8 HUMAN INTESTINAL PROTOZOA IN THE NEAR EAST 



dysentery wards at our disposal, and we were able to observe 

 closely the course of the various infections and the effect of treat- 

 ment. The late Lieutenant-Colonel Lister, C.M.G., K.A.M.C., 

 Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, who always showed a lively 

 interest in our investigations, very kindly allowed us to take over 

 the treatment of all the amoebic or other protozoal infections, so 

 we had ample material on which to work. 



In addition to the cases which were identified by us in the 

 routine examination of all the hospital admissions, we obtained 

 a larger number of cases from the examinations of apparently 

 healthy men in various camps around Alexandria. As will be 

 shown below, we found a fairly high percentage of carriers amongst 

 the healthy or apparently healthy men, and these were brought 

 into hospital and given a course of emetin, the result of which 

 will be discussed in another part of this paper. 



The carrying out of the routine examinations of men in camp 

 seemed at first sight a very difficult procedure, but a system was 

 elaborated which proved to be reliable chiefly owing to the interest 

 shown by Captain Sibley, K.A.M.C., then Sanitary Officer to one 

 of the camp areas, who helped us in every possible way and rendered 

 easy what appeared at first sight an almost impossible undertaking. 

 The working of any scheme for the collection of material from 

 men in camp is no easy matter. Yet the energy and skill of 

 Serjt. E. Weavis, R.A.M.C., specially detailed for laboratory duty, 

 enabled us to collect several thousand specimens without any 

 mistake or hitch in the proceedings. 



In order to obtain an insight into the intestinal protozoa of the 

 natives of the country, with a view to the discovery of a reservoir 

 of infection, we were kindly given permission by Dr. Kirton, 

 Medical Superintendent of the Egyptian Jails, to examine a series 

 of over 500 prisoners in the Hadra Prison, Alexandria. These 

 observations afforded most interesting results which will be detailed 

 below. 



The patients in hospital were under the care of a medical 

 officer who carried out the treatment suggested by us. For the 

 greater part of the time Lieutenant Eastmond, E.A.M.C., was in 



