316 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 



It seems to me not at all unlikely that some of the 70 camels 

 dying from the epidemic in the first instance may have actually 

 died of surra, and not of mange, or that the mange (in extensive 

 form, and admittedly often a fatal complaint in the camel) may 

 have flourished especially on sickly camels, and death have been 

 attributed rather to it than to an unknown disease. Still more 

 suggestive is the description of the illness of Colonel Warburton's 

 camels and his comparison of the disease with one known in horses 

 in India. Supposing these particular animals to have harboured 

 trypanosomes, it is only to be expected that after such hardships 

 surra should have been lighted up again, and the camels have died 

 from it. In regard to the reference to the disease of horses in India, 

 it must be remembered that the mortality among horses in India 

 from surra is high, that at the time when Colonel Warburton wTote 

 the disease was imperfectly known, and its parasite not yet dis- 

 covered, and that paresis of the hindquarters is not an uncommon 

 occurrence towards the end of the infection. 



If my suppositions are correct, it would appear that amongst 

 the first handful of camels that reached West Australia, several 

 died within its borders of surra, and that at a spot not far from 

 where 35 years later the Port Hedland camels were quarantined. 

 Of course there is nothing to suggest that in any of these animals 

 was the disease acquired in Australia — only that the parasites were 

 imported in the camels and manifested their presence later in those 

 animals in which they came. On the other hand, no one can say 

 with certainty that the disease cannot be spread here from affected 

 imported animals, especially when it is remembered that we have 

 biting flies allied to those responsible for such spread elsewhere. 



]3._ONCHOCERCA GIBSONI : THE CAUSE OF WORM NODULES 

 IN AUSTRALIAN CATTLE. 



By J. A. GILRVTH, D.l'.Sc, M.R.C.WS., F.R.S.E., Professor of. Veterinary Pathology, and 

 GEORGINA SWEET, D.Sc, .Lecturer in Parasitology, Melbourne University Veterinary 

 Institute. 



Introduction. 



General. 



History of Occurrence in Australasia. 



Geographical Distribution of the Disease in Australia. 



Age Incidence. 



New Growths (Nodules) induced by Parasite. 



Location and Number. 



Macroscopic Appearance. 



Movement of Parasite. 



Microscopical Appearance of Nodules. 

 Structure of the Parasite. 



General External Characters. 



Internal Structure. 



