300 SLEEPING SICKNESS [CH. 



CHAPTER XVIII 



GLOSSINA AND DISEASE {continued) 

 SLEEPING SICKNESS {T. gambiense) 



Synonyms. African Trypanosomiasis {pro parte) ; African 

 Lethargy ; Trypanosome Fever ; Sleeping Dropsy ; Morbus 

 Dormitious ; Maladie du Sommeil ; Schlafkrankheit ; Doen9a 

 de Sonno ; Letargia dei Negri ; Malattia del Sonno. Also a 

 very large number of native names. 



Definition. Sleeping Sickness is an acute or chronic infec- 

 tion with Trypanosoma gambiense Button, characterised by an 

 inflammatory condition of the lymphatic system, leading to a 

 meningo-encephalitis and a meningo-myelitis. The disease is 

 usually transmitted by Glossina palpalis Rob.-Desv., but 

 G. morsitans and probably some other species of the same 

 genus are capable of becoming infective. 



History. The first mention of this disease occurs in 1734, 

 when John Atkins, a Naval Surgeon, gave a clear description 

 of cases of the disease on the Guinea Coast. In the appendix 

 to his book, entitled The Navy Surgeon, occurs the following 

 passage : " The SleePy Distemper (common among the negroes) 

 gives no other previous Notice, than a want of Appetite two or 

 three days before ; their sleeps are sound, and Sense and Feeling 

 very little ; for pulling drubbing or whipping will scarce stir 

 up Sense and Power enough to move ; and the Moment you 

 cease beating the smart is forgot, and down they fall again into 

 a state of Insensibility, drivling constantly from the Mouth as 

 if in deep salivation ; breathe slowly, but not unequally nor 

 snort. 



" Young People are more subject to it than the old ; and 

 the Judgement generally pronounced is Death, the Prognostick 

 seldom failing. If now and then one of them recovers, he 

 certainly loses the little Reason he had, and turns Ideot. ..." 



" In Searching for the Cause of this Distemper it will be 

 necessary to repeat what I have observed, that the Bulk of 



