388 Mr. H. G. Plimmer. Effects produced on Rats ly [Dec. 1, 



" Note on the Effects produced on Eats by the Trypanosomata of 

 Gambia Fever and Sleeping Sickness." By H. G. PLIMMEK, 

 RL.S. Communicated by Dr. C. J. MARTIN, F.K.S. Eeceived 

 December 1, 1904, Eead January 19, 1905. 



(From the Laboratories of the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.) 



The following observations are of interest in connection with the 

 view that Gambia Fever may be the early stage of the disease which 

 ends as Sleeping Sickness, which is held by some : and with the 

 question of the causal relationship of the Trypanosoma found in 

 Sleeping Sickness to the disease. 



The Trypanosomata used in the experiments mentioned below 

 were given to me by Col. Bruce, F.E.S. ; that of Gambia Fever 

 having been taken from a monkey inoculated in Africa from a 

 native boy suffering from Gambia Fever, and that of Sleeping 

 Sickness from a monkey inoculated in Africa from a case of this 

 disease. 



Gambia Fever. 



Fourteen rats were inoculated with the Trypanosoma of Gambia 

 Fever at intervals between December 11, 1903, when I received the 

 first rat from Col. Bruce, and August 24, 1904, all of which are 

 dead. In each case the Trypanosomata were present in the blood, 

 the first appearance of them there being about four weeks after inocu- 

 lation : and towards the end of the disease they were present in large 

 numbers. The average time between inoculation and death was 

 two months and twelve days. In each case the spleen was enormously 

 enlarged ; there was considerable hyperplasia of the follicles, and the 

 pulp was congested in varying degrees. There was also marked 

 hyperplasia of the lymphatic glands, especially of those of the 

 mesenteric and mediastinal areas. There was congestion of the 

 liver, with cloudy swelling of its epithelium, and the same condition 

 in a lesser degree was found in the kidney. In no case was there 

 any paralysis, or any nervous symptoms, except that just before death 

 the animals became heavy and apathetic. Post mortem the capillaries 

 of the brain contained large numbers of the organisms. 



Sleeping Sickness. 



Three rats were inoculated on December 1, 1903, from a monkey 

 which had been brought home by Col. Bruce from Africa after inocu- 

 lation with cerebro-spinal fluid from a case of Sleeping Sickness. At 

 no time were any Trypanosomata found in the blood of these rats, 

 even after it had Ifeen centrifugalised post mortem. One rat became 



