O REVIEW — TKOPICAL MEDICINE, ETC. 



Air— dry country, and to ascertain the effects of the powerful sun's rays on aerial micro- 



cotiUmud organisms. In case anyone feels disposed to take up this matter, mention may be made of 

 work by Soper,' who compared the plate and filter methods of bacteriological analysis of air, 

 and found that the slightly increased accuracy of the latter did not compensate for its 

 greater difficulties of technique. The action of sunlight upon bacteria generally, and 

 especially on B. tabercnlosis, has been re-investigated by Weinzirl,- who notes that some of 

 the saprophytic micrococci of air are much more resistant than the easily-killed, non-spore- 

 bearing, pathogenetic forms. 



Akatama. This is a curious disease described by Wellman'' as affecting the Bantu 

 races in West Central Africa. He considers it to be possibly of the nature of an endemic 

 peripheral neuritis, and states that it is characterised by numbness and intense prickling and 

 burning sensations in the presence of cold or damp. Erythema and sometimes swelling is 

 present and the gait may be affected. It is of economic importance owing to its crippling 

 action on porters and servants. It is commoner in men than in women and specially attacks 

 the young and middle-aged. No specific cause has been found. Exposure to changes of tem- 

 perature seem to be operative, and though it has been suggested that akatama may resemble 

 beri-beri, Wellman is inclined to believe in a local cause, as the trouble may be confined 

 to a small part of the body. This seems probable, as the symptoms usually occur first in the 

 arms and legs, i.e. exposed portions. It is in no sense a "place disease." The prognosis 

 is good as regards life and general health, but the disease may remain unrelieved. No 

 special treatment is recommended. As mentioned in the First Report, there is stated to be 

 a disease (Abu-Agele, literally " the father of the tying-up") amongst the Arabs in Kordofan 

 which causes the so-called "haltered camel's gait," i.e. a kind of hobbling movement. 

 Major Bray was my informant as to this condition, concerning which I have been unable 

 to obtain any further particulars. The climatic conditions in some parts of Kordofan 

 somewhat resemble those prevalent in the Bantu country which Wellman describes, and 

 it is possible the two conditions may be allied. The subject at least seems worthy 

 of investigation. 



Amceba. See Dysentery (jiage 48). 



Animals. Under this heading one may note a paper by Eaton Jones'* on the 

 keeping of horses and cattle in towns. He cites the following diseases as communicable 

 from these animals to man : — 



Anthrax, foot and mouth disease, glanders, rabies, actinomycosis, malignant cedema, tetanus, tuberculosis, 

 vaccinia, diphtheria, scarlatina, mange, ringworm and influenza. 



He states that infection may occur directly or indirectly, by transmission through the 

 atmosphere and gaining an entrance to the system through the numerous membranes or 

 abraded skin surface, by means of the alimentary canal and entering with the food, by 

 inoculation from contaminated soil, or from clothing, fodder, or other articles that have been 

 in contact with the specific poison. He pleads for hygienic stables and cowsheds, and for 

 the removal of animal habitations from the close proximity of dwelling-houses. 



This is a matter worthy of consideration in the Sudan, and so far as Khartoum is 

 concerned will be found discussed under " Sanitary Notes " (Third Eeport). Possibly obscure 

 outbreaks of diphtheria may have their origin in an animal source, while in a hot country 

 the question of breeding-places for house and other flies is of great importance. As a matter of 

 fact, however, the native lives surrounded by donkeys, pariah dogs, sheep, goats and fowls, 

 and as a rule does not seem to suffer in any way. I believe that in a hot, dry country much 

 can be done with impunity, which, if practised under temperate and humid conditions, would 

 bring about its own punishment. Still a case of echinococcus cyst of bone was recorded in 

 the Second Laboratory Eeport, and quite recently attention has been drawn to a curious 

 Endemic Paralytic Vertigo'^ occurring in Switzerland and Japan, and which is apparently 



' Soper, Q. A. (May, 1907), " Comparison between Bacteriological Analysis of Air by the Plate Method and 

 by Filters." Journal of Infectious Diseases, Suppl. No. 3, p. 82. 



» Weinzirl, .J. (May, 1907), " The Action of Sunlight upon Bacteria, with Special Reference to B. Tuberculosis." 

 Journal of Infectious Diseases, Suppl. No. 3, p. 128. 



' Wellman, F. C. (September 1st, 1903), " Observations on Akatama, a West African Disease." Journal 

 of Tropical Medicine, p. 269. 



•* Eaton Jones, T. (March, 1904), " The Influence upon Public Health of the Present Method of Keeping of 

 Horses and Cattle in Towns." Journal of State Medicine, p. 153, Vol. XII. 



° Miura, K. (October, 1907), " Some Remarks concerning Kubisagari or Vertige Paralysant." Philippine 

 Journal of Science, p. 409, Vol. II. 



