﻿84 MIYAJIMA. 



piroplasma may similarly assume a trypanosoma form in the course of 

 its development. However, Kovy and McKeal 5 reached a different 

 conclusion from the above observer, for they affirmed definitely that the 

 trypanosomata of birds are not related, entirely to hamocytozoa such as 

 HaMeridium and Leucocytozoa. 



Again, Eogers 6 succeeded in securing a culture of the small, intracell- 

 ular parasites of Kala-azar known as the Leishman-Donovan bodies, 

 in which the organisms developed into large, motile flagellates, most 

 closely resembling young trypanosomata which had not yet developed 

 an undulating membrane. 



Thus, our problem on the relation of hamocytozoa to trypanosomata 

 becomes more complicated and must be settled by further observations. 

 For this reason I took as my material for this investigation a form of 

 bovine piroplasma which is readily accessible in Japan, and made some 

 observations in cooperation with my assistant Dr. Irikura. 



Observation 1. — In a paper 7 "On the Piroplasma Found in Japanese 

 Cattle," I have, with Dr. Shibayama, shown that a large percentage 

 of Japanese cattle is infected with a species of piroplasma which seems 

 to be similar to the parasite of coast fever (Piroplasma parvum). In the 

 course of an extended study we were able fairly often to demonstrate the 

 same parasites in the blood of the native cattle of Korea. These parasites, 

 found in apparentty healthy animals, have been mostly of the small 

 bacillary type, the large p3'riform or ring-shaped bodies only being seen 

 occasionally. E. Koch 8 in one of his latest publications, described a 

 peculiar cross-form which distinguishes Piroplasma parvum from its allied 

 parasites. After a prolonged search this form was also encountered in 

 the blood smears prepared from our native cattle, although only in small 

 numbers (PL I, fig. 1). However, we have not as yet observed any 

 symptoms characteristic of coast fever in our infected Japanese cattle, 

 although the parasites found therein might morphologically be identical 

 with Piroplasma parvum Theiler. There are diverse views in regard to 

 the pyriform body of this species. Some observers believe that the pyri- 

 form bod) T occasional}' met with in the blood of an animal suffering from 

 coast fever rather represents a mixed infection with c 'Texas fever," while 

 others consider it to be a distinct form occurring in the life cycle of- 

 Piroplasma parvum, as is the case in the other varieties of this group. 

 In support of the latter view it may be stated that we have observed the 

 large pyriform body occurring regularly, although in small numbers, in 

 the circulating blood of every infected animal, and in Japan an infection 

 with Texas fever is out of the question. 



5 Aw. Med. (1904), 8, 932. 



"Quart. J. Micr. 8c. Lond. (1905), 48, 367. 



' Ztschr. f. Hyg. u. Infectionslcrankh., Leipz. (1906) 54, 189. 



8 Deutsche med. Wehnseh. (1905), 47, 1865. 



