36 DLFARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



THE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE TRYPANOSOMA EQUIPERDUM. (See Plate XVI. and XVII.) 



Summary of Table No. XII. 



In vaginal mucus, trypanosomata present in 14 preparations. 



35 examined. 

 " blood " " 27 peparations. 



72 examined. 

 In blood from the plaques, trypanosomata were «o< present in 



19 examined. 

 « tail " "10 



jugular vein " " fl 



Thus, the organisms were never found in blood drawn from the genenal circula- 

 tion or cutaneous swellings, but it is probable only in the early eruptive stage of the 

 latter that the organisms are ever observed. 



In the vaginal mucus and vaginal blood the organisms were found in nearly 

 the same proportion of preparations, namely, 40 and 38:8 per cent resi)ectively. 



In the mucus they usually appear small, contracted and often vacuoled, ot very 

 thin and elongated, are stained with difficulty and not always easy to differentiate 

 from the cellular debris, &c. To secure a good preparation, the mucus must be 

 very thinly spread and without pressure, free from dirt and dried instantly. On 

 several occasions prepariations from the blood and mucus were made before and after 

 a thorough irrigation of the vagina with a solution of sodium chloride and sodium 

 citrate (sodium chloride, 5 grammes, sodium citrate, 5 grammes, boiled water 1000 

 c. cm.), and where but one or two trypanosomata were found in several smears 

 before irnigation, they were more numerous in those taken immediately after. The 

 preparations of February 20, in which the organisms were the most numerous during 

 the whole of this series of examinations, were taken immediately after an irrigation. 



Trypanosomata wene found in the mucus only in the absence of bacteria, or 

 when the latter were very scanty. The irrigation of the vaginal canal with a citrate 

 solution is favourable to the detection of trypanosomata, not only removing the bac- 

 teria and toxic mucus, but causing a fresh and increased secretion from the vaginal 

 membranes, in which, especially after a slight scarification, the trypanosomata are 

 more likely to be found. It is important to scarify the membrane very lightly so 

 that only a small trace of blood exudes, and at those minute points that present an 

 opdematous or vesicular appearance. 



In preparations made fnom drops of blood flowing from a deep puncture through 

 the mucous membrane and into the underlying tissues, I have not been able to find a 

 single trypanosoma. 



Srvoral conjugating parasite? were observed in the vaginal blood and multipli- 

 caion forms were not uncommon. The trypanosomata were extremely rare in a 

 gneat majority of the preparations, two to three organisms only being observed in 

 each, and it has frequently been necessary to search a slide for one to two hours 

 before finding a single parasite. 



In the series of examinations given in Table No. XL, the time occupied in the 

 search of each slide averaged about 40 minutes. 



As alri3ady detailed, trypanosomata could be found more or less constantly in the 

 vaginal blood and mucus, between February 11 and the end of March, provided a 

 sufficient number of preparations were carefully searched on each day of examination. 

 In April, the parasites had almost wholly disapi^oarod and were found on only one 

 occasion, April 9. The last observation of trypanosomata in the vaginal blood was 

 made on June 29, but on August 25th and September 7 the organisms were found 

 in the contents of the cutaneous plaques. 



Note.' — I would again call attention to the value of irrigating the vaginal mucous 

 membrane with a warm solution of sodium citrate and chloride, previous to the pre- 



