MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 



179 



observeil. In the latter disease the curious bossy white plaques produced by Asjienjillns 

 (jlaufus were present, not only on the pleurae but also on the pericardium and peritoneum. 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



The blood of a considerable number of bats, birds, and fish have been examined. In 

 the case of the barn owd (UtrU jlwnineu) caught in Khartoum, and in the bloods of sparrow- 

 like birds at Taufikia, Halteridia were present, as also in the blood of a guinea-fowl brought 

 me from the Blue Nile by Mr. Broun. In the blood of another guinea-fowl sent from the 

 Bahr-El-Ghazal by Major Dansey Browning an Hiemamceba, like that described by 

 Dr. Neave (p. 200), was present, while in a blood film from the Blue Jay, also sent by him, 

 another and possibly different Hagmamoeba was found. I am inclined to think that 

 Leucocythemia may be found to be a fairly common disease in Egypt. I have seen two 

 cases in Egyptian soldiers in Khartoum, and several others at Abassieh, Cairo, along with 

 Captain Cummins, E.M.S. The bloods of these cases were typical and the symptoms were 

 fairly well-marked, splenic enlargement being constant. 



The testing of chrysoidine on the ciliated embryo of Schidosoinum haitiatobiiiin has 

 been mentioned. A solution of 1 in 20,000 was found to kill the living and active embryos 

 instantaneously, and it was noticeable that, on death occurring, the stomach became everted 

 and protruded from the motionless parasite like a beak. 1 in 200,000 proved fatal in 

 17 minutes. 



It was found that, despite the addition of solutions of 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 100,000 to 

 urine samples, the embryos developed from the eggs but these embryos were innnediately 

 or speedily killed. It was curious to note that in some cases the nervous system of the 

 myracidium took on the stain more intensely than the surrounding tissues. The solutions Experiments 

 were made in distilled water, the effect of which had been previously tested on the embryos ""*' ''"' 



^ ^ckisfoso/nu/fi 



and found to be negative. Controls were carried out in every case. At my request hamatobium 

 Captain Ensor, E.M.S., tried chrysoidine in two cases of bilharziosis and he reported 

 favourably on its use, telling me that the men had greatly improved. I then tested it 

 on two cases kindly placed at my disposal by the S. M. 0. Khartoum, but I failed to find 

 that any benefit resulted. I had hoped by observing the eosinophile count to see if any 

 effect was being produced on the parasites. In one case the number of eosinophiles did 

 lessen markedly ; in the other, slight increase occurred. It was, perhaps, hardly to be 

 expected that enough of the dye-stuff to affect the parent worms could be introduced into 

 the system without pushing the remedy to a dangerous extent. 



Some other observations have been made in connection with Bilharziosis. In the 

 First Report the prevalence of the disease amongst the boys attending a primary school in 

 Khartoum was mentioned. Many of these boys drank water from the school well and this 

 water was submitted to examination. A tiny but very active Entomostracean probably 

 belonging to the Order (Mrai:oda, just visible to the naked eye, was seen, and it was 

 thought worth while to place some of the myracidia along with these crustaceans in a watch- 

 glass and observe what happened. 



Six active embryos were placed in water along with three of the lively crustaceans and 

 left over night. In the morning one dead embryo was found lying on the foot of the watch- 

 glass, the other five had wholly disappeared, and the crustaceans remained alive and active. 

 What had become of the missing five'' Presumably they had entered or been taken up bv 



