyed by some species of insect, possibly by 

 a fly. 



The causative organism is a parasitic protozoon of the class 

 Flagellata called Leishmania americana (possibly a variety of 

 L. tropica). 



Plague. 



The following instance suggests that ticks may perhaps play a 

 part in the dissemination of plague. Whilst investigating the 

 circumstances relating to the case of a native who died at Nowshera, 

 India, apparently from plague, Skinner found a gorged tick 

 imbedded in the ear of a black rat affected with bubonic plague. 

 The lymphatic glands in connection with this ear were broken 



