Preliminary Note on the Occurrence of a New Variety of 
Trypanosomiasis on the Island of Zanubar. 
By ALEXANDER Epinaton, M.D. Edin., D.P.H. Edin. and Glasgow, 
F.R.S. Edin. 
(Communicated by J. Rose Bradford, For. Sec. R.S. Received August 5,— 
Read November 12, 1908.) 
Neither on Zanzibar nor on the adjacent island of Pemba has the 
occurrence of trypanosomiasis among animals ever been recorded or 
suspected. The population of Zanzibar, about 170,000, consists mostly of 
natives. There is a considerable proportion of Indians, and a very small 
number of Europeans. Horses are comparatively few in number, but there 
are many donkeys, mules, cattle and goats. Donkeys and mules are largely 
obtained from the East; cattle and goats are imported mainly from the 
mainland of Africa, while horses have been obtained from various countries. 
The island itself is of coral formation and has much swampy ground. 
Apart from mosquitoes, there are very few blood-sucking flies: neither Tsetse 
flies nor Stomoxys have been found. 
On February 9, 1908, Mr. Dubash, an Indian veterinary officer attached 
to the Sultan’s stables, noticed, in a livery stable belonging to an Indian, 
a horse which showed well-marked swelling of the abdomen and sheath. 
He at once drew my attention to it, when the animal was made the subject 
of investigation. 
The animal was a bay Arab, entire, aged. It showed evident signs of 
weakness, while its temperature was 103°6 F. The front of the chest, 
forelegs, abdomen, sheath and hind legs, all showed evidence of cedematous 
swelling. The conjunctive and Schneiderian membrane were pale, but no 
petechize were observable. No other horse in the stable showed any evidence 
of being similarly affected. 
Blood was drawn from the ear and also directly from the jugular vein. 
With this blood, films were prepared for microscopical examination. On 
examination, the red corpuscles were found to be very markedly vacuolated, 
and among these were found some very small trypanosomes. Their number 
was, however, so small that considerable care had to be taken in searching for 
them, and it may be at once said that at no time were they ever very 
numerous. 
Emaciation, which was already marked in the horse, progressed until 
death, which occurred on February 18. 
VOL. LXXX.—B, 2X 
