19 



Beal (W. p. B.). Report Vet. Dep. Government of the Gold Coast 

 for 1911-1912. 



Attention has been given to preventive measures against tsetse 

 attaching horses, as the majority of horses contract trypano- 

 somiasis on their journey down to Coomassie. The writer recom- 

 mended arsenic (Orsudan grs. XX.) to be given on alternate days 

 wlien horses are trekking through tsetse-fly country. Extra pre- 

 cautions have to be taken when going through notorious fly-belts, 

 as the Makongo, Prang, Attabubu, and the fusca belt at Ejura 

 on the Tamale road ; and the Bole, Bampwe and Buka-Buka belts 

 on the AYa-Kintampo road. Smearing the horses with a preparation 

 of pounded tobacco rubbed down with Moshi butter is practised. 

 This salve should be lightly applied over the whole body. The 

 native practises a similar method, but he applies the preparation 

 in the form of two crosses on each side of the quarters — probably 

 this custom is of fetish origin — but the prophylactic qualities of 

 the application undoubtedly consist of the strong odour which the 

 dressing emits and its bitter properties. 



Experiments were made on the administration of preparations 

 of arsenic as prophylactics in a tsetse-fly district. The first was on 

 13 horses taken out to manoeuvres in the Tachimen district in 

 February, March and April. One died on manoeuvres and 2 

 died at Coomassie from trypanosomiasis within a month of their 

 return. This is reported to be the lowest rate of mortality 

 recorded since officers took horses out on manoeuvres. The second 

 experiment was tried from Accra. A horse was well drugged 

 with arsenic and smeared and sent to work at Insuam on the Accra- 

 Mangoase Eailway. He worked 10 days carting. On return to 

 Accra the blood was found to contain no trypanosomes. Both 

 districts are notorious for tsetse-flies. 



On the road from Coomassie to Salaga over 300 flies were 

 caught. Fifty specimens were identified by Dr. Graham, of the 

 Medical Research Institute, Lagos, as under:- — 



Glossina palpalis was found on the road at IXinting, Bosum- 

 checlie, Ejura, Prang, Teji, and Makongo. Glossina tachinoides, 

 was found from Ejura to Salaga; it is exceedingly common at 

 Makongo. GJossiria fvsca was found between Bosumcheche and 

 Ejura; this belt has extended down to Bosumcheche. Glossina 

 tiifirofvsca, one specimen. (Tlos.-n'tm lonf/ipalpis was found from 

 Attabubu along the road to within a mile of Salaga. 



Mason (F. E.). Trypanosomiasis in Horses and Tuberculosis in 

 Camels. — Paper Xo. 5. 1912. Ministw of Interior. Dep. Pub. 

 Health (Yet Sec). Cairo. 1912. 



There is a current belief among the Bedouins that occasionally 

 horses become infected by means of biting flies (Tabanidae) with 

 the " fly disease " which so commonly attacks camels and that 

 the condition always terminates fatally in a few months. Diiring 

 the fly season it is usual to see horses in Eastern Sharkia protected 



