410 SANITARY ENTOMOLOGY 



the site of the tick's bite. In some cases which liave been reported the 

 tick was not removed and in these the paralysis progressively involved 

 the whole body until reflexes and control of the sphincters were lost and 

 death ensued. Abscesses following a tick bite are probably due to the 

 head of the tick remaining in the wound. The symptoms suggest infan- 

 tile paralysis but they may be distinguished from cases of that disease 

 by the invariably transitory nature of the paralysis. The tick paralysis 

 never leaves permanent disability. Various doctors practicing in the 

 Northwest have described cases, some of which have been fatal. In case 

 of paralysis it is always wdl to make a thorough search of the body, espe- 

 cially in the vicinity of the spinal column, for the ticks. They are quite 

 commonly found in the hair at the base of the head. The exact cause 

 of the paralysis is unknown, but it is believed that it is caused either by 

 the injection of a specific poison into the body by the tick, or by the 

 reactions which take place, forming poisons during the presence of the 

 tick's head in the body. The only treatment necessary is the removal of 

 the tick by excision in order to make sure that the mouth parts are 

 removed, and the dressing of the wound antiseptically. Purgatives and 

 stimulants should be given. Dermacentor andersoni also causes a paraly- 

 sis of animals similar to that in man ; in the case of sheep the effect on the 

 body is a loss of balance, causing the sheep to fall in places from which 

 they cannot extricate themselves. If the tick is removed in time the 

 animal will recover. 



South African TICK PARALYSIS in animals is caused by the bite 

 of Ixodes pilosus Koch which attacks sheep principally. The effect of 

 this paralysis is to cause the sheep to become very unsteady on their 

 feet and to lie down frequently. They seem to recover rather rapidly, 

 death being usually caused by their becoming prostrated in the open where 

 they fall victims of jackals. There are no fever reactions. Dipping 

 with Cooper's Dip is considered a very effective control measure. 



HUMAN TICK BITE FEVER of Louren^o Marques is caused 

 principally by the larva of AmhJyomma hebraeum Koch but occasionally 

 by Rhipicephalus simus Koch and Boophilus ammlafus (Say) Stiles and 

 Hassell ^ and B. annulatus {decoloratus Koch). The patient at first 

 complains of general weakness, muscular pains and especially of con- 

 siderable difficulty in moving his arms and legs. The glands in the neck 

 become swollen in a short time, those situated in the nape of the neck 



*Mr. Bishopp writes that he prefers Margaropus to Boophilus for this tick and its 

 allies. My reasons for adopting Margaro])us are as follows: 



1. Margaropus Karsch and Boophilus Curtice arc considered by Nuttall, War- 

 burton, Cooper, and Robinson (1911) to be two distinct genera. The type of the 

 former is designated by them as Marcjarofus vnnthemi Karsch, and of the latter 

 Boophilus anvulatus (Say) Curtice. 



2. Boophilus annulatus is a name well established in medical literature. (W. D. 

 Pierce.) 



