52 KEPORT ON DOUEINE. 



affected stallions, during the first phase when the changes are con- 

 fined to the genital organs, is said to always aggravate the disease 

 and sometimes induce a fatal result. During the course of tMs 

 enquiry, much time has been expended, up to the present, in obtain- 

 ing a thorough grasp of the peculiar phases of the disease as 

 observed in this country in equines of different breeds. A much 

 longer period may have to elapse before we may be in a position 

 to destroy the .resting or developmental forms of the trypanosoma 

 in the body of the host. In cases of equine Surra, we found that 

 the administration of certain chemicals, arsenic and mercury would 

 prolong life from two up to seven or eight months and occa- 

 sionally in early cases of the disease a cure could be effected. In 

 the majority of instances, the drug, if pushed too far, brought 

 ; about the death of the host, without impairing to any great extent 

 tlie vitality of the developmental forms of the parasite the " mate- 

 ries morbi," although the mature trypanosoma was more readily 

 acted upon and -could be kept for long periods in check. Again, 

 in the case of camel Surra, it was discovered that equines inoculated 

 with blood from affected camels, during the early stages of the 

 disease, did not succumb within the average period of fifty- five 

 days, but contracted a rnild form of the malady, extending for an 

 indefinite period, but marked as in pqm'ne Surra by the presence 

 of paroxysms and intermissions. The former extending in the 

 early part of the course of tlie disease to thirty-one days, whereas 

 after a period of fourteen months had elapsed, the trypanosoma 

 only appeared for a period of a few hours and might not be again 

 discovered for a further period of three to four weeks. Our experi- 

 ments as to whether the camel trypanosoma finally disappeared 

 from the blood of equines, and whether these animals when in- 

 oculated with the virulent form of trypanosoma from equine Surra 

 cases, will succumb as rapidly as before or have acquired a certain 

 degree of protection, can only be answered when the time arrives 

 and the animals now under observation have been tested and the 

 results arrived at. Up to the present time this is also the position 

 with regard to the Dourine parasite. Animals, the subject of ad- 

 vanced disease, exhibiting cutaneous plaques and weakness across the 

 loins have been treated with Argenic and l^ux Vomica or with 



