INTEODUCTION 21 



in other tropical countries, it seems advisable to make an effort to produce another 

 compilation of this kind. Indeed, it is intended to extend its scope to the whole subject 

 of tropical medicine so that it may be more generally useful. The difficulty, however, 

 will be to keep it within reasonable limits as regards size. We will now consider the 

 contents of Volumes A and B with such comments as may seem desirable. 



Vohunc A represents the research and routine work done in the bacteriological 

 section, but also, I am glad to say, includes a paper by Lieut.-Colonel H. B. Mathias, 

 D.S.O., E.A.M.C, President of the Sleeping Sickness Commission, on the question of 

 this disease in the Sudan. It is illustrated by maps showing fly areas and the 

 distribution of the endemy in the Lado District, and represents the great amount of 

 careful investigation carried out l)y the officers of the Egyptian Medical Corps who have 

 been detailed for special service in the Southern Sudan. The laboratories are very much 

 indebted to Lieut.-Colonel H. B. Mathias, not only for his valuable paper, but for his 

 constant aid and support in his joint capacities of Principal Medical Officer of the Egyptian Contributors 

 Army ;iud Director-General of the Sudan Medical Department. I note that in his '° °"""=- 

 Annual Eeport for 1909 he writes as follows: "I would like to point out here what a 

 valuable asset such a well-equipped Laboratory, with well-trained observers, is in Khartoum. 



" Had such facilities not existed for research work, a large expenditure must 

 necessarily have been incurred by the Government this autumn, in carrying out 

 precautionary measures when a case that was clinically one of Asiatic cholera occurred, 

 but which was proved not to be so by bacteriological examination. 



" Moreover, by enabling a rapid and correct diagnosis to be arrived at in cases of 

 certain diseases, such as kala-azar, malaria, diphtheria and enteric fever, etc., individuals 

 derive the greatest benefit, as well as the community at large." 



Naturally, such an expression of opinion from one so well qualified to judge is very 

 gratifying to those responsible for the laboratory work. I quote it here as a powerful 

 argument in favour of a statement which I propose to make later in this introduction 

 {vide fage 29). 



Other valued contributions to Volume A are those by Captain L. Bousfield, E.A.M.C, 

 who, though unfortunately no longer in the Sudan, has kindly given us an account of 

 his experience in kala-azar and relapsing fever eases, and to whom the laboratories owe 

 much for his kindness in presenting museum specimens and furnishing notes and 

 information. The papers, by Captain Douglas Thomson, E.A.M.C, and Lieutenant 

 W. E. Marshall, E.A.M.C, who formed the research members of the Kala-azar, 

 Commission, have already been mentioned. 



In the spring of 1909, the laboratories were visited by Colonel Sir David and Ladv 

 Bruce, who were on their way to England from Uganda. Sir David Bruce kindly 

 discussed with me the whole question of animal trypanosomiasis in the Sudan, and he Animal try- 

 and Lady Bruce were good enough to examine my preparations. Sir David laid stress P^""^"""^'^ 

 on the confused nomenclature which existed, and outlined a scheme which he intended to 

 follow out and which gave every promise of simplifying what is undoubtedly a difficult 

 problem. At a later period our conference was resumed in England, and it was agreed 

 to adopt Bruce's method when dealing with the trypanosome diseases of the Sudan. 



In the meantime. Captain Fry had joined our Staff', and so it was arranged that 

 he should be entrusted with the work. Lady Bruce most kindly undertook an extensive 

 series of special measurements of our trypauosomes and prepared careful drawings of 



