to test this question, but suggested that something might be learnt 

 bv feeding susceptible animals like monkeys on the organs of cases of 

 kala-azar. 



Bahr (P. H.). A Study of Epidemic Dysentery in the Fiji Islands. — 



Brit. Med. Jl., London, 7th Feb. 1914, pp. 294-296. 



The author in studying the epidemics of dysentery which have 

 occurred in Suva in recent years was struck by the fact that the maxi- 

 mum incidence of the disease occurs during the months of December, 

 January, February, March and April, the period of the highest mean 

 temperature and of the largest rainfall. The water supply of Suva 

 IS beyond reproach, therefore any suspicion of its contamination by 

 infected faecal matter can be dismissed. There is no evidence that the 

 direct infection of foodstuffs plays any part in the spread of the disease, 

 since acute dysentery occurs amongst all races in Fiji, though their 

 respective dietaries are entirely different. The house-fly {Musca 

 domesiica) was then suspected of being a medium by which infection 

 could be conveyed to foodstuffs. In these islands M. domesiica 

 constitutes a plague of considerable importance. Investigations on 

 the bacteriological flora of flies captured in a dysentery ward were 

 undertaken, but only twice was the typical Shiga-Kruse bacillus 

 isolated from the lower intestinal tract of the fly. However this 

 result may be of some value when considered in conjunction with the 

 seasonal distribution of the disease in Fiji and the concomitant preval- 

 ence of the house-fly. Later experiments on the transmission of the 

 dysentery bacillus by the fly were carried out by the London School 

 of Tropical Medicine. The flies were infected by means of bread 

 soaked in a broth culture of the dysentery organism. In none of the 

 experiments could the organisms be recovered after the fifth day. 

 The author was unable to obtain any evidence of the multiplication 

 of these same organisms in the fly. Somewhat similar results have 

 been obtained by CTraham-Smith in his experiments with typhoid 

 bacillus and B. enteritidis. Some of the data obtained seem to suggest 

 that in the intestinal tract of the fly under certain conditions dysentery 

 bacilli of one group can acquire the characteristics of another, though 

 more experiments are necessary on this point. 



Prentice (Rev. (J.). Sleeping Sickness, Tsetse, and Big Game. /^/^Y. 

 Med. Jl, London, 7th Feb. 1914, pp. 293-294. 



Referring to his experience in Nyasaland and Rhodesia, the author 

 has watched the spread of tsetse-fly for many years and long ago 

 warned the Government of the risks they were incurring in allowing 

 it to spread. The author attributes the increase of tsetse-fly entirely 

 to the increase in big game. In districts at one time rich in cattle, 

 sheep and goats, investigation revealed the presence of four dogs, and 

 these recently imported. He believes that the first step in the eradi- 

 cation of trypanosomiasis is a severe onslaught on wild animals to 

 drive them back from human settlements. In the opinion of the author 

 there is ample proof that wherever game is killed off Glossina mor.'^ildns 

 disappears. 



