100 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. 994 



more abundant are normoblasts, megaloblasts 

 and other abnormal red cells in the peripheral 

 circulation. 



8. Neither Carrion's fever nor verruga erup- 

 tion can be produced in either man or labora- 

 tory animals by the injection of blood con- 

 taining the Bartonia bodies alone, but both can 

 be produced in man by injection of the virus 

 from the human eruption, and the benign form 

 can be produced in laboratory animals by such 

 injection, the reason vchy the acute form has 

 not been similarly produced being that either 

 the animals are far less susceptible to the dis- 

 ease than man or the toxicity of the virus be- 

 comes attenuated for them after running its 

 course in man, though experience indicates 

 that it may yet be so produced in monkeys if 

 not in other animals. 



9. The pathologic microorganisms trans- 

 mitted by Phleboiomus in all parts of the 

 world so far as known invariably set up an 

 initial fever stage of longer or shorter dura- 

 tion and greater or less intensity, and verruga 

 eruption is in every case preceded by some 

 degree of pyrexia, though sometimes so slight 

 as to be hardly noticeable. 



10. The eruption following Carrion's fever 

 as well as the eruption preceded by mild fever 

 or an almost unappreeiable degree of fever 

 both show a marked tendency to appear first 

 at the sites of inoculation by the Phlehotomus 

 and to become most pronounced at such sites. 



11. Cases of eruption following either often 

 if not always confer immunity against both. 



12. Phlehotomus verrucarum gets its infec- 

 tion certainly from some reservoir, probably 

 one of the native mammals, but whether from 

 the lower mammals or man it is practically 

 certain that the reservoir of infection supplies 

 but one kind of microbe capable of developing 

 in and being transmitted by the carrier. 



13. Both are amenable to the same treat- 

 ment so far as this has been determined for 

 either. 



All of the above facts have been verified by 

 the writer's work and experience during his 

 investigation of verruga transmission in the 

 verruga zones and in the laboratory. Severe 

 pyrexia has resulted in a Cebus capuchinus 



from the bites of the Phleboiomus, the rectal 

 temperature passing 43° C. and the red cells 

 showing the Bartonia bodies. Miliar erup- 

 tion succeeded. The Bartonia bodies have 

 also been found by the writer in the red cells 

 of dog, rabbit and guinea-pig inoculated with 

 the Phlehotomus. Eruption away from site 

 of inoculation has been produced in a hairless 

 dog by hypodermic injection of over 400 

 Phlehotomus in five lots, mashed up in physio- 

 logical solution. Upon the excision of a large 

 nodule, another has grown in its place. The 

 writer's assistant in the verruga work, Mr. 

 George E. Nicholson, is in the hospital with 

 verruga, the result of 55 bites by Phlehotomus 

 September 17 last at Verrugas Canyon, due to 

 inadvertently getting his hands in contact 

 with the net while asleep. His symptoms have 

 been high fever with severe bone pains, and a. 

 large number of Bartonia bodies in the red 

 cells. Details of the experiments with labora- 

 tory animals will shortly be presented, includ- 

 ing blood and tissue studies, temperatures and 

 weights, with illustrations. 



Almost any one of the above reasons, taken 

 by itself, would seem to indicate conclusively 

 the unity of verruga. If Dr. Strong's thesis 

 can be made to harmonize with all of these 

 facts, then it is possible that he is right, but 

 the indications seem to point strongly the 

 other way. Charles H. T. Townsend 



Veredga Laboeatoey, 

 Chosica, Peru, 

 November 17, 1913 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS 

 Scott's Last Expedition. Vol. I., being the 

 Journals of Captain R. F. Scott, R.N., 

 C.V.O. Vol. n., being the Reports of the 

 Journeys and the Scientific Work under- 

 taken by Dr. E. A. Wilson and the surviv- 

 ing members of the Expedition. Arranged 

 by Leonard Hu.xley, with a preface by Sib 

 Clements R. Markham, K.C.B., F.E.S. 

 With 18 colored plates, 260 full-page and 

 smaller illustrations. New York. Dodd, 

 Mead and Company, 1913. Large 8vo. 2 

 vols, xxiv + 443, xiv -[- 376 pp. 8 maps. 

 $10.00 net. 



