204 SOME MINUTE ANIMAL PARASITES 



and the wounds or lesions are found not only on 

 most parts of the body, but even on the face and 

 scalp. The parasites strongly resemble those of 

 Kala-azar, and can be cultivated fairly easily on 

 artificial media. The small oval forms then gradu- 

 ally develop a flagellum, and are capable of active 

 movements. They divide rapidly into two, and the 

 division of each daughter form may recommence 

 before the two original ones are completely separ- 

 ated, so that rosettes of parasites are produced. 



When a drop of fluid from a sore is introduced 

 under the skin, the spot pricked soon heals up. 

 After an interval varying from about sixteen days to 

 six months, a small nodule makes its appearance, 

 and later the skin may become broken or covered 

 with scabs and scales, which, except for a few per- 

 forations, remain intact almost to the termination 

 of the disease. A thin whitish fluid oozes gradually 

 from the sore, and in cases where the latter does not 

 become contaminated with other organisms such as 

 bacteria, the margins swell from time to time, usually 

 one side being more noticeable than the other. If 

 a drop of liquid be taken from the swollen edge, it is 

 found to contain the parasites, and usually if the 

 blood be examined some distance from the infected 

 spots, parasites can be found in it at these swollen 

 periods. This feature recalls what is found in Kala- 

 azar, for in that disease there is a periodic extension 

 of the parasitic area, the intestine being particularly 

 affected, and dysenteric discharges occurring as a 

 result. Naturally, times at which the edges of the 

 sore are swollen are those when detection of the 



