16S 



KALA-AZAR COMMISSION 



iluj^'ulliiiii ill front. Tlio lla({clhi arc usually vltv uclivf. Tliuru arc other forms present, 

 some Very lHrj,'e, wliieh show no tendency to develop into the Ihij^ellate form. These 

 measure ahout 5/i by tJO/i, hut we saw one measuring,' 7t)0/i hy GH^i. ^Ye have found livin}^ 

 parasites in these cultures on the 28th day. 

 iilturc The parasite also t,'rows on Novy and MacNeal's medium and on NicoUe's modilication 



of that medium. We obtained cultures on these media with the material from tlie splenic 

 puncture of an infected monkey. 



Cultures made from post mortem spleen punctures were invariably negative, even 

 though the parasites were present in considerable numbers. 



' ' cding 



<x[KTinicnt5 



negative 



iNFiiCTiox liv TiiK Beu-Blg (Uivwx leclularius) 



Feeding experiments with the bed-bug [Giniex lectnlariiis) were carried out in Cases 1 

 and 3, but witli negative results. So fur, we have not met with the Cimex rolititdaha: in 

 the course of our investigations. Owing to the small number of parasites found in the 

 peripheral blood in our cases, these feeding experiments are of little value, as, in cultural 

 experiments of the parasite, w^e found that the presence of a considerable number of 

 parasites was necessary to give a positive growth into flagellate forms. 



SulicuUure 

 unMUcceb:>rul 



Other Protozoa met with in the course of the Investiuation 



((/) Protozoon from post mortem splenic puncture of Case 4. 



(b) Flagellated bodies found in water and in faeces of infected monkey. 



(o) Flagellated bodies present in soil. 



((/) I'rotozinm from post mortem splenic pH7icture of Case 4 (Plate X., figs. 5-7) 



Cultures were made from the post mortem splenic puncture of Case 4 from 

 which Monkey B was successfully infected with kala-azar. After 48 hours the 

 foui' culture tubes were examined ; three showed micro-organisms, the fourth showed 

 micro-organisms and unaltered Leishman-Donovan parasites. Examination of this 

 tube, 4 days later, showed the presence of large, slightly motile bodies with a tendency 

 to become oval and, evidently, from the currents produced, ciliated. They appeared 

 to possess amoeboid properties. These bodies developed, in a short time, into oval, 

 actively motile bodies moving always with the sharp end in front. In a hanging- 

 drop slide ringed with paraffin they remained motile for at least 48 hours. 

 A contractile vacuole was visible at the posterior end. Stained preparations show a 

 definite pale area near the anterior end, sometimes on the right side and sometimes 

 on the left. This has the appearance of a peristome. These bodies are ciliated all 

 round but the cilia are more numerous at the anterior end, and are particularly so 

 round the pale area. The nucleus is large but \aries in shape and situation. Tlie 

 protoplasm is vacuolated and full of bacteria. .Amteboid projections from the edge 

 of the body are sometimes present, a small projection from the posterior end being 

 particularly common. 



This parasite appears to live indefinitely in the original fluid, though subculture 

 on various media always gave negative results, the parasite not being able to multiply 

 and soon dying out. Injected intraperitoueally, it was non-pathogenic for a young 

 dog. The parasite was able to live for some days in media containing blood, but 

 did not multiply. The younger stage of this parasite is seen as a small, circular, 

 deeply-stained nucleated body occurring for the most part in groups. Whether these 



