REVIEW — TROPICAL MEDICINE, ETC. 151 



diagnosis from simple jaundice. The latter may be recognised by (1) its rapidly favoui-able Piro- 

 coiuse, (2) the absence of any marked constitutional derangement and the trivial character plasmosis— 

 or non-existence of pyrexia, and (3) by the presence, usually, of bile in the urine. continual 



In the same journal is a translation of a paper by Pricolo, who shows that the so-called 

 typhoid fever of the horse is really piroplasmosis. 



Williams^ also deals with the Indian disease. He lays great stress on the peculiar 

 conditions of the conjunctival mucous membrane, which he believes to be characteristic. It 

 is reddisli-brown in colour, with a tinge of yellow, and a few bright red petechial spots are 

 scattered over the vi.embni.ua uirMtans. These petechiiB gradually increase in size and alter 

 in colour considerably during the first few days of the disease ; they become more of the 

 nature of blotches, and may coalesce to form comparatively large patches, the colour 

 changing through various shades of red to a deep claret, and this latter appearance is reached 

 about the fourth or fifth days. 



He likewise advocates quinine in large doses (2 drachms) at the onset, decreasing the 

 quantity after the first few days ; and he is inclined to think that in India, blood-sucking flies 

 and not ticks are the vectors. 



Bovine Piroplasmosis. This subject as it affects the Sudan, receives mention in 

 a special paper wherein will be found references to three forms, which have been 

 discovered in Sudanese cattle. One of these is P. viutans, first described by Theiler in 

 South Africa. In a paper- on this species, he gives a list of the piroplasmata of cattle 

 known up to date (end of 1906). 



Type. — Piroplasma bicjeminum. P. bovis (Babes), found in the European haemoglobinuria 

 of cattle, P. bigeminum (Smith and Kilborne) of Texas fever. 



Type. — Piroplasma parvum. A. Inoculable piroplasmosis. Tropical piroplasmosis of 

 Trans-Caucasia. Piroplasma annulatum (Dschunkowsky). Piroplasma mvtans, n. sp., of 

 South Africa. B. Non-inoculable piroplasmosis. P. parvum (Theiler) of East Coast fever. 

 Piroplasma of the North African Disease (Bitter and Duchoux). 



In this paper, proofs are given to show the duality of P. bigeminuhi and P. nintans, and 

 in a later article^ further proof is advanced, and in addition it is shown that the blue tick, 

 which is the carrier of P. Idgeminuin, does not transmit P. mutans. 



In another paper^ he describes and figures the curious " marginal points " found in the 

 erythrocytes, the nature of which is still unknown. They are situated on the periphery of 

 the corpuscle, are round or oval, and exclusively take the chromatin stain. Theiler states 

 that they are to be regarded as a sequel of ordinary redwater, but I have reason to believe he 

 has since altered his opinion on this point (Olver). I have seen these bodies in cases of 

 P. mutans in the Sudan. Proceeding, Theiler says : — 



In the Transvaal, at the present time, there are three different piroplasmoses known to exist in cattle : 

 (1) one due to Piroplasma bigeminum, and commonly called "redwater"; (2) one due to Piroplasma parvum, 

 and known by the name of Bast Coast fever; and (.3) one due to Piroplasiiia mutans, for which a specific term 

 does not exist, but it probably ranges under the name of " gall sickness." 



The first and third of these diseases are inoculable — Pimplasma bigeminum and Piroplasma mutans. Immune 

 cattle contain the parasites in their blood. In both diseases calves easily recover from the infection, whereas, 

 under natural conditions, adult cattle suffer more severely. Cattle born in the Transvaal usually acquire immunity 

 against both diseases, henee the imported ones suflter principally in this respect. 



Piroplasma bigeminum causes a disease after a short incubation time, and, being deadly for imported cattle, 

 destroys a large number before Piroplasma mutans has time to develop, hence cases due to this latter disease are 

 comparatively rare. It is also probable that this second disease is constantly mistaken for redwater, and this will 

 continue unless microscopical examinations of blood are made. 



Piroplasma mutans has a practical importance in connection with East Coast fever. 



Piroplasma parvum may easily be, and has constantly been, mistaken at various times for Piroplasma mutans. 

 The presence of small piroplasmata in rare numbers is, therefore, not always indicative of East Coast fever. 



For diagnostical purposes in such cases, examinations of blood must be repeated. In East Coast fever, the 

 piroplasms will usually rapidly increase in numbers, whereas Piroplasma mutans increases slowly and is never 

 present in large numbers. 



' Williams, A. J. (March, 1907), "Indian Equine Piroplasmosis." Journal of Comparative Pathology and 

 Therapeutics, Vol. XX. 



' Theiler, A. (December 31st, 1906), " Piroplasma Mutans (n. spec.) of South African Cattle." Journal of 

 Comparatire Pathology and Therapeutics, Vol. XIX. 



' Theiler, A. (March 30th, 1907), " Further Notes on Piroplasma Mutans, etc." Journal of Comparative 

 Pathology and Therapeutics, Vol. XX. 



* Theiler A. (1905-6), "Eeport of Government Veterinary Bacteriologist," Transvaal Dept. of Agriculture. 



